Fifty Plus (50+) - Prescription eye wear

I am about to get new glasses and/or contacts. I really am starting to think that I should have gotten my bifocal prescription rather than just my distance prescription in my riding glasses. My current glasses are Optic Nerve Red Hawks they use prescription inserts and have worked out well except that inserts mean 4 surfaces to fog and they only come with a smoke colored lens. I think I would continue to use them but get the bifocal prescription except for the lack of choices in lens color. A single lens might be the right answer in photochromic. Before I needed glasses I loved my Oakley Blades.

I am looking for something that I can use for performance riding, touring, mountain biking, running, and trail running. They need to be a reasonable compromise between being ventilated and protecting the eyes in cold weather.

I would be curious what others have used and how well they worked out.

I use regular prescription (bifocal) sun glasses for bicycling. My eyeglass guy put "cable bows" on them that curl around under my ears.

Years ago I bought some prescription sun glasses minus the bifocal prescription. I'll never do that again. I didn't realize how often I check a map or by bike computer or whatever until I couldn't.

I too had considered one of the "sport" sunglass options with the clip-in prescription lenses but cycling friends warned me about the fogging problem.

I use my regular prescription glasses for everything. When I was fitted for them, I indicated to the seller that I needed light polycarbonate and photochromic lenses that would serve as eye protection as well as my everyday glasses. I was clear that wind and debris protection while riding a bike were critical. Finally, I made sure there was a return policy allowing me to bring the glasses back if they did not work. Hence, I now have a single pair of glasses that I wear all of my waking hours. They are light (polycarbonate and titanium) and work better than some cycling specific glasses I have owned in the past. It took some time with the seller's fitter to find the right size lens that would cover the shape of my eyes correctly, but well worth the effort. BTW, they are progressive lenses with a bifocal prescription.

I have Bolle Parole glasses with inserts. I like 'em, but don't love 'em.
+ changeable lenses, including blue for tennis, yellow and clear and even more
+ bifocal
+ can keep glasses if prescription changes
+ Price is not insane

- four surfaces per eye to fog up
- Fit is OK, but not stunningly perfect

Getting the inserts in bifocal has been great. I can now read the tiny numbers on my Garmin!

For a quick fix, check out stick-on bifocals from this thread. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=412976)

One of the group riders had some last fall, and liked them.

For instance:
http://img-srv.dtcbuilder.com/engine/builder/images/1/0/6/0/8/file/4.jpg
from this site. (http://www.stickonbifocals.com/)

My eyes used to water up in cool weather. Now with wrap around Rudy glasses, I can see again.

My Rudys have a clip in prescription. It's not much of a problem during the day, and I don't have fogging or sweat getting in between the lenses. But at night, with clear lenses and the insert, there's double reflections of streetlights.

I have these for cold weather: http://www.bicyclerx.com/product.php?code=a136

Yes, they have inserts, but they are spaced a bit away from the face and fogging hasn't been an issue with them. I use them for cross country and downhill skiing as well as cycling. They are very lightweight and have worked very well for me.

I have a pair of Bolle Spiral glasses I use for Summer cycling but they hug the face too closely for cold weather use.

Thanks for the feed back. I want something wrap around, so one pair of glasses for everything probably doesn't cut it for me. I have never found one pair that worked for both athletic use and wearing to work, etc. The biggest drawback to "normal glasses" was usually my eyes tearing up in cold weather at speed.

I definitely need something with either interchangeable lenses or photochromic lenses.

My Red Hawks have been OK fit wise, but having 4 surfaces was a small problem and having only one color lens was a big problem.

I have a pair of Bolle Spiral glasses I use for Summer cycling but they hug the face too closely for cold weather use.
Funny, Summer is when I feel like I need a bit more ventilation. I noticed when riding across the US in record breaking heat, that taking off my glasses for the long climbs over major passes made it feel 10 degrees cooler because they hugged the face so close.

Have you looked into the Performance Radial II?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=15253&subcategory_ID=2510

Multi-lens and has an optional Rx Adapter.

Works for me.

Ride On!
-Spoke

Have you looked into the Performance Radial II?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=15253&subcategory_ID=2510

Multi-lens and has an optional Rx Adapter.

Works for me.

Ride On!
-Spoke
I hadn't checked them out. Thanks they look interesting. I will stop by Performance tonight and check them out.

Did you get yours set up as bifocals?

Any problems with steaming up? It looks like the vent holes would help with that.

have you looked into the performance radial ii?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?sku=15253&subcategory_id=2510

multi-lens and has an optional rx adapter.

Works for me.

Ride on!
-spoke+1 - mine are progressive bifocal.

Make sure when they fit them that you have them fit within the overall frames if you are getting a progressive bifocal. I once had to have a set remade because the focus points were in the wrong location (set too far from my face).

No, my prescription lenses are stuck on my eyeballs (I wear contacts). I have never had any problems with these glasses steaming up. Read the reviews on the web page. I have not had any problems with the lenses, but the nose piece on my first pair broke due to switching back and forth between the grey and orange lens. Just don't over flex the nose piece. I now have two pairs, I keep one with the grey lens and the other with the orange, thus no more lens changing!

Ride On!
-Spoke

I keep one with the grey lens and the other with the orange, thus no more lens changing!
I was thinking of doing that as well.

+1 - mine are progressive bifocal.

Make sure when they fit them that you have them fit within the overall frames if you are getting a progressive bifocal. I once had to have a set remade because the focus points were in the wrong location (set too far from my face).
I can imagine getting that right could be tricky.

Here's what I wear. Liberty Torque. They are prescription, but I skipped the bifocal because of the extra cost. They are slightly padded around the frame, so they fit snuggly and comfortably and maybe wouldn't cut if you fell. I was told they were made for motorcycling. They have not fogged up on me. And, they don't look too dorquey to wear in real life.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/SunglassesTorque.jpg

I just got my prescription updated so am looking to replace the bifocal sunglasses (metal frame) I've been using for years, including on a lot of rides. Have decided to go for wrap-around types because the sunlight that enters from the side of the glasses has been bothersome for the last couple of years. I live in a sunny place.

Still shopping but the most promising I've found so far are Oakley M frames. See:
http://oakley.com/mframe

I'll probably go for them with the hybrid-S lense. You can do a lot of mix and matching with lenses, frame colors, etc. Pricey, though, unless you have insurance; maybe even if you have insurance.

They're endorsed by Lance!

A few years ago, I tried a pair of Performance wrap-around sunglasses with a prescription insert and it just didn't work for me. The insert was fine on its own but would bend when placed in the sunglass frame, screwing up the prescription alignment and making the vision all wonky.

Depending on your prescription and how much money you want to spend most of the Oakleys and Rudy Projects can be made with interchangable prescription lenses, Transition lenses, and bifocals. They do not require inserts.

http://www.bicyclerx.com/category.php?catid=1

I'm looking at the Rudy Project Horus but they are over $300 with all three options. My prescription is a bit too strong for the Oakleys.

I also got the Bolle Parole w/ three lenses -- yellow, smoke and clear.

Friend had gotten her eyes lasered, so gave me her prescription inserts, which saved me a few bucks.

I got my prescription made w/ bifocals (I wear progressives, but optician recommended bifocals for cycling) I measured precicely from eyeball to handlebar for near distance. Then I spared no expense for lenses and coatings.

They are excellent, except for aforementioned condensation issues. Not worse in my experience than regular glasses, except when the mist ends up between lenses. Soon clears up when you're moving though.

+1 polycarbonate lenses for shatter-resistance