Benefit from biking glasses? - Page 3

"Frank Riley" <dont@email.me> wrote in message news:Xns935C50B6FF6EBmaskedidhotmailcom@68.6.19.6...

> "Grenouil" <grenouil7@bellsouth.net> wrote in
news:kr%la.13079$ji4.12385
> @fe03.atl2.webusenet.com:
>
> > That said, you have to be nuts to spend $40 or more on
none
> > prescription "cycling glasses" - a pair of cheap
wraparound
> > sun glasses will do, or a $10 pair of safety glasses
>
> I used to be of that opinion, but after having bought a
pair of expensive
> sunglasses, my opinion has changed. No more pushing the
sunglasses back up,
> no more discomfort after 5 hours of riding, no more
distortion. I forget
> that I'm even wearing sunglasses. I never had that happen
with any of the
> $15 pairs I used to buy.

I've had just as much trouble with expensive ones. (I don't buy them, I get a lot of freebies.) Just
like the cheapies, some worked great and some didn't.

The best I've had for a long time were some $12 ones I got at Performance. Unfortunately, now I
can't find a replacement for less than 40 or 50 bucks, which I absolutely refuse to pay. Sometimes
Uvex safety glasses (good, and cheap!) are available in hardware stores, sometimes not.

I have to wear something all the time because of my contact lenses. They dry out and I can't see. I
will say that the problem isn't as bad here as in CA, where the air is really dry. I can actually
ride for half an hour or so without glasses around here, which I could never do out there.

Perhaps I should go into the overpriced molded plastic sunglasses business, so I can make enough
money to buy my own island in the San Juans (like a certain other sunglasses tycoon did).

Matt O.

"Jiyang Chen" <Jiyangc@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:b7c9ms$h3f@dispatch.concentric.net...

> I disagree. Cheap sunglasses will cause MORE harm than
good if they do not
> have proper UV ray protection blocking both uv-a and uv-b.
If not, the dark
> lenses simply dilate the pupils, making them more
susceptible to the harmful
> UV rays that the cheap glasses can't block.

This is no longer true. For several years now, all sunglasses sold in the US *must* have UV
protection. I'd still be leery of the crap sold in tourist trap areas and street markets (who knows
where it came from), but for the most part you're probably OK. Fear of lawsuits would keep big
drugstore chains, etc., from selling anything that didn't meet the letter of the law.

Matt O.

<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org> wrote in message news:2EVla.4895$JX2.345140@typhoon.sonic.net...

> They are mostly fashion although a necessity for some riders who have wind sensitive eyes or
> contact lenses.

....

> the more insect like the appearance the better.

Add another sensible reason please.

The more insects that make an appearance the more they become essential.

I bought a low cost pair after many aphids and also the experience of a weekend where some small
beetles appeared to have emerged in plague proportions (about 3mm ... hurt like hell when they
struck my forehead on downhills).

<risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi> wrote in message
news:b78ns6$o1m$2@oravannahka.helsinki.fi...
> Are biking glasses just fashion or a must, all things considered? Thinking about doing more and
> longer rides, so wondering if it's a good idea to get them.
>
> Are there compelling reasons like road grit getting to your eyes, or protection from the sun? On
> cold days I can get some watering in my eyes, but I haven't experienced discomfort from road grit
> even on my 7 hour ride. Is it more a problem in other locations or during longer rides/tours?
>
> Normally I wear about -2 glasses, they'd have to go over them which narrows down the selection. My
> glasses double us as sunglasses though... In snowboarding ski goggles are a good idea, because
> snow blindness is a real risk. Is cycling different?
>
> --
> Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

I do a lot of riding in the evening till dusk along a river trail. The insect life is THICK and
quite frankly, you'd be an idiot to ride without them. In the middle of the day, in more open
surroundings on road rides, I don't think they're really necessary, but I still like them. They
reduce eye-strain for me and some grit as well. On off-road rides I usually wear the same glasses
but switch to amber lenses. They seem to give me better detail perception in shaded trails and they
keep the mud out of my eyes. I got mine for $25 5 years ago on an employee discount sale and dollar
for dollar, they're one of the better accessories for me. Ranks right up there with mud guards,
another highly underrated accessory IMHO.

Cheers,

Scott..

