Leebo

I always wear eye protection, as said before, clear good quality safety glasses, $ 10-20.

TransitBiker

The issue with yellow lenses, is they are mostly not polarized, so you get a lot of glare. High intensity light (blue) can, over time, cause issues...... but i'd go with a polarized reflective & tinted lens before yellow. It's weird when you take them ff as well, everything gets a pink hue for a few minutes.

The best night lens would be clear & polarized, so you don't get killed by errant sign lights & the occasional high-beam/HID headlight.

- Andy

jputnam

I wear prescription glasses, can't focus past my elbows without them, so I never ride without them.

In good weather, just regular eyeglasses.

In rainy weather, big aviator-frame eyeglasses, make me look like an Elvis impersonator or a refugee from the '70s, but much better wind/rain/debris protection.

In really cold or windy weather, prescription cross-country ski goggles are warmer and more fog resistant.

I don't use any sort of shading or polarization at night. Even untinted polarization reduces light transmission significantly, and overall I'd rather see shadow details than avoid occasional reflected glare. (Direct glare is more of an issue these days anyway, with HID headlights and poorly-aimed Magicshine clones on the trail....)

Dave Cutter

I wear glasses most of the time. But I wear contacts when I cycle... and always wear cycling glasses. For years I had dark sunglasses and clear safety glasses. But this year I treated myself to photochromic (auto-darking) cycling glasses. I really don't ride much after dark. If I was going for a night ride I think I'd take the clear safety glasses along.

HydroG33r 

I wear a pair of Switch Axo purchased from MEC here in Vancouver. They come with polarized Suns plus rose lenses. unlike many others, these have a strong and super easy magnetic attachment. 1.5 years, no issues. Also bought a set of yellow lenses directly from switch for $50. I use the yellow at night. Typically carry the other two colours with me at all times anyways; the spare lenses come in nice hard plastic pods with magnetic closures.

HydroG33r 

I do want these though...

Introducing Recon Jet: Groundbreaking Heads-up Display from Recon Instruments - YouTube

mgw4jc

Thanks for all the feedback. I had not thought about clear safety glasses, definitely a smart option.

I also kinda need a new pair of regular sunglasses as well, though. I'm eyeing these right now (pun intended):
Scattante Echelon Multi-Lens Eyewear

rpecot

Home Depot clear safety glasses in the morning. Then my regular riding sun glasses in the afternoon. Too much road grit blowing around not to protect your eyes.

ChloeP

I always wear glasses, especially when I'm commuting to work. The road's a real state, plenty of loose grit and dust in the air and my eyes tend to get quite watery and red - not the most professional way to turn up to the office!

RaleighSport

I don't really ride at night persay, but early mornings I wear a pair of "smoke" riding glasses.. almost no visible tint, just enough to cut glare when the sun pokes out.

chaadster

I think deciding which lenses work at night depends on one's riding conditions. Tints, obviously, reduce transmitted light, as does polarization (anti-reflective lens coatings, on the other hand, increase transmitted light), so in a strict sense, reducing light to the eye impairs vision at night, and if we want to see more, we need more light.

However, on busy, automobile trafficked roads, in well-lit urban environments, there can be plenty of light for seeing, so that's the not the issue as it is on dark rural roads where all you've got is your bike light. In those busy, urban environments (hereafter, BUE), focused, high intensity lights as from oncoming traffic can be sources of fatigue and momentary blindness. Given that, reducing the intensity of 3rd party light via tinting and polarization can make sense.

Personally I use a yellow tinted lens for urban night rides in conditions where additional eye protection (beyond my normal 'script glasses) is desired, e.g. when it's cold, windy, or rainy. Otherwise, I use a clear lens on rural sport rides at night (over my AR eyeglasses) primarily to offer extra protection from things like low hanging branches above the light line and flying insects attracted to my headlamp.

CACycling

I'm in the "always wear" group. Smith & Wesson Magnum safety glasses. Reflective when bright out, rose when overcast and yellow when dark. My wife uses the Mini-Mags (smaller version of the Magnums) in the same colors. They are inexpensive, light weight, functional, well-made and look decent.

mikeybikes

I really just wear my normal prescription glasses.

I have considered getting some prescription sports glasses though.

joeyduck

I wear UVEX Genesis with clear lenses on every commute and any ride other than leisure rides with the family. Uvex Genesis | Eye and Face Protection | Honeywell Safety I use them mainly since I get them from lab supplies and I am too cheap to buy colored lenses.

I like the UVEX since they give great coverage and protect really well from wind. and grit and grime. The lenses are quite durable and seem to last me a while. I do have to replace them every 1.5-2 years due to scratches and the nose piece failing.

