Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Cycling Glasses? Problem with bees.

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Cycling Glasses? Problem with bees.

Old 07-26-20, 02:32 AM
  #1  
Lighttower
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cycling Glasses? Problem with bees.

I bought a pair of very cheap cycling glasses a couple of years ago and sadly they broke recently. I am thinking on buying a new pair and I was hoping you might be able to help me.

Very often (5+ times a year), I ride next to a field, I hit a bee (or bumblebee) with my glasses and they somehow manage to hang on to the glass, climb under to the inside of the glass and be right next to my eyes. This happens really frequently, to the point that once the "bee season starts" (summer) I usually ride without glasses, could you recommend a pair of glasses where this "bee thing" won't happen?
Lighttower is offline  
Old 07-26-20, 04:15 AM
  #2  
Tony Marley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Houston area
Posts: 549

Bikes: Catrike 700; Bike Friday Llama single; Bike Friday Tandem Tuesday; Easy Racers Ti-Rush recumbent; Catrike Expedition; Rans Seavo tandem

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Liked 43 Times in 29 Posts
Although not specific to cycling, I have used safety glasses and had bees and other insects bounce off them. Never had one grab on. You can get them at Home Depot and other similar stores. They come in clear, and a variety of shades.
Tony Marley is offline  
Old 07-26-20, 04:31 AM
  #3  
Lighttower
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Tony Marley
Although not specific to cycling, I have used safety glasses and had bees and other insects bounce off them. Never had one grab on. You can get them at Home Depot and other similar stores. They come in clear, and a variety of shades.
Thanks for the reply!
I am not sure how they manage to hang on, but if they hit the glass, they hang on 100% of the time.
I think my problem was, that the glasses didn't have a "rim" at the bottom part, the glass part itself just clipped in at the top, which made it possible for the bees/bumblebees to climb under. At least that is my guess.

I asked a couple of people, but it seems, I am the only one with this problem. Usually everyone is either using the hardwarestore glasses you mentioned, or really expensive (Oakley and similar) cycling glasses, so I was hoping some of you might help.
Lighttower is offline  
Old 07-26-20, 05:28 AM
  #4  
Digger Goreman
Quidam Bike Super Hero
 
Digger Goreman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Stone Mountain, GA (Metro Atlanta, East)
Posts: 1,150

Bikes: 1995 Trek 800 Sport, aka, "CamelTrek"

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 331 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 282 Posts
Would a Wide Eyzes visor help?
Wide Eyzes
Digger Goreman is offline  
Old 07-26-20, 09:53 AM
  #5  
Chuckles1
Full Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Foothills of West Central Maine
Posts: 410

Bikes: 2007 Motobecane Fantom Cross Expert, 2020 Motobecane Omni Strada Pro Disc (700c gravel bike), 2021 Motobecane Elite Adventure with Bafang 500W rear hub drive

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 143 Times in 94 Posts
Wraparounds

Wraparounds, especially large, frameless ones, are good at keeping bees and dirt out of your eyes. Good luck finding a pair at a decent price. Oaklies seem to be the most mentioned brand, but they are quite pricey. On the other hand, you could buy a cheap pair of Chinese glasses like I did earlier this year, that warped upon use and quickly became useless. I'm saving up for a pair of Oaklies, as my budget for cycling gear is shot for this year.
Chuckles1 is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 07:08 AM
  #6  
BlazingPedals
Senior Member
 
BlazingPedals's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Middle of da Mitten
Posts: 12,474

Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1511 Post(s)
Liked 733 Times in 454 Posts
I'd rather have a bee hit my glasses and *maybe* latch on, than to have it go directly into my eye. So you cover the vents in your helmet?
BlazingPedals is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 07:16 AM
  #7  
Lighttower
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Lighttower
...I am not sure how they manage to hang on, but if they hit the glass, they hang on 100% of the time....
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
I'd rather have a bee hit my glasses and *maybe* latch on, than to have it go directly into my eye.
I never had any problems whatsoever not wearing glasses, but I get 5+ bees behind my glasses every year. They usually are totally "out of breath/shocked" so I just take of the glasses and shake them off, but still, it is a bit scary and very annoying.
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
So you cover the vents in your helmet?
Yes, my helmet has a mesh in it.

Thanks to all the replies! I think I am going with the Decathlon Rockrider ST 100 Sunglasses, I hope they are good enough.

Last edited by Lighttower; 07-27-20 at 07:20 AM.
Lighttower is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 08:06 AM
  #8  
zebra6331
Junior Member
 
zebra6331's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 11

Bikes: 2020 Verve 3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
As a backyard beekeeper, I can suggest using a full beesuit, but I'm pretty sure you're aerodynamics will suffer! lol
zebra6331 is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 08:39 AM
  #9  
RGMN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 565
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 241 Post(s)
Liked 231 Times in 152 Posts
Originally Posted by Chuckles1
Wraparounds, especially large, frameless ones, are good at keeping bees and dirt out of your eyes. Good luck finding a pair at a decent price. Oaklies seem to be the most mentioned brand, but they are quite pricey. On the other hand, you could buy a cheap pair of Chinese glasses like I did earlier this year, that warped upon use and quickly became useless. I'm saving up for a pair of Oaklies, as my budget for cycling gear is shot for this year.
I wear hard contacts and have to wear some sort of eye protection just to keep the normal road dust out of my eyes. Wraparound glasses are the only style I've found that works for me.

I've used Oakleys, their wraparound style is great but I've found them to be a bit fragile and I've never had any luck with Oakley's warranty. The one brand that I've found that works for me AND is affordable is Optic Nerve. They're about 1/2 the price of Oakleys and the other premium brand sports eyewear. I use either the Desoto (love how easy it is to change lenses) or the Voodoo. Another brand that is popular and about half the cost of Oakleys is Tifosi. Several LBS carry them and they are quite popular with several of my friends.

I can't say how well they prevent bees from getting trapped behind them, however. I haven't had that experience. I usually have the stinging insects get stuck inside my jersey and sting me a 1/2 dozen times before I can get them out...
RGMN is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 11:29 AM
  #10  
pdlamb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,842

Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2575 Post(s)
Liked 1,900 Times in 1,192 Posts
I can't say I've ever had that problem, with Rudy Project cycling glasses, two pairs of prescription sunglasses, or ordinary glasses.

Maybe you need to ride faster so the bees will bounce off?
pdlamb is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 12:12 PM
  #11  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,825

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4741 Post(s)
Liked 3,860 Times in 2,509 Posts
I rode a stretch of Cycle Oregon's Weekend one year where hundreds of us rode past such a field as the bees were flying home low fully burdened. Amazingly few hits and I heard of no stings. I saw many artful dodges by those heavy critters! Got impressed that they had but one agenda, get that precious cargo home safely. We were just an unexpected hazard.

Those bees that land on your glasses? What an artful job of not getting a fatal body slam, enabling that bee to live and work profitably. She was probably just as surprised as you to find herself eye to eye with this human!

I had a bee in my glasses once, hovering. I forget if I was cycling or in my yard. I am completely unafraid of bees and it seems little I do excites them. We stared for a moment,then she just left. I'm guessing she had better things to do. (My wife was terrified of bees and they got VERY excited around her. I was often afraid I might be sting just as collateral damage.)

I love bees, both honey and bumblebees. As kid. I used to pet the bumblebees when they were deep in a flower. They didn't really like it and sometimes they'd fly away, but they never stung or came at me. I wouldn't try that with a honey bee (and they are not very fuzzy). but I have had business being where they were working and gently waving my hand to clear the area, sometimes bumping a flying bee. Never an issue. (So this big, clumsy animal wants to be here. Guess I need to go over that plant.)

Ben
79pmooney is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 09:52 PM
  #12  
Danhedonia
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 394
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 237 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times in 95 Posts
DeWalt makes a +/- $14 pair that do a terrific job of UV blocking and providing wraparound coverage. You can also order them as bifocals, and they're much better than the Chinese no-name ones (it has to do with the seamlessness of the transition).

They are not at all bulky - here's a link:

https://amzn.to/3g9sdAc
Danhedonia is offline  
Old 07-27-20, 10:15 PM
  #13  
Flip Flop Rider
Senior Member
 
Flip Flop Rider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: South Carolina Upstate
Posts: 2,103

Bikes: 2010 Fuji Absolute 3.0 1994 Trek 850

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 761 Post(s)
Liked 553 Times in 320 Posts
costa del mar glass lenses (amber) that fit tight
Flip Flop Rider is offline  
Old 07-28-20, 09:11 AM
  #14  
rydabent
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times in 634 Posts
I say dont ride without glasses. All sorts of bad things can hit you in the eye while you are riding.
rydabent is offline  
Likes For rydabent:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.