"Dennis P. Harris" <NO_SPAM_TO_dpharris@gci.net> wrote in message
news:q7rh9voufq7gf0r80c2adom23p0nk7q4ji@4ax.com...
> On 12 Apr 2003 09:56:22 GMT in rec.bicycles.misc,
> risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote:
>
> > Are biking glasses just fashion or a must, all things
considered?
> > Thinking about doing more and longer rides, so wondering
if it's a
> > good idea to get them.
> >
> > Are there compelling reasons like road grit getting to
your eyes,
> > or protection from the sun?
>
> since i live in rain country(tm), my eyes are not
accustomed to
> very bright sunshine, so sunglasses are a must, and
glasses
> during our horizontal rains. even on gray days, you need
lenses
> in the summer time because of the insects here in the
temperate
> rain forest.
>
>
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=...lon=-134.41972
>
> i also have a dry eye problem, so i need wraparounds to
keep the
> wind out. i have been using the now-discontinued
performance
> "radial" glasses. they are cheap enough that you can have several frames if you want, and they
> have clear, amber,
and two
> shades of gray reflective lenses. for the OP, they make a
$14.99
> nosepiece with attached lens frames ("RX Adapter") --- you
take
> it to your lens maker and they install lenses that fit
inside the
> frames.
>
> they're reasonably priced, unlike the fancy names, so you
can
> afford to have several frames and extra lenses around.
the new
> version is the radial II see
>
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/....html?SKU=1526 3&Store=Bike
>

You must live in the United Kingdom........... )))))

In article <b7c9ms$h3f@dispatch.concentric.net>, Jiyangc@yahoo.com says...
> I disagree. Cheap sunglasses will cause MORE harm than good if they do not have proper UV ray
> protection blocking both uv-a and uv-b. If not, the dark lenses simply dilate the pupils, making
> them more susceptible to the harmful UV rays that the cheap glasses can't block.

Except for the really cheap ones (<$5), almost all the sunglasses I see now claim good UV blocking
(98 to 100%).

....

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

In article <23701-3E98CB8B-624@storefull-2117.public.lawson.webtv.net>, bigrocketman3@webtv.net
(Steve McDonald) writes:
>
> I wouldn't go out at night without wrap-around safety goggles. I live in the neighborhood of
> the Thurston High School massacres-----past and future-----and the Yahoos around here toss
> eggs and rocks and shoot you with BB guns. I have this dark fantasy about following them home
> and putting Willie Pete grenades on their engine blocks.

"Warriors ... come out and playyy-yayyy." :-)

I live/ride around some areas I prefer to avoid at certain times, too. When I've absolutely /gotta/,
I've found it best to just look like a poor guy (sans fashion accessories) on a bike. Wearing/having
a bunch of good stuff just attracts too much attention. But in my case, it's not high school punks
out looking for kicks to watch out for; it's desparate crackheads needing money. Different
motivations. If I was really paranoid, I'd worry about stray bullets leaking out of some local
cabarets, too. The presence of streetwalking hookers, or major shopping centres (like MetroTown), is
a good indicator of areas to avoid. It would seem streetwalking hookers, and major shopping centres
have things in common <g>

The high school kids to watch out for here, are the ones driving Daddy's car, and playing "Emerson
Fitipaldi" on city streets.

One advantage of glasses that hasn't been mentioned yet, is keeping long hair outa one's eyes.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

"Belij3" <belij3@cs.com> wrote in message news:20030412130102.29692.00000430@mb-fb.news.cs.com...
> >They are mostly fashion
>
> I remember reading somewhere that riding w/o sunglasses causes more
fatigue
> than riding with sunglasses.

Here in Queensland, the worries are cataracts, pterygia and melanomas. We never need to worry about
too little sun exposure. Mark Lee

"Tom Keats" <tomk2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> You [Fabrizzio] slagged on Sean Eadie in another thread awhile back. I think it was about the
> temporary beard thing. Anyhow, Sean can kick your ass off with one flick of the toe. Don't ever
> forget that. You still don't have those Tyrannosaurus thighs that he has. (He'd absolutely
> pulverize me, if it came down to that).
>

Sean Eadie was a guest at a track carnival at Nerang round Christmas. He'd shaved his beard. He was
very approachable, joked around with the kids and was a holder for a 12 year old in one of the
handicaps (he asked me how many steps were allowed in the throw!). His acceleration was astonishing
(he lost traction and nearly came down in one race) but no-one was waiting for him so in the longer
races he was dropped. Of course he was out-of-season. Mark Lee

"100 % UV Blocking" doesn't necessarily mean blocking from both uv-a AND uv-b rays. You need to
look for sunglasses that says it protects users from both types of UV in order to get the most
protection possible.

