Hello,

I have always worn oakley glasses for cycling. Typically with clear, black, or photochromic lenses depending upon the light conditions.

Lots of people seem to be using the red or green iridium lenses these days. Is it just a colour on the outside of the lense to look cool, or does it make a difference to the optics when worn?

Thanks.

Some people will be along to tell you all about how rose tints are better for this and blue is better for that. It may be about 3% that but its 97% about looking cool.

They are various different tints in terms of light let through, but they don’t actually distort colours – everything doesn’t end up looking green or red, in that respect it’s about looking good.

They do alter the colour balance a bit. Oakley have a lens simulator so you can see the effects of different lenses under different conditions

What @hot_flat said – there are some slight color differences, but not as “sport specific” as Oakley would have you believe. Go for what you like, and what looks good for you.

At risk of thread hijacking – I’ve found the polarized lenses to be great for riding – especially road, for reducing glare – but have never had a set of Oakley polarized lenses last more than about 18 months before they start “delaminating” – weird crazing across the lens or on edges. Always seems to start just after the one year warranty expires, had about five lenses on two different glasses do this. Anyