Prescription bicycle glasses - your recommendations?

[SadieKate]

Asking for Bubba as bug season has arrived and I'm already tired of stopping while he removes the critters from his eyeballs.

He wants the most range of vision including good peripheral vision and wind protection. He is nearsighted with an astigmatism (mentioning this as some lenses are happier than others with different corrections) and lenses can be heavy. A photochromatic lenses would be fabulous.

Any recommendations? What about weight? We mountain bike so heavy glasses can be a problem. Anyone have experience with Smith prescription glasses?

Thanks, one and all.

[Dianyla]

I just bit the bullet and picked up a pair of Rudy Project glasses and did the prescription insert thing. Despite numerous recommendations from people who said Costco would gladly fill the prescription lenses, they absolutely refused to do it when I tried to take them in. The clerk, her manager, and their eyewear lab all claimed some bull**** story like "pupil distance" as the reason why they could not do this. Aaaanyway, I took the insert over to LensCrafters and they were ready in an hour. I had seriously expected to get the runaround crap from LensCrafters, not the other way around.

While I'm not thrilled with the elitism vibe I get off of the Rudy glasses, they were the ones that fit my face the best and they are well made. My only complaint is having to remove the insert every time I change colored lenses. It's just a little 2-3 minute fussy production that I have to go through twice a day. But the insert is still the better option if you want a variety of different lense colors.

This week, my eyes are much happier! :)

[KnottedYet]

I have plain ol' Oakley Minutes with amber lenses. My prescription isn't very intense (mostly just distance for one eye). My eye doc's office sent them out somewhere to be ground, and it took about 2 weeks. I've had them for 4 or 5 years and no complaints. They fit my face well and keep critters and debris out for the most part.

[stella*]

I wear bolle cycling glasses with the insert. Got them when I was primarily mtn biking--not too heavy. I use the inserts as I like the option of the different color lenses.

Lenscrafters filled the Rx lens w/out a problem.

[SadieKate]

Thanks for all the comments. Anyone having distortion issues? Would a rock to the side of the trail and not directly in your line of vision look really weird?

[stella*]

no more than what I find with my regular prescription glasses, and that I am used to. The bolle's did not seem to have a negative effect on my ability to read the trail.

I did a lot of technical riding and found I used the yellow lens, you can also get clear.

[allabouteva]

Like Dianyla, I have Rudy Projects with Rx prescriptions. Took me an age to figure out how they clipped in, as they didn't come with any instructions... :o

I found them pretty good, took me a while to get used to, but found the vision better than contact lenses. I find contact lenses tricky... Just can't seem to get used to them.

I have another pair of sunnies called Ryders which I bought because they looked cool (not sure if you can get them in the US), but they don't seem to sit on my nose like Rudys do. Rudys really perform, and they are expensive, but my friend bought his pair off Ebay and got a real bargain. Whereas I bought mine off the LBS and they were pricey.

[tulip]

I have some prescription shades that are not cycling specific. My opthomologist insists that the lenses be polycarbonate so that they won't break. This also makes them lighter.

I need some new ones, as the earpiece of mine broke (I think I sat on them!). I will look into the Rudy Project ones. I have to have prescription glasses, so regular shades are out for me (I can't wear contacts or have lasik).

[DirtDiva]

You can get inserts (http://www.adidas.com/eyewear/catalogue/index.asp?pFilter=category&pValue=sc_3&strCountry_adidascom=com&strBrand_adidascom=performance) for Adidas sunnies too. No personal experience of the inserts, but the glasses themselves are nice and light with a good range of adjustability. (I have the Evil Eye Pro S (http://www.adidas.com/eyewear/catalogue/index.asp?pFilter=category&pValue=sc_5&strCountry_adidascom=com&strBrand_adidascom=performance).)

[bike4ever]

I've used Rudy Projects for years with the prescription insert. I just picked up their newer model, Exception, over the winter. I need to get my prescription for them. Since I toasted my older ones last week when I went down, I will be doing that sooner than I planned:( .

Check them out:
http://www.rudyprojectusa.com/products/sunglasses/styles/exception.htm

[SadieKate]

I'm sending all the feedback to Bubba so he can read it all. Thanks so much.