Do you wear glasses/eye protection when you ride?

[derstuka]

I always wear some form of eye protection. I am speaking besides your face shield. Most of the time I wear clear glasses with interchangeable lenses. On bright sunny days, I wear some polarized sunglasses. What do all of you wear? If you wear anything that is.

I don't know about you, but I have the habit of flipping open my shield once I am in in slow traffic, a slower speed area, or a hot day are some times where I like to flip the shield open. I like the feeling of fresh air on my face. Having glasses on helps with this obviously....because it stop debris/bugs from being kicked up into my eyes and blinding me.

I am pretty anal about cleaning my faceshield as well. Each time I make a pit stop, I pull out my little bottle with windex in it from my jacket pocket, squirt some on my shield and clean it with a rag. It takes all of 10 seconds. It is so much nicer to ride with a clean shield, and it greatly reduces eye strain, and the obvious better visibility. My brother got me into that habit long ago. Funny because we rode with some people said"You clean your shield every time we stop for a rest?".... saying that seemed excessive, but by the end of the ride just about everybody wanted to clean their shields with it once they saw how much nicer it was to ride with a clean shield each time.

[dskelton]

I always wear a pair of perscription glasses when I ride because, well, the state of New Hampshire nows tells me I have to. Although it is fun checking out the looks you get while walking aroung the Optometrists’ office with you helmet on.
I too like to ride at slow speeds with the visor open, but the first time you get a wasp stuck between your head and the helmet you will tend to be a little less willing to do this. Makes for really frantic stop and helmet pull off.

[derstuka]

Originally Posted by dskelton

I but the first time you get a wasp stuck between your head and the helmet you will tend to be a little less willing to do this. Makes for really frantic stop and helmet pull off.

Does a bee in your helmet count? Been there done that....YIKES! Was NOT fun!

[John451]

I have perscription glasses but use a Gold Iridium shield which I find works well in keeping the heat and glare out and still allows for good vision and contrast on bright and shady roads, have always used Plexus and care to protect its surface, now on my second on my current RF1000 since 2004.

Went through a web once with visor open, saw the ORB spider right before my eyes before hitting it, figured my scream must have vaperised it because when the Helmet was off I couldn't find it anywhere, my mate following on the bike behind was quite amused at my frantic antics.

[dskelton]

Originally Posted by derstuka

Does a bee in your helmet count? Been there done that....YIKES! Was NOT fun!

I'm just assuming it was a wasp cause I've seen more of those up here. I just know that it was yellow and very angry.

[mello dude]

I have prescription sunglass that are a must for me. I pop open the shield almost every time going gets slow..

I've done the bee in the helmet thing too! Crazy kaos! Dont freak, try to pull over and get the damn thing out. Yup big fun.

I've had one sneak thru the top of the jacket into my shirt too. Bam! Bam! More big fun.

MD

[34468 Randy]

I can't stand wearing my glasses under the helmet. Drives me nuts. Not that I am not part way there already

I carry two shields with me during the commute too and from work. I head out to work at 02:30 ish and my tinted shied is absolutely black at night time so I wear the clear on the way to work. I am quite photo phobic so have to wear a dark shield during most days, especially if it has rained and the sun is trying to shine through cloud at mid day.

In slower traffic, in the summer ( winter too for that matter to prevent fog up) I open the shield maybe 1/4 inch so still get the protection of the shield and some air as well.

Seeing as it was brought up, would windex or glass cleaner lessen the effect of Rainex on the visor. This is wonderful stuff for commuting in the rain.

[derstuka]

Originally Posted by 34468 Randy

I can't stand wearing my glasses under the helmet. Drives me nuts. Not that I am not part way there already

Seeing as it was brought up, would windex or glass cleaner lessen the effect of Rainex on the visor. This is wonderful stuff for commuting in the rain.

Why does wearing glasses under your helmet both you? Just curious Randy.


Yeah, windex (or any other cleaner) will clean off any rainex, anti-fogging, or anything other treatment on your shield. I just use it because it cleans the shield very well, especially the bugs.

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by derstuka

Why does wearing glasses under your helmet both you? Just curious Randy.