Jiyang

"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1903c60dc6d4ca6b98969e@news.ids.net...
> In article <b7c9ms$h3f@dispatch.concentric.net>, Jiyangc@yahoo.com says...
> > I disagree. Cheap sunglasses will cause MORE harm than good if they do
not
> > have proper UV ray protection blocking both uv-a and uv-b. If not, the
dark
> > lenses simply dilate the pupils, making them more susceptible to the
harmful
> > UV rays that the cheap glasses can't block.
>
> Except for the really cheap ones (<$5), almost all the sunglasses I see now claim good UV blocking
> (98 to 100%).
>
> ....
>
> --
> Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!
>
> REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

In article <3e9a0850.37344819@public-news.look.ca>, Zoot Katz <zootkatz@operamail.com> writes:
> Sat, 12 Apr 2003 20:35:06 -0700, <atla7b.8j4.ln@bud.garden.local>, tomk2003@hotmail.com (Tom
> Keats) wrote:
>
>>Oxygen, and the muscles to drink it in, and pump the power out.
>
> And enough drugs to turn your turds technicolor.

Sometimes it's best to stay outa the bathroom, lest one catch a glimpse of one's reflection in
the mirror.

I opine that among competitive cyclists, trackies might be best equipped & prepared to make the
transition to road racing.

I might be wrong.

But it can be interesting to think about.

Has Eadie ever experience technicolour turds? I dunno. Do they have Suicide Wings in Aus? (and by
"wings", I mean _chicken_ -- not some weird, primeval, marsupial/mammalian freaks, or Cane Toad
parts). But I hope he avoids those strange brews that Fabs goes on about.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

Jiyang Chen wrote:

> I disagree. Cheap sunglasses will cause MORE harm than good if they do not have proper UV ray
> protection blocking both uv-a and uv-b. If not, the dark lenses simply dilate the pupils, making
> them more susceptible to the harmful UV rays that the cheap glasses can't block.
>
> Jiyang

That's my understanding too. If you wear regular eyeglasses, consider a pair of "Fitovers" from an
outdoor store. Full uv protection and really good wraparound protection. The wraparound is important
if your eyes are sensitive to wind and crosswinds. You'll be protected from ultraviolet rays, bugs,
windborne sand, wind - and bright sunlight coming in from the sides. You may look unstylish, but
they work. Best regards, Bernie

In article <dvoma.4239$hF.31549@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
"Mark Lee" <markwlee@bigpond.net.au> writes:

> He was very approachable

I like him. I think he's a Class Act, a gentleman and a true Sportsman. I doubt that he'd go around,
indiscriminately flicking ppl's asses off with his big toe. But then, he hasn't met Fabrizio (yet).

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

>Are biking glasses just fashion or a must,

Oakley have really conned the public, to my mind. I think it's better not to wear sunglasses. You
can't look motorists in the eye, which helps when necgotiating a merge into their lane, as you often
need to do when turniong left (in the USA) or right, here in the UK, where people have successfully
been riding bikes for a century and a half without, in general, feeling that one needs to wear
special, or any, glasses.

Jeremy Parker

j

"Jeremy Parker" <JeremyParker@compuserve.com> wrote in message news:3E9A7F4E.782D@compuserve.com...
> Oakley have really conned the public, to my mind. I think it's better not to wear sunglasses. You
> can't look motorists in the eye, which helps when necgotiating a merge into their lane, as you
> often need to do when turniong left (in the USA) or right, here in the UK, where people have
> successfully been riding bikes for a century and a half without, in general, feeling that one
> needs to wear special, or any, glasses.

<grandpa on>

Yeah, back in the day, bicycles had one gear. No need for more than one! Who would ever need to go
faster than one gear will give ya? These young whipper-snappers with their fancy bicycles, I tell
ya, it's just a waste.....

<grandpa off>

I have to ask, is the UK completely devoid of flying insects? My glasses have kept these little (and
sometimes quite big) buggers from hitting me in the eye countless times. They keep my eyes from
watering from the wind too. In case you don't know, you have some ductwork that carries tears from
your eyes into your nasal passages. That's why your nose starts running when you cry. Keeping the
watery eyes to a minimum also helps keep the running nose to a minimum. I hate riding without my
sunglasses! Even night rides warrant some clear lenses for me.

-Buck