Prescription cycling sunglasses

hellsbellscp
hellsbellscp Posts: 75
edited December 2007 in Road beginners
Hi,

Can anyone tell me where I can buy some reasonably priced presciption sunglasses for cycling. I'd rather try them on in a shop so don't want to order anything online.
Would they sell prescription sunglasses in a normal bike shop?

I currently wear normal glasses with reactive lenses but b'cos they're quite small they don't seem to protect my eyes properly and i still get bits in them & it's starting to get painful.

Comments

  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    I bought some from Dolland and Aitchison last year-very good indeed. the mirror finish cuts so much glare, that I prefer them to my normal glasses

    They were about œ100 with the lens and "designer" frame
    http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/ ... 100220.jpg



    <font size="1">"I once prayed to God for a bike, but quickly found out he didnt work that way...so I stole a bike and prayed for his forgiveness"
    </font id="size1">
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • bobbyp
    bobbyp Posts: 275
    I've got a pair of Rudy Project glasses that are very good. A decent LBS should stock them so you can see what they look like. Then afterwards any optician can glaze the little clip in lens holder.
  • There was a thread running here or on what mthb about this last week. tesco do them for about œ40 with an insert and a single lense, tried the new Rudy Project Raydon on yesterday VERY nice but œ300 in total. Haven't managed to get up to Tesco yet but it is on my list of weekend jobs..
    http://www.whatmtb.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23857#282188


    cheers,

    Rich (A commuter at last)
  • mossycp
    mossycp Posts: 233
    œ300? Where you buying them from?

    My Rydon's were œ69.99 and the optical insert about œ25 I think. Specsavers then did the lens as a 2 for one offer when I had new glasses but it's just a standard lens so about œ30. All in about œ130

    A number of the specialist eyewear makers do optical inserts.

    What do you class as reasonably priced?

    <font color="blue"><h5>Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way {Dr Seus}</h5></font id="blue">
    Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way {Dr Seus}
  • McBain_v1
    McBain_v1 Posts: 5,237
    Optilabs anyone [?]

    <font size="1">
    What do I ride? Now that's an <b><font color="black">Enigma</b></font id="black"> </font id="size1">

    What do I ride? Now that's an Enigma!
  • Greenbank
    Greenbank Posts: 731
    Got a pair of Optilabs Rapide. Single-vision prescription lenses with mirror finish. About œ145 and delivered within 10 days.

    Very happy with them and they're good for keeping out the wind and the bloody great big chunks of London Plane Tree pollen.

    --
    If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
    --
    If I had a baby elephant signature, I\'d use that.
  • Speck
    Speck Posts: 53
    It all depends on your prescription, if it is +7 or more I am sure they cannot do these curved lenses. I wouldn't go to my Opticians for a bike!

    I'll be 60 on July 4th, must be mad!
    He said, "You should be riding a Fixie" I replied, "But, Dad, I'm 62 years old".
  • rosser
    rosser Posts: 25
    I got some "polaroid" glasses, single prescription - semi rap-around from local optician. You can wear off bike as well very cool. As you would expect from polaroid they are polaroid lenses which is a bonus. œ120 quid took 10 days to get prescription done.
  • Mossy, where did you get your rydon's from ?


    cheers,

    Rich (A commuter at last)
  • mossycp
    mossycp Posts: 233
    Rykard - Local bike shop in Ipswich. You can also get them from Parker International slightly cheaper

    <font color="blue"><h5>Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way {Dr Seus}</h5></font id="blue">
    Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way {Dr Seus}
  • geedub
    geedub Posts: 26
    Just bought a pair of Alpina prescription cycling sunglasses from Specsavers for œ118 - look well cool and come with 3 sets of interchangeable lenses as well!

    Mine's a pint!
    Mine\'s a pint!
  • I've noticed that my local ASda does fairly cheap presciption sunglasses which look like they may be suitable for cycling.

    Are sunglasses that are specifically meant for cycling really that much better than normal ones? The ones I've seen are only œ45.
  • Greenbank
    Greenbank Posts: 731
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by hellsbells</i>
    Are sunglasses that are specifically meant for cycling really that much better than normal ones? The ones I've seen are only œ45.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    The main one is the wind that gets into your eyes. My Optilabs Rapide fit flush with my face and I have no problem going down hills at 50mph.

    My other prescription sunglasses (more like normal glasses) that don't fit flush force the air round the sides (and top and bottom) of the lenses and make my eyes stream whenever I go above 25mph.

    --
    If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
    --
    If I had a baby elephant signature, I\'d use that.
  • I picked up my new RP Exception yesterday. Ordered through my optician and with the new red impactx photochromic lenses. Will be using them tomorrow at Bristol 12, I had them glazed with 1.6i lenses as the best compromise between lenses thickness and maximum focus area, as my prescription is -10.5. They were quite expensive though, but the advantages of the impactx lenses is considerable.
    Previously I've had some Briko frames glazed by Rupp and Hubrach as they have developed software to custom manufacture prescription lenses to fit high base frames - these are good, but also not cheap.
  • Flying Dodo
    Flying Dodo Posts: 713
    I'm a bit short sighted (-1.50) and I asked in both Vision Express and an independent opticians about wrap around sunglasses. Both said there's no way it could be done due to distortion. [:0] What a load of rubbish.

    Having seen the adverts in the mags for Optilabs, I ordered a pair and am extremely pleased with them. Now I can see where I'm going and look cool. [8D]

    Adam.

    I've evolved - I used to fly, now I cycle.

    Adam.

    I\'ve evolved - I used to fly, now I cycle.
  • kmahony
    kmahony Posts: 380
    I have a pair of Rudy Project (non prescription). Glasses great. After sales service fantastic. (Had bits changed for free after a year and a half of constant use)



    If it wasn't for hangovers, I'd ride everyday.
  • i have some of these
    http://www.gosportspex.co.uk/RudyProjec ... lasses.asp
    not cheap but excellent as you can change the coloured lenses and the prescription one independently.

    I'd buy them and then get them glazed at a local optician rather than online. for my very strong -8.0 eyes i still needed special curved lenses to fit them. my fancy thin curved lenses set me back œ250 alone but if you have a normalish prescription it'll be much less.

    M_G
    M_G
  • Hi,

    I cycle regularly with a pair of these, they are resonably priced and very good quality.

    http://www.kontrolsports.co.uk/product_list.asp?cat=5&cat2=1 8)
  • I'd second GoSportSpex. Rudy Project Horus http://www.gosportsspex.co.uk/RudyProje ... lasses.asp are very good and I swap polarized inserts for use with contact lenses and prescription photochromics for when I'm not. Really helpful to deal with as well.

    Philip
  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    it depends how blind you are, im very blind (over -10 in both eyes!) i got a pair made by my optician which is also a wholesaler. Where you based? Might be able to recommend somewhere that can do some really cheap (considering) prescription sungalsses
  • Pretre
    Pretre Posts: 355
    I have Rudy Project Rydon's with the prescription insert & they're really good, although mine were about £200 from David Clulow. Only 2 slight issues: the insert is very close to your eyes & so my right lens brushes my eyebrow, which can be a bit irritating, & sweat often goes in-between the insert lenses & the lenses of the sunglasses which is awkward/impossible to easily wipe off - have to take the insert out (really easy, admittedly), clean the insert, clean the sunglasses & then put it all back - not something than can be done whilst waiting for traffic lights to change, etc. :roll:
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,091
    If your prescription isn't too strong you can get a pair of sunnies and stick in a prescription lens as long as the frame isn't too wraparound in design. I had a nice pair of Arnettes made up. You're then not limited in choice. Mine are casual kind of glasses but they are fine on the bike. Although after finally plucking up the courage I now have some daily disposable contacts that I use for sport and which allow me to wear any pair of shades I like and still be able to see when I walk into a dark shop for a snack. Well worth considering as after the initial fiddling they are easy to put in and barely noticeable in use.
  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    McBain_v1 wrote:
    Optilabs anyone [?]

    <font size="1">
    What do I ride? Now that's an <b><font color="black">Enigma</b></font id="black"> </font id="size1">

    Yep. I couldn't recommend them highly enough. I'm about to go back for more because my prescription has changed. They're based in Croydon and I did actually go in to see them the first time. Very helpful indeed. They make the lenses on site. You can give them a ring to discuss your needs. Then, if you send them your prescription, including inter-ocular distance (how far apart your pupils are), they will make up the specs. The glasses themselves are well made, simple and elegant and pretty much indestructible.


    Fast and Bulbous
    Peregrinations
    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)

  • hello i went for tifosi kilo as they were recommended in the mag (2 years running if i remember rightly), £40 for the glasses (with 3 different sets of lenses) £6 for the prescription clip and £35 for specsavers to glaze it, they work very well, look cool, and keep the bugs etc out of my eyes, not bad for £81 all in also i think the clip fits a few different designs in the tifosi range so it is fairly cheap to get a different style or different colour frames to match your bike/outfit.
    http://www.bikepedlar.co.uk/acatalog/Ti ... asses.html
    they claim that the asapter (rx) only fits the stelvio now (used to be more of the range but if you can find a local stockist the space for the clip is easy to see)

    oh just remembered bbb do a similar scheme, with similar prices (my fiance has the world champion model (no adapter as she has perfect vision)

    Cf
  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    £81 seems very reasonable. Is one of the sets of lenses clear?

    I've been using my presciption polarised Oakley Gascans for about a year now. They're fine during the day but I wouldn't dare go out in them in the dark or very poor light conditions.

    I can't wear contacts either.
  • Hello yes you get a clear set, a dark tint and a red mid tint set, i use them for sailing, climbing cycling and just when it is sunny, absolutely my favorite sunnies for any situation. oh have the silver frame option, seemed a bit bling when i got them but love them now.
    Cf
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Optilabs. Just got 2nd pair (new prescription), better than my "normal" glasses (well known high st optican). Absolutely crystal, but should have got reactalight, then I could wear them all the time!
  • Another vote for Optilabs, I have a pair of prescription photochromic ones which I can wear day and night they are excellent.
    'Hello to Jason Isaacs'