I just got a pair of contact to replace my glasses for riding, tonight was my first time out with them on the bike and they dried up pretty quickly from the wind even with some pretty big glasses, do your eyes eventually get used to them?

I wear contacts when riding and sometimes have this problem. I carry a little bottle of rewetting drops in my jersey to help with it.

Eventually, it will get a little better, though.

I gets better. I've never had a problem with contacts drying on me. Might be of some benefit to just let them soak in solution for 5 minutes or so before you head out.

Yeah make sure they are really wet when you put them in.

Also, I found my eyes did not like Complete (I think..)

I switched back to ReNu, and no problems at all... strange, but true.

Contacts with real sunglasses over my transitions prescription glasses any day!

When I just start out on a ride, the wind dries my eyes pretty bad. Once that clears up (it takes sometimes up to 5 minutes), then everything's okay and my eyes work as normal. Alternate between holding your eyes open really wide (to make your eyes tear up) and blinking a lot. After they clear up, I don't have a problem for the rest of the ride no matter how long.

I also almost always use wrap around sunglasses, regardless of sunlight level. Native Nano2's for me; I consider them almost as essential as a helmet. Don't wear regular sunglasses as the air swirls around behind the lenses and blow-dries your eyes.

edit: just make sure when you are blinking that you don't blink so hard that your contacts pop out. I don't use re-wetting drops either; for me (all eyes are different) they just make my contacts drier for some reason. If I get really dry, I just move the contact (with my finger) off of my cornea and let it come back. This lets the cornea under the contact get wet and thus rewets the backside of the contact lens.

Hard or soft lenses? I've heard hard lenses dry more easily, but I've only worn soft. Mine are okay if I wear sunglasses, but I have a problem with keeping my sunglasses high enough to see through (which I just posted about a second ago). I need to find a pair of clear glasses to wear for riding in the dark.

EDIT: Oops, I had originally and mistakenly typed "if I wear glasses" above. My eyes aren't so bad that I wear contacts and prescription glasses at the same time!

i have the old fashioned gas perms or hard contacts. have worn them for 20 plus years. only been cycling for two years, but i dont really have any issues. i wear some vented tifosi cycling glasses. you eyes will adjust. plus, carry some wetting drops with you. later.

I wear sunglasses when I ride. Helps protect my contacts from drying out.

Wrap around glasses with interchangeable lenses.
Carry rewet solution at all times.
You may need to talk to your optometrist for a better fitting, more suitable to the bicyclist. Did you mention your problem to him/her? They usually will let you return contacts until they get them right.

it's the soft lenses. This is only my second day with contacts so far...

On longer rides, mine will tend to dry out from all the air flow. I do the same thing as Brian Ratliff described: moving them around to let the area underneath get some moisture back on it. The drying out issue is the worst in the winter for me. I bought some big wrap arounds to help but even with them on, I sometimes find myself stopped on the side of the road fiddling with a contact lense. Oh, combine winter riding with night riding and you've got the worst case scenario for wearing contacts. Good thing saliva does a nice job of rewetting contacts. I've even taken one out and rode for a while with it in my mouth to rewet it before putting it back in.

I ride with contacts because I can see with them. My glasses are about 4-5 years old and (at 18) an outdated prescription. I ride with contacts because I can wear sweet cycling glasses that actually block the wind, and UV rays unlike glasses. I've ridden with glasses and had troubles keeping them where I needed them.
Contacts move with your eyes very well so being alert is not a problem.
For me glasses are not an option, I just see so much better/more with contacts.

WARNING: If you get really sweaty on a ride make sure your face stops sweating before you hop into a shower. Sweat bacteria can get you a nasty infection (as can unfiltered or under cared-for water supply) I am recovering from an infection cause by a combo of sweat bacteria and bad water (from a mobile shower truck) and I could have lot some vision. I cought it in time but it was incredibly painful for a week and limited my contact wearing and viual comfort for almost 4 weeks. Just be carful and make sure you clean your eyes good when your sweating/riding.

I wear contacts without a problem.

Wow, I found the exact same thing. Some time ago my eye doc suggested Complete for some reason so I just used it. When they recalled Complete I switched to Renu and my lenses are much more comfortable now.

the main problem with contacts for me is bugs in my eyes. so I wear sunglasses over 'em.

I wear extended wear contacts with no problems other then they get dirtier more quickly then without riding... I do wear sunglasses, but the dirt/dust gets in them.. no different then driving a convertible... just have to rewet them more often...

My contacts always dry out on me and it drives me crazy! I try and put them in fresh and right before a ride.

contacts with sunglasses or clear lens glasses

Try some silicone hydrogel contacts like Focus Night & Day or Bausch & Lomb Purevision. I live in a very dry area and always had trouble with lenses drying out even when I wasn't riding until I switched to silicone hydrogels. They're very low water content lenses to begin with so drying doesn't affect them much.

+1.

To answer your poll, I have found that the best answer is "both". Wear contacts, but then wear a wraparound sunglass. I had to do a lot of experimentation before I found the right shades.

I started with my Oakley Half Jackets that worked great for other outside activities, and they let in too much air. So, I bought some Wiley-X sunglasses with foam around the eye pieces that I thought would prevent wind. They did, but that left me with no way to release heat, so they fogged up.

I am now riding with a pair of Rudy Project Ekynox that are perfect...for me. They are huge and I would never wear them off the bike, but they provide very wide coverage yet let in a small amount of air to keep from fogging up. They have interchangeable lenses too.

contacts with sunglasses

I wear contacts without a problem. Maybe I don't go fast enough

try to remember to blink more

always wear cycling shields, and best ot have a pair with replaceable lenses, that also come with clear lenses for low light.

The shields not only keep the wind from blowing the lenses out of your eye, but with contacts debris can often get under the lens and you become incapacitated. It sucks having to stop take the lens out, wet it with spit or something, and try to put it back in without a mirror, on the road, only to find the debris is still on it.

Being new to contacts, you may want to carry an extra spare set when you ride. They are not that expensive.

I've been wearing contacts for about 10 years (just got into cycling a few years ago), so I guess my eyes are pretty used to them.

As for riding, I always wear sunglasses when I ride to protect my eyes from drying out. One ride I happened to forget my sunglasses, and my eyes were really bothering me as the contacts were drying out. A few years ago, I switched to a pair of bigger sunglasses (Rudy Project Rydons) from a smaller set of Oakleys, and I find now that my eyes are much more comfortable with the Rydons. Perhaps try some bigger sunglasses?