I suppose it is the hassle of putting the helmet on, then the glasses then inevitably trying to pull the helmet off while wearing the glasses. Glasses fall onto the ground and get stepped on. All that kinda Sh*t. Fact of the matter is I cannot stand wearing glasses at all. Thus the contact lenses. And I have been wearing glasses since about 1982. About the only time I did wear sun glasses was when I was riding the mountain bike. And for the most part, it was for protection form debris and mud.

Dunno, I could be wrong here but that's the way it is. But I have ridden in the past with the visor up and enjoyed that fresh breeze you speak of. Yes that is nice, but I stopped to think of the consequences and no longer do this.

I looked for an Iridium shield for my Shark RSR2 but could not find one. Anyone know if they are available?

[hondawolf]

I always where sunglasses during the day, whether or not I have a tinted visor on the helmet. I do like to lift my visor in town or in slow traffic. Get the fresh air flowing through, and little cooler in the helmet. I rarely where clear glasses at night with my clear visor on. I almost never lift my visor at night, if I do, just a 1/4" or so, to get some extra air.

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by derstuka

Why does wearing glasses under your helmet both you? Just curious Randy.


Yeah, windex (or any other cleaner) will clean off any rainex, anti-fogging, or anything other treatment on your shield. I just use it because it cleans the shield very well, especially the bugs.

BTW Stuke, Confucious also say" He who farteth in church sittith in his own pew !

[tbones86]

I usually always ride w/ either clear lenses or sunglasses as I tend to ride even @ speed w/ my visor cracked open to the first detent(until a semi blows past). I've also done the bee in the helmet thing & one flew up my jersey & got me in the pit on my dirt bike( doing like 70 mph @ the time, not cool)

[barleymashers]

I wear prescription sunglasses. I have a couple pairs and only one of them fits with the helmet. I need to get a new pair though, the reason being the frames of these obstruct my extreme left/right vision. I am looking at either the Oakley M-Frame or Radar as they are frameless on the bottom and sides. Leaning towards the Radar (Oakley RADAR PITCH BIKE ARRAY - Purchase Oakley eyewear from the online Oakley store), but not sure how much they will cost me to get prescription lenses in.

As the others have mentioned, I raise my visor at slow speeds as well to get some air in. I usually only clean the visor before the start of each ride, but now the others have got me thinking.

[drewl]

I wear prescription glasses with transition lenses. I also flip up the visor in town. And I also have had the bug in the helmet.
In fact, last friday I got whapped in the temple with an unkown insect. I went to clear it with my index finger and inadvertantly removed my glasses. They landed in the street behind me. I stopped post haste and retrieved them before they got squished. A scratch here and there, but none the worse for wear.

[Nungboy]

Always protect the eyes! Before I consistently rode with glasses on the bicycle, I had bugs WHACK me in the eye. I bought the first Oakley product the moment they came out--Factory Pilots--for riding the bicycle (my eyes would produce too many tears so I couldn't see when cycling down mountains) to replace the goofy ski goggles I wore before.
I used to wear my Oakley M-Frames under my older helmet (RBC) but it was a hassle always trying to remember not to take off the helmet before taking off the glasses. And I do think it may hamper peripheral vision. Now with the new helmet (Icon Domain) the glasses don't really fit so I have a dark visor and a clear visor. I resist the temptation to raise the face shield for the bug issues (lots of them here in Tucson) unless at a full stop. I do try to bring along sunglasses for wearing after I take the helmet off. Oh, and I only use Plexus on the visor.

[powerslave]

I usually go the sunglasses under visor route...(They are "OCC" safety glasses from work so they offer good coverage and are stylish and free!!)
Much prefer riding with visor flipped up when possible,also like the feel of the wind on my face...(When in city traffic and even on the highway if conditions are not too "buggy")
(BTW the visor slams down automatically for warp speed blasts and sometimes it still scares the poop out of me)
As far as keeping 'er clean I always carry some uvex pre-packaged safety glasses wipes and they work great...(I can't find room for a bottle of windex under my seat!!)
I also carry anti-fog wipes from uvex and they keep everything pretty clear!!!

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by powerslave

(When in city traffic and even on the highway if conditions are not too "buggy")

What about all them friggin goosequitoes you have there. Those buggas must mess up your ride.