Fifty Plus (50+) - Eye Protection

As a long time rider I've had numerous closer than close close calls with various objects hitting me in the face whilst riding. I do both MTB and road riding. Both have their various items to duck out of the way of!

Wearing my usual daily wear prescription glasses has always been something to avoid. I don't want to break them nor do I trust them to truly protect my precious eyeballs. I'm both a human and a photographer so my eyeballs are a cherished resource!

In the past I've worn various impact resistant glasses. None of which were prescription. These worked well enough but um I be getting older and my vision prescription keeps getting "worse".

So I knuckled down and bought a pair of Rudy Project glasses. They are polarized, photochromic (which means they get darker/lighter as the ambient light changes), progressives for both distance and reading and tough as hell for impact resistance.

I can now SEE that rock kicked up by an SUV coming at me at 40MPH as I fly down a hill!! LOL!! I really can SEE better with them and I can wear these year round which is a good thing!

You don't have to spend as much as I did but I do strongly urge everyone to take eye protection while riding seriously. Have ya ever been pegged in the face by a bumble bee while riding at speed?! Holy cow that hurts!!

I only have to look at the lens of my "Rudy Project" glasses after a ride to realise how much could have hit the eyes. Right from the start I used to wear just a basic pair of sunglasses and over the years have progressed up to Rudy Project.

I bought a cheap pair of wally world shooting glasses. I figure they should deal with bees and other road hazards, and i don't really need my regular glasses for riding.

...I do strongly urge everyone to take eye protection while riding seriously. Have ya ever been pegged in the face by a bumble bee while riding at speed?! Holy cow that hurts!!
I posted back in June about a corneal abrasion I suffered, with a medical reference on the subject:


As a public service announcement to my fellow cyclists, today I suffered a corneal abrasion....

So that's what I learned about corneal abrasions, FYI.

After my first ride wearing contacts, I went out and got a pair of clear saftey glases for cloudy days, and sun glasses for sunny days. Now days I just wear my regular glasses. Every year I have a bumble bee bounce off of my glasses, they make a distinctive sound. I have even had one that managed to land and was crawling on the inside surface of my glasses!

I have several pair of shooting glasses. Yellow for night, gray for sun, blue blocker for cloudy and gradient for MTB (moving in and out of shadows I like having less tint at the bottom to better see the trail). And they've definately saved my eyes on a number of occasions.

As a long time rider I've had numerous closer than close close calls with various objects hitting me in the face whilst riding. I do both MTB and road riding. Both have their various items to duck out of the way of!

Wearing my usual daily wear prescription glasses has always been something to avoid. I don't want to break them nor do I trust them to truly protect my precious eyeballs. I'm both a human and a photographer so my eyeballs are a cherished resource!

In the past I've worn various impact resistant glasses. None of which were prescription. These worked well enough but um I be getting older and my vision prescription keeps getting "worse".

So I knuckled down and bought a pair of Rudy Project glasses. They are polarized, photochromic (which means they get darker/lighter as the ambient light changes), progressives for both distance and reading and tough as hell for impact resistance.

I can now SEE that rock kicked up by an SUV coming at me at 40MPH as I fly down a hill!! LOL!! I really can SEE better with them and I can wear these year round which is a good thing!

You don't have to spend as much as I did but I do strongly urge everyone to take eye protection while riding seriously. Have ya ever been pegged in the face by a bumble bee while riding at speed?! Holy cow that hurts!!


While many will disagree the best, cheapest and safest solution is to by two pairs of "fit over" glasses. One for sunshine , one in clear.

This brand is made from Lexan (bullet proof plastic) polycarbonate so you'll be plenty safe from eye impacts.
http://www.eyesave.com/brands/b281-d1-pg1/Solar+Shield+Fits-Over-Sunglasses/index.aspx

With a HR monitor and cycling computer I need prescription glasses when I ride away. Wrap around cycling glasses seemed an absolute necessity so I bought some Costa Del Mar sun glasses. Having tried them when I still rode motorcycles I knew that worked.

I just wear my 'normal' Rx sunglasses, which are Maui Jim, polarized, progressive, with titanium frames. They aren't as aero or cool as special purpose riding glasses, but the coverage is sufficient. I can look underneath them to see the computer, which I like because it isn't always bright enough through the glasses.

I've got a pair of Under Armour "Velocity" sunglasses that I really like for during the daytime. I have been considering some clear lense glasses for my early morning rides that begin about an hour before sunrise.

I have been considering some clear lense glasses for my early morning rides that begin about an hour before sunrise.
Try yellow tinted glasses. I was using clear for night time commutes when someone suggested I try yellow. I was sold the first time I tried them. They really are better for low light conditions.

...So I knuckled down and bought a pair of Rudy Project glasses. They are polarized, photochromic (which means they get darker/lighter as the ambient light changes), progressives for both distance and reading and tough as hell for impact resistance...
How effective is the photochromatic feature? I had an early version years ago and hated them. They never got dark enough to be adequate sunglasses, and they didn't go completely clear indoors, so they had a creepy, tinted look and left me in perpetual twilight. The worst of both worlds. Surely, yours are better than that, yes?

Try yellow tinted glasses. I was using clear for night time commutes when someone suggested I try yellow. I was sold the first time I tried them. They really are better for low light conditions.
Thanks! Will find some yellow tints.

How effective is the photochromatic feature? I had an early version years ago and hated them. They never got dark enough to be adequate sunglasses, and they didn't go completely clear indoors, so they had a creepy, tinted look and left me in perpetual twilight. The worst of both worlds. Surely, yours are better than that, yes?

Depends on the Transitions.. there's I, II, III... I don't know where they are now.
For general glasses, I've had Is & IIs and they are awful, exhibiting exactly what you describe.
I suspect the lenses I have for my Rudys are IIs and they suck. So, I mostly just use my orange, polarized.
IIIs are MUCH better but still not great. I don't mind the indoor tinting so much but they just don't get dark enough.
I think I'm just spoiled because, way back when, I used Photograys which are still the absolute BEST.
Unfortunately it's only available with glass lenses and I can't wear those anymore :(
My wife just got a new pair of Transitions and they look to be much improved.
The other thing, though, was that Photograys had a pink cast to their tint indoors -which was really cool- but Transitions are kind of yellow/brown. Yuck.

Thanks! Will find some yellow tints.
I get them here:
http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/smitwesmagsa.html
My sons and I wear the Magnums and my wife wears the Mini-Magnums (they are on a different page - same style/smaller size). My 90 year old M-I-L tried on my wife's mirrored ones and liked them so much we got her a pair as well.

Here's my riding glasses. Uvex safety glasses that have a choice of lens colors. Can't beat the price either. :beer:
http://www.pksafety.com/uvgeblcl.html

These work for me.

http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/rx-350b.html

I'd be lost without the bifocal lens if I had to fix a flat or something.:notamused:

Where does one get the Rudy project glasses as I'm in the same boat.

I found them, thanks for the info.