They do fog a bit at intersections, but I just slide them down my nose then up when I get going and they clear right up.

I wear contacts pretty much only for my rides to and from work and for swims. Otherwise I am wearing my regular glasses. I find the wind bothers my eyes too much if I wear regular glasses.

mgw4jc

Hey! You didn't refer to BUE after here! Wasupwitdat?

chaadster

Hahaha! I know...but the post was long enough already, so be thankful I didn't keep rambling on long enough to do so!

tarwheel 

I always wear glasses when cycling -- for vision correction, protection against bugs and debris, and comfort. I used to use cycling glasses with interchangeable lenses until I bought some new ones with Transition lenses that adjust to light conditions. This was one of the best cycling investments I've ever made. I can wear the same glasses all the time -- in bright daylight, dim light and darkness. They adjust to changing light fairly quickly, so they also work well riding in dappled sun/shade. I don't know who anyone could cycle in cold weather without glasses; my eyes water like crazy in temps below 60 F.

Joe Minton

I wear Remington shooting glasses, grey for day use and yellow for low light. About ten bucks from Amazon. They look like expensive riding glasses, seal around the brow and sides and fit rather well. Even the Lycra crowd doesn't seem to notice that they come from the 'vulgar' side of the price range ;o)

Joe

mconlonx

I wear prescription glasses for close-up work, but they help when trying to read traffic signs on the highway, so I wear them all the time.

Transition lenses, totally Fred, darken up in bright light, go clear indoors, extremely dorky and inconvenient -- not dark enough in really bright sunlight; don't go clear fast enough indoors to prevent stumbling around in low light situations or avoid dorkness assignation by others.

With glasses, "key-hole" bridge keeps out more wind and road gunk than wire bridges or other stand-off designs.

When considering eyewear, always wear when trying out a new helmet/hat situation to assure compatibility.

I rate eye protection while riding ahead of a helmet.



These are known in the military as "contraceptive glasses."

tarwheel 

This is not the case with my Transition lenses, altho it may have been true with earlier brands made years ago. Note, "Transition" is a name brand for a type of photochomic lenses and other brands may or may not work as well. My Transition lenses adapt very quickly to changing light conditions. They are totally clear in the dark, and get as dark as I need in very bright light.

DTG

+1

I always wear them. I rode a couple of blocks the other day and wished I had them not even a block from my house.

RidingMatthew

my polarized sunglasses from pre 2001 have officially died to bent to be repaired.
what kind did you get? are they prescription? I need some prescription and I am thinking about going photochromic as well.

i mountain bike with a buddy who always wears safety glasses. pretty smart move.

are your transitions regular glasses or sun glasses?


I wear clear glasses from Zenni Opital for riding. they work well for cloudy days/ night too. but I would love to have something that would let me wear one pair of glasses to and from work. I am looking for some that would most likely fill the role of sunglasses. during the summer i was carrying 3 pairs of glasses. Clear morning glasses, sunglasses for afternoon and regular glasses for work.

Bike Gremlin

I have Uvex cycling glasses with photochromic lenses. They go from transparent to fairly dark in a very short time. However, they are never as dark as those mirror looking Ray-Bans that you can almost directly stare at the sun with. There are photochromic lenses that go darker, but those models never go to 100% clear when in the dark.

I don't like shades that are very dark, so this is a great choice for me. Couldn't think of using any other glasses. Before I was always having to carry two pairs, or change lenses almost daily... or ride with clear lenses in bright sun. These photochromic are the most practical. Plus Uvex makes very good shape - no view blocked, good wind protection, pretty durable lenses - my old pair of interchangeable lense cycling glasses (Uvex Hawk) is still in good shape after 6 years of every day use.

ItsJustMe

Yes, always. It's ladybug season here. A couple of times per ride when it's warm about this time of year I'll fly through a swarm and I'll have 4 or 5 of the buggers bounce off my goggles.

I wear either clear wrap around safety glasses (< $10 at a home improvement store) or I have some goggles that I bought a few years ago that are decent and cheap. In the daytime I sometimes wear wrap around safety sunglasses from the home improvement store. I don't trust regular sunglasses in an impact, I've seen them snap and have sharp edges, so I buy cheap but ANSI rated glasses.

Dave Cutter

I went to Performance and bought their photochromatic sunglasses (on sale) for about $35. I wear contact lens when I cycle. I think contacts give me the best distortion free vision. But my wife wears the auto-darkening prescription glasses... so I know that is an option. I think Lasik might be the best solution!