Winter Cycling eyewear.
12-06-18, 05:43 PM
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Winter Cycling eyewear.
I am looking for some advice for commuting in the winter, specifically when the temp drops to around 15 degrees or less.I wear cycling glasses, but because I have to wear something over the lower part of my face, my eyewear keeps fogging up.Any thoughts?
12-06-18, 05:51 PM
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I've been using a pair of cheap ski/snowboarding goggles with a very light tint. The ventilation is actually great, both top and bottom, and not so cumbersome. I find any visors or glasses at those temps isn't going to be very good as the wind and cold is too awful for my eyes. With the goggles my eyes are protected, as is the area around them. Find the right pair is key, though. I've used ones that fog up as soon as I pull the balaclava over my nose, or they fog up as soon as I come to a stop.
12-06-18, 09:26 PM
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Decent quality ski goggles are the key to avoid fogging. A good balaclava also helps with antifogging - I have a Serius perforated neoprene balaclava that works as well as any.
I've been using a pair of cheap ski/snowboarding goggles with a very light tint. The ventilation is actually great, both top and bottom, and not so cumbersome. I find any visors or glasses at those temps isn't going to be very good as the wind and cold is too awful for my eyes. With the goggles my eyes are protected, as is the area around them. Find the right pair is key, though. I've used ones that fog up as soon as I pull the balaclava over my nose, or they fog up as soon as I come to a stop.
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12-07-18, 08:06 AM
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I'm trying something new this winter. just replied to someone about that in another thread. see post #5 here
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...indshield.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...indshield.html
12-07-18, 08:36 AM
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So much depends on whether you ride warm or cold
I wear glasses and I've not used goggles of any sort, even at -25F, and even for long rides like the Arrowhead Ultra in northern Minnesota. I use a lightweight buff, pulled up over my mouth if necessary. It keeps me surprisingly warm. A bit of a beard helps. I find that anything heavier both keeps me too warm and also tends to fog up my glasses.
12-07-18, 09:19 AM
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Rain-X makes an anti-fog product that may work, but I'm not sure if it is safe for plastic. Ski shops or scuba shops should also have products designed to keep the inside of the lens from fogging up. One product that I recently found is called Cat Crap. I will likely give the Cat Crap a try. Let me know if you try it first and how it works.
12-07-18, 12:45 PM
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I wear glasses and I've not used goggles of any sort, even at -25F, and even for long rides like the Arrowhead Ultra in northern Minnesota. I use a lightweight buff, pulled up over my mouth if necessary. It keeps me surprisingly warm. A bit of a beard helps. I find that anything heavier both keeps me too warm and also tends to fog up my glasses.
12-07-18, 04:34 PM
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I recently picked up a pair of Oakley Field Jacket sunglasses. They have a lever on the bridge of your nose that pushes them out maybe 1/4" while keeping the nose rest in place. This allows extra air flow when they start to fog, works great for me at stop lights but so far I've only used them down to around 38-40 degrees.
12-08-18, 08:32 AM
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Even cheap ski goggles will work....if you have a balaclava that diverts your breath away from the goggles.
12-08-18, 12:00 PM
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Winter Cycling eyewear.
In particular
I am looking for some advice for commuting in the winter, specifically when the temp drops to around 15 degrees or less.
I wear cycling glasses, but because I have to wear something over the lower part of my face, my eyewear keeps fogging up.
Any thoughts?
I wear cycling glasses, but because I have to wear something over the lower part of my face, my eyewear keeps fogging up.
Any thoughts?
I wear glasses and I've not used goggles of any sort, even at -25F, and even for long rides like the Arrowhead Ultra in northern Minnesota.
I use a lightweight buff, pulled up over my mouth if necessary. It keeps me surprisingly warm. A bit of a beard helps.
I find that anything heavier both keeps me too warm and also tends to fog up my glasses.
I use a lightweight buff, pulled up over my mouth if necessary. It keeps me surprisingly warm. A bit of a beard helps.
I find that anything heavier both keeps me too warm and also tends to fog up my glasses.
Yup.
Even cheap ski goggles will work....if you have a balaclava that diverts your breath away from the goggles.
Even cheap ski goggles will work....if you have a balaclava that diverts your breath away from the goggles.
…I frequently post about eyeglasses, goggles and fogging; and the strategies to prevent:
PS:
I perennially post about my winter eyewear for my 14 mile year-round commute, from about 35° down to as low as 0°.
I must wear my prescription eyeglasses, and fogging is one of the worst dangers of winter riding.
I am entirely satisfied with my system:…
I must wear my prescription eyeglasses, and fogging is one of the worst dangers of winter riding.
I am entirely satisfied with my system:…
IME, and from reading numerous posts on the subject, there are three basic methods for preventing fogging, caused by exhaled moist air onto the cold surface of the eyeglasses and goggles:…
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(from a now-closed thread): In the past I have offered IMO several useful suggestions about cycling, particularly for winter and urban cycling, to multiple repetitive threads.
They are usually lost in the morass of often scores of replies, both in agreement and dispute with mine.
They are usually lost in the morass of often scores of replies, both in agreement and dispute with mine.
Rain-X makes an anti-fog product that may work, but I'm not sure if it is safe for plastic. Ski shops or scuba shops should also have products designed to keep the inside of the lens from fogging up.
One product that I recently found is called Cat Crap. I will likely give the Cat Crap a try. Let me know if you try it first and how it works.
One product that I recently found is called Cat Crap. I will likely give the Cat Crap a try. Let me know if you try it first and how it works.
IME, and from reading numerous posts on the subject, there are three basic methods for preventing fogging, caused by exhaled moist air onto the cold surface of the eyeglasses and goggles:…
3) Antifogging agents, like Cat Crap, soap, spit etc.: I find that when exhaling forcefully, and colder temperatures, say under 20° F, those agents can be overcome.
That’s why I suggest:
I’m not trying to be contrarian about any methods used, but I am zealous because fogging is a difficult and dangerous challenge to winter riding, and would keep me off the bike for about 3 to 4 months during the year.
Every year there are many threads on about the problem.
FYA, I was most impressed by this system by @TuckamoreDew of Edmonton, AB:...
3) Antifogging agents, like Cat Crap, soap, spit etc.: I find that when exhaling forcefully, and colder temperatures, say under 20° F, those agents can be overcome.
That’s why I suggest:
Every year there are many threads on about the problem.
FYA, I was most impressed by this system by @TuckamoreDew of Edmonton, AB:...
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 12-09-18 at 05:42 AM.
12-10-18, 09:03 AM
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I am trying out some "night drive" sunglasses that I found in CVS which look exactly like this except the logo is "Solar Shield" and it was $20 on the rack:
Which I recommend so far as very satisfactory. Somehow bright headlights and glare are filtered out (no more a-hole blinding you on the MUP!) without degrading my vision at night, and the contrast in the dark is actually improved.
Night Driver Classic Large Square - Night Drivers
Which I recommend so far as very satisfactory. Somehow bright headlights and glare are filtered out (no more a-hole blinding you on the MUP!) without degrading my vision at night, and the contrast in the dark is actually improved.
Night Driver Classic Large Square - Night Drivers
12-10-18, 10:10 AM
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I saw a lot of ski goggles on my commute this morning. I don't feel the need yet, but I understand others do.
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12-10-18, 10:37 AM
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Last edited by Jim from Boston; 12-10-18 at 11:16 AM.
12-10-18, 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(from a now-closed thread) I think it’s a succinct way to capture the variety of a topic.
Originally Posted by TruthBomb
It’s visual diarrhea, pollutes any thread, and is the opposite of succinct (briefly and clearly expressed).
12-10-18, 03:37 PM
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It's not just the visual layout. Even when I try to read it sequentially, the mental effort to keep track of who said what is considerable and unnecessary. But I gather you don't care, so I won't try to convince you.
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12-10-18, 03:53 PM
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Yes I know. I know what you're doing. All the attributions and lines are a visual mess. The result for me is that I usually skip your posts. I might be the tip of an iceberg with other forum users doing the same. But I get it: you don't care. That's OK. It's not because I don't understand it. It's just too much trouble for me. It's like my head is swinging looking at the various speakers.
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12-10-18, 05:50 PM
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I am trying out some "night drive" sunglasses that I found in CVS which look exactly like this except the logo is "Solar Shield" and it was $20 on the rack:
Which I recommend so far as very satisfactory. Somehow bright headlights and glare are filtered out (no more a-hole blinding you on the MUP!) without degrading my vision at night, and the contrast in the dark is actually improved.
Night Driver Classic Large Square - Night Drivers
Which I recommend so far as very satisfactory. Somehow bright headlights and glare are filtered out (no more a-hole blinding you on the MUP!) without degrading my vision at night, and the contrast in the dark is actually improved.
Night Driver Classic Large Square - Night Drivers
12-10-18, 09:43 PM
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I commute 6 miles. I use snowboarding goggles and helmet. Works well. With the baklava on, I found that my glasses were fogging up inside the goggles while the goggles themselves were staying clear. I thought the outside was fogging at first, so I tried diverting my breath away from the goggles by cutting holes in the cheeks of the baklava.. etc, didn't work. But what was happening was that my breath was being pumped into the goggles and fogging up my glasses instead through the fabric of the baklava being under the lower portion of the goggles. So, what I finally did with the baklava is I snipped the seam over the bridge of my nose so that it rode down lower on my nose than it was designed to. Still not perfect, but a lot better.
12-11-18, 09:06 AM
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I tried goggles one year but the moisture from around my eyes created a fog after about an hour, then the fog froze so I couldn't even wipe the "frost" off with a cloth. so I built a small fire to evap everything. that worked really quickly
12-11-18, 12:46 PM
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Yeah...I personally like the idea but bikeforums "quote" formatting is poor in my opinion for doing that. Probably some way to format it so it would be more readable...
12-11-18, 05:36 PM
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(in 2008)...I have been perusing this site for a few weeks and I have had several comments to make so I hope to make useful contributions to future discussion threads, as well as glean from the comments of others.
(in 2014) I have been an avid cyclist, as a lifestyle since about 1972; …I happened serendipitously on Bike Forums in 2008, and it was frankly incredible to find a community that shared so many concerns I had kept to myself as a lone cyclist.
This enthusiasm has definitely increased my enjoyment of cycling. As far as improving it, what I have gotten directly from BF [include]:
This enthusiasm has definitely increased my enjoyment of cycling. As far as improving it, what I have gotten directly from BF [include]:
- the opportunity to post and literally "journal" my thoughts and activities about cycling and lifestyle (even if nobody else reads them), but which I wouldn't write down otherwise
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(from a now-closed thread in 2018)For me the heady days on the Forums were from about 2008 to 2016, in particular participating in the Fifty-Plus Annual Rides, which have since disappeared.
I think I have absorbed all the good advice I can for a complete and agreeable cycling lifestyle, and recently I have clicked on many fewer threads than before.
In the past I have offered IMO several useful suggestions about cycling, particularly for winter and urban cycling, to multiple repetitive threads. They are usually lost in the morass of often scores of replies, both in agreement and dispute with mine.
I’m not especially motivated to read or write about rides in areas I will never visit, or bikes I would not buy. Other cyclists’ biking stories are often meaningful to me, but usually not consequential enough for a reply.
Frankly, now my main enjoyment is reading the personal clashes on the various threads, such as these current ones: "I work with a moron", or ”How often do you check your mirror?.”
I think I have absorbed all the good advice I can for a complete and agreeable cycling lifestyle, and recently I have clicked on many fewer threads than before.
In the past I have offered IMO several useful suggestions about cycling, particularly for winter and urban cycling, to multiple repetitive threads. They are usually lost in the morass of often scores of replies, both in agreement and dispute with mine.
I’m not especially motivated to read or write about rides in areas I will never visit, or bikes I would not buy. Other cyclists’ biking stories are often meaningful to me, but usually not consequential enough for a reply.
Frankly, now my main enjoyment is reading the personal clashes on the various threads, such as these current ones: "I work with a moron", or ”How often do you check your mirror?.”
back at'ya.PS: Note that I have over 6000 posts in the past 10 years, FWIW.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 12-12-18 at 05:35 AM. Reason: added PS