Glasses ??

flasher

Then there's always.........

amrushton

Assos got there first incl the Zeiss lenses and bloody good they are too but so reassuringly expensive as I guess the Rapha ones are which coincidentally aren't unlike the new Oakley which remind me of the Rudy Sportmask of about 10 years ago. So prob. v.expensive but no lens interchangeability. Wait, I stand corrected, the Rapha offer interchangeable lenses

mroli

This thread is interesting because unlike a clothing thread, no-one has stepped in to point out that there is an undoubted huge premium that you pay for oakleys. Is it because despite that, the product is so much superior to anything else out there? I mean, there are a lot of other photochromic brands out there (I use specialised), but do none of them do what oakleys do? Certainly my specialised don't have that range.

Weirdly, I am a bit anti-Oakley for some unknown reason, but certainly reading this thread received wisdom would be that glass choice is a no-brainier...

Anonymous

Personally I think that Oakleys are superior, and that its not really that much of a premium for what you get.
I also think a lot of Oakley haters feel the same, but hate them anyway or all the more for it.

Its based on different things I have heard about them from different sources....... and a gut feeling.

Some or all of it could be BS, but having now owned quite a few I cannot see me switching to anything else (despite not liking some of their designs lol).

Anonymous

Cliveyp wrote:

Fast forward to early this year when the wife bought me a pair of Oakley Radarlocks with clear and Prizm lenses. I've not used the clear on a ride yet, but the Prizm is simply brilliant. The optics are crystal clear and although not particularly dark you soon adapt to them and don't find bright sunlight dazzling. They're really worth the outlay!

The Polarized lens that (I assume) the Prizm replaced was not that dark either.
They came with a Black Iridium as a second lens, but the Prizm does not.

I do not like bright sunlight, but have never found the Prizms a problem, even in sunny Spain.

bendertherobot

If anything, if you shop around, Oakley have become very reasonable now. Think I paid £100 for my Cavendish Jaws whereas I paid a lot more for the Radar when they were launched.

daniel_b

mroli wrote:

This thread is interesting because unlike a clothing thread, no-one has stepped in to point out that there is an undoubted huge premium that you pay for oakleys. Is it because despite that, the product is so much superior to anything else out there? I mean, there are a lot of other photochromic brands out there (I use specialised), but do none of them do what oakleys do? Certainly my specialised don't have that range.

Weirdly, I am a bit anti-Oakley for some unknown reason, but certainly reading this thread received wisdom would be that glass choice is a no-brainier...

I too used to not believe that Oakleys could be worth the money, then I asked my gf to get me a pair of casual ones for something like £90, and the quality of them blew me away, not just of the frame quality, but as alluded to by many people, the quality of the optics, not only the clarity of image (Even more so for prescription!), but also the resistance to scratches etc. I am always very careful with my glasses (Probably because of how much they cost) and clean them carefully, using the right cloths etc, and mine are all in tip top condition.

That was the straw that broke the camels back, since then I bought a prescription pair for driving, a new custom pair of half jackets, that ended up being free, a second hand pair of half jackets and split jackets, the latter with photochromic lenses, some bottlecaps, and 2 pairs of Radarlocks (Which are amazing) and one pair of custom Radarlocks, again with these I have the much heralded photochromic lenses - they are superb, and makes the change out simplicity on the Radarlocks a little redundant, but good to have the option - and makes cleaning a lot easier too.

bendertherobot wrote:

If anything, if you shop around, Oakley have become very reasonable now. Think I paid £100 for my Cavendish Jaws whereas I paid a lot more for the Radar when they were launched.

Yes very true, though a lot of the recent bargains over the last 12 months were from French and Spanish sites, when the exchange rate was favourable for us - not sure those bargains exist now though.
Or is it the homegrown shops that are providing the good deals?

Anonymous

Re the optical quality.

Light refraction is not even something you are aware of as your brain will compensate for any irregularity.
Personally I am not really wanting my brain to have to re calculate any discrepancy when I can just buy optically correct glasses.

I am not sure if other manufacturers have now caught up with Oakley, but feel things like impact protection is also possibly another area where they excel.

I did a quick search yesterday to compare Oakley v Rudy Photochromics.
Found a french youtube clip, which I could not understand, but the Rudy's took a lot longer to go back to clear.

Just check all this kind of stuff out and make your own mind up

Old video but this is the kind of thing I mean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpSNYVd85JU

Real Tech or BS?
Are you (your eyes) worth it if its not BS?

I cannot really be bothered to research this stuff for too long.
It makes more sense to just use that time to do some overtime at work and pay the extra for the Oakleys.

amrushton

I've used Oakley a long time (16 yrs) in various forms and they are fantastic esp the transition types. But when I tried the Assos they were another notch up. I tried the yellow on a dull day and the frameless design and optical quality were stupendous but too expensive for me.

bendertherobot

Daniel B wrote:

mroli wrote:

This thread is interesting because unlike a clothing thread, no-one has stepped in to point out that there is an undoubted huge premium that you pay for oakleys. Is it because despite that, the product is so much superior to anything else out there? I mean, there are a lot of other photochromic brands out there (I use specialised), but do none of them do what oakleys do? Certainly my specialised don't have that range.

Weirdly, I am a bit anti-Oakley for some unknown reason, but certainly reading this thread received wisdom would be that glass choice is a no-brainier...

I too used to not believe that Oakleys could be worth the money, then I asked my gf to get me a pair of casual ones for something like £90, and the quality of them blew me away, not just of the frame quality, but as alluded to by many people, the quality of the optics, not only the clarity of image (Even more so for prescription!), but also the resistance to scratches etc. I am always very careful with my glasses (Probably because of how much they cost) and clean them carefully, using the right cloths etc, and mine are all in tip top condition.

That was the straw that broke the camels back, since then I bought a prescription pair for driving, a new custom pair of half jackets, that ended up being free, a second hand pair of half jackets and split jackets, the latter with photochromic lenses, some bottlecaps, and 2 pairs of Radarlocks (Which are amazing) and one pair of custom Radarlocks, again with these I have the much heralded photochromic lenses - they are superb, and makes the change out simplicity on the Radarlocks a little redundant, but good to have the option - and makes cleaning a lot easier too.

bendertherobot wrote:

If anything, if you shop around, Oakley have become very reasonable now. Think I paid £100 for my Cavendish Jaws whereas I paid a lot more for the Radar when they were launched.

Yes very true, though a lot of the recent bargains over the last 12 months were from French and Spanish sites, when the exchange rate was favourable for us - not sure those bargains exist now though.
Or is it the homegrown shops that are providing the good deals?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/oakley-mark-cav ... unglasses/

Wiggle actually pretty cheap. I paid less than that from them. Have to say that the EVZero look very reasonable and way better looking than the Rapha ones.

Anonymous

amrushton wrote:

I've used Oakley a long time (16 yrs) in various forms and they are fantastic esp the transition types. But when I tried the Assos they were another notch up. I tried the yellow on a dull day and the frameless design and optical quality were stupendous but too expensive for me.

I think the Assos and Raphas are a different 'argument'.
Like you say 'another notch up' potentially.
People that want to cost cut with Rudy's are probably not going to jump up to them.

For me the design, cost and image (I am struggling to try Jawbreakers TBH) will mean I probably never try them......... but never say never :twisted:

I think Jawbreaker 'Trail' might be my next purchase, as I love my fatbike!
The navy/black frame looks pretty inoffensive too.

Anonymous

Hey Zac3737, what did you go for in the end?

greasedscotsman

Carbonator wrote:

The Polarized lens that (I assume) the Prizm replaced was not that dark either.

Prizm doesn't replace Polarized, they aren't really the same type of thing. Prizm are sports specific contrast lenses whereas Polarized lenses filter (or reduce) reflected light (or glare). In fact, Oakley make a the Prizm Salt Water Polarized lens which is both.

Anonymous

greasedscotsman wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

The Polarized lens that (I assume) the Prizm replaced was not that dark either.

Prizm doesn't replace Polarized, they aren't really the same type of thing. Prizm are sports specific contrast lenses whereas Polarized lenses filter (or reduce) reflected light (or glare). In fact, Oakley make a the Prizm Salt Water Polarized lens which is both.

Thats interesting.

So in what situation would a road biker buy a pair of Polarised Oakleys, instead of a pair of Prism Road Oakleys?

greasedscotsman

I'm not sure. I have three pairs of Polarized Oakleys and in each case I bought them as I liked the colours. They will help reduce the glare off the road if it's been raining and then the sun comes out. But that's such a limited use, I don't think I would buy a pair specifically for that. And they are usually more expensive as well.
Guess it sort of depends on what you're hoping to do. Prizm road is a pretty good lens for general road riding. If you want something lighter or darker then there are plenty of options available. Prizm and Polarized aren't really direct competition for each other, if you see what I mean.

greasedscotsman

And has anyone got a pair of EV Zeros? Quite fancy a pair of those next. Recommended or not?

bendertherobot

greasedscotsman wrote:

And has anyone got a pair of EV Zeros? Quite fancy a pair of those next. Recommended or not?

I'm eyeing them up as well. I like my Jawbreaker but these look a bit more socially acceptable

mroli

You b*ggers. I'm going to have to buy a pair aren't I? Bluenty have the photochromic Flak Jackets for £94. That seems like a good deal (the jawbreakers look a bit OTT at £110)....?

daniel_b

mroli wrote:

You b*ggers. I'm going to have to buy a pair aren't I? Bluenty have the photochromic Flak Jackets for £94. That seems like a good deal (the jawbreakers look a bit OTT at £110)....?

8)

Bluenty I used and were fine, even saved the postage as got it delviered to my parents who lived in Spain at the time.
The other place I bought from was Mr Velo in France - again excellent service.

mugensi

I have a pair of Alpina Splinter Shield Varioflex (photochromic) glasses, They are very light and extremely comfortable and the only pair of glasses that I never need to adjust when on the bike, they do not slip or rise/fall and the arms are very thin and relatively straight and so don't interfere with the adjustment bands of my helmet. The photochromic lens work well, if a little on the slow side to change. They were roughly €55 posted from Bike24 a year ago and should I lose or break them I'll be getting another pair straight away.

Anonymous

MugenSi wrote:

I have a pair of Alpina Splinter Shield Varioflex (photochromic) glasses

What is the range from light to dark?

Anonymous

greasedscotsman wrote:

Prizm and Polarized aren't really direct competition for each other, if you see what I mean.

I would say that they were.

Polarized were marketed as Oakleys HD/High Definition lens, and Prizm Road are marketed as defining the view specific to use type (so sounding pretty high in the definition dept.)

Seems to me that they both do more or less the same thing and anyone that would have bought Polarized will now buy Prizm.
Polarized were the top lens at the time (I think), as Prizm are now.

My wife has Polarized and I have Prizm. I have never been tempted to use hers since getting the Prizm.

All of these things to me mean (unless someone can come up with a scenario where you would buy/use Polarized over Prizm) that Prizm has effectively replaced Polarized.

greasedscotsman

Carbonator wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Prizm and Polarized aren't really direct competition for each other, if you see what I mean.

I would say that they were.

I don't see how they can be. Out of the 12 Prizm lenses available, 3 are Polarized.

Anonymous

greasedscotsman wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Prizm and Polarized aren't really direct competition for each other, if you see what I mean.

I would say that they were.

I don't see how they can be. Out of the 12 Prizm lenses available, 3 are Polarized.

So who is buying (non Prizm) polarized Oakleys for road cycling (and why)?
If they were being sold off cheaper some people obviously will, and of course, some people will just buy them because they like the frame colour/asthetics, or simply are not aware of Prizm.

This is a road bike bike forum, so only the Prizm Road are relevant in the context of the original comment.

bernithebiker

greasedscotsman wrote:

And has anyone got a pair of EV Zeros? Quite fancy a pair of those next. Recommended or not?

I've just ordered a pair of EV Zero Path with Prizm Road lenses for 103 Euros.

Hope to get them tomorrow.

This is the first time I've found Oakley prices to be reasonable, so pulled the trigger as I don't usually wear glasses, so they have to be ultra light and comfortable and with no frame to restrict vision.

greasedscotsman

Carbonator wrote:

So who is buying (non Prizm) polarized Oakleys for road cycling (and why)?

OK, forget Prizm for a second. Why did you think Polarized were the best lens for cycling? I don't know which ones you have used in the past, but if you compare Black Iridium Polarized to Black Iridium, they have the same base tint, the same coating, the Polarized has a slightly lower transmission (9% compared to 10%), but that's about it. Why not just get the Black Iridium?

greasedscotsman

bernithebiker wrote:

I've just ordered a pair of EV Zero Path with Prizm Road lenses for 103 Euros.

Hope to get them tomorrow.

This is the first time I've found Oakley prices to be reasonable, so pulled the trigger as I don't usually wear glasses, so they have to be ultra light and comfortable and with no frame to restrict vision.

Cool! Which did you do for, Range or Path? Interested to know what you think of them.

philbar72

tried the EV zero path. they are stupidly flimsy. sent them back. look nice though.

bernithebiker

greasedscotsman wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

I've just ordered a pair of EV Zero Path with Prizm Road lenses for 103 Euros.

Hope to get them tomorrow.

This is the first time I've found Oakley prices to be reasonable, so pulled the trigger as I don't usually wear glasses, so they have to be ultra light and comfortable and with no frame to restrict vision.

Cool! Which did you do for, Range or Path? Interested to know what you think of them.

Path.
Range are a bit Rapha/Assos stylie for me.

Anonymous

greasedscotsman wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

So who is buying (non Prizm) polarized Oakleys for road cycling (and why)?

OK, forget Prizm for a second. Why did you think Polarized were the best lens for cycling? I don't know which ones you have used in the past, but if you compare Black Iridium Polarized to Black Iridium, they have the same base tint, the same coating, the Polarized has a slightly lower transmission (9% compared to 10%), but that's about it. Why not just get the Black Iridium?

Polarised Radarlock come with a Black Iridium lens in the case, so I assume Oakley put the better lens in the frame and the second lens is not considered as good.

The Polarised lens also looks aesthetically more pleasing.

The Polarised lens is marketed as 'HD'

It seemed to be marketed and priced as one of their premium eyewear products in a very road specific frame.