Rivren5

Hello - Got a pair of Oakley Flak jackets - nice and good fit. What lens color would you all recommend for "all around" cycling. I know the lenses are interchangeable but they are $$$. Of course, there is not one "best" but perhaps there is a happy medium.

Thanks.

Riv

Paul Barnard

I like welding goggles, that way I can't see how far behind I am.

stapfam

Yellow. Take the sting out of sunlight- wok on dull days- superb at dusk when light is fading- and not too bad for night riding.

Failing that- Just use a clear lens and squint.

damocles1

Yellow is a bad, bad idea in everything but low light and overcast conditions. You don't need a lens that intensifies light when the sun is out.

I've found that the Polarized Gold Iridium from Oakley works the best. It knocks down glare and reduces shadows. Colors are also intensifed.

Spookykinkajou

Agreed on the yellow. That's probably the last color I'd ever recommend unless you lived under a perpetual cloud or only tended to ride in to the night.

Gold Iridium is probably my favorite all around lens for bright to average conditions. It enhances nicely along with blocking a high % of light. I have clear, persimmon (similar to yellow but not as intense), gold iridium and a pair of radars that have fire iridium. None of the lenses are cheap but the first two I mentioned are a lot cheaper than the last two, fwiw.

grolby

Oh, for crying out loud. Yellow lenses do NOT intensify light. They block certain elements of the blue part of the visible light spectrum, which brings emphasizes the yellow part of the spectrum. All colored lenses decrease, to some extent, the intensity of the light coming in because there's less of it. Yellow lenses aren't great in clear conditions because there's already plenty of less energetic light (red, yellow) available. Clouds tend to block that light while letting the blues and violets through, which is why we wear yellow lenses to correct the color balance on overcast days. This has nothing to do with intensifying light - yellow lenses won't hurt you on a bright day, they will in fact protect your eyes just like any other lens by decreasing the intensity of the solar radiation reaching your eyes. However, the color balance will probably not be ideal for visibility under those conditions.

triplebutted

I use yellow all year down here in Sunny Socal.

Spookykinkajou

You are right, it doesnt amplify light, but it blocks hardly any. I forget the exact precentage, but it's just a bit more than a clear lens. Personally, I don't really see why anyone would ever use this for an 'all around' lens. Something like the VR28 would be far more ideal for all around, but still not great for sunny conditions. Yellow is designed for cloudy and most people can ride comfortably with them at night. I know my persimmon are tolerable at night, and they block a bit more light than yellow.

Why stress the eyes when you don't have to? because that's what wearing a yellow lens in sunny conditions is doing.

mrbubbles

For Oakleys, Gold Iridium and VR28.

SpongeDad

I had a similar question a while back - https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...708&highlight=

I tend to ride with the rose lenses that came with my cheapo Performance glasses.

grolby

I wouldn't wear yellow lenses in sunny conditions, either. But if I had nothing else available I would - that's less stress than riding with bare eyes, and not for nothing, but the main source of damage to be concerned about is UV light, and good yellow lenses won't block any less of that than darker lenses.

Personally, I don't tolerate any lenses at night except for clear ones.

Bontrager

I tend to use clear most often unless its intensely sunny then i switch to smoke/grey. I have performance quattro's and the work great for my wittle head.

quanteleditor

I like gray polarized and VR28 polarized.
https://oakley.com/innovation/optical...ity/lens_tints

urbanknight

As you can see by the responses above, "all around" depends on what is around YOU. I use transitional lenses because they don't block too much light during my early morning commute in darkness, but keep me from getting blinded when coming home in the afternoon CA sun. Aside from that, lenses are interchangeable for a reason and I find that to be useful in many situations (indoor velodromes, night rides, shady rides, etc.)

Jakedatc

I have these Tifosi Pave with the red transitional lenses.. great for when the light changes during the ride or just different days without having to swap lenses out.

Rutnick

+100 on the tifosi. I wear those exact same nearly year round. When things get really bright....Oakleys with polarized lenses. When I just want to be a poser and not ride fast.....I have some polarized Ray Bans that I use. Almost like aviators but not as tall.

Maybe more people here should wear the Ray Bans.

nayr497

I'm after a pair of cycling sunglasses so thought I'd gauge what people have to say. I've read through both of these older threads:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=sunglass+best

&
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=sunglass+best

I currently have an okay pair of Oakley with grey lenses, but they tend to fog on me. I think having multiple lenses is the best way to go. I ride/live in more than one place, one rainy/overcast and the other sunny. I'll be wearing contacts with them and maybe later getting prescription lenses.

I'm looking at a few, based on what people have suggested:
1) Rudy Ekynox SX Sport
2) some of the Tifosis, like the Pave
3) a pair from Performance

Anyone love/hate/have experience with these? I'm wondering if a $150 pair is necessary if the $50 pair works just as well.

I don't ride at night that often, but I do ride at dusk. Will the red lenses of the Rudys be too dark for low light? I'm wondering if the two lenses that come with the Rudys (blue and red) would cover me for most conditions or if I'd need the clear lenses as well. And, I know there isn't a "right" answer here...

erliuic

sac02

I have very sensitive eyes, so there is no "all around" lens for me. At minimum I need a very dark lens for normal sunny conditions (Black Iridium Polarized), and a lens for low-light (Persimon). I also have clear, grey, and vr28 lenses, but don't consider them a necessity, but a luxury.

Mac

bccycleguy

I had some prescription photogrey (actually the plastic lens equivalent of photogrey, I don't remember what it's called) lenses put in my Oakley's and they seem to work well in most conditions

Jakedatc

I've never had any issues with fogging or any other problems with my Tifosi's they have interchangable lenses if you want to order extras. I haven't found a need for anything but my transitional red.

i really like that they have no bottom frame. there is nothing but road in my field of view when i look down. really useful when i look back to check my gearing

you can get the Tifosi's at REI with the 20% off member coupon right now.. or find them on Ebay and use the live.com thing. i don't know what $100 extra gets you with the Rudys

urbanknight

In my opinion, the difference between a $50 pair and a $150 pair is how upset you get if you lose or break them. I've used various kinds, and the best for me is what fits my face, won't slip down, and blocks the wind the best.

Impulse666

Comfort is key for me. Oakley half-jackets fit my [big] head perfectly and are light enough that i forget i'm wearing them until its long past dusk and someone asks me why I wear my sunglasses at night.

But seriously, oakley half jackets with the plain black lenses are good enough for me.

z415

Honestly, I don't think one lens will be good enough. Grab a set on eBay or something.

I have Ice and Fire for my half-jackets.

JamisVE

what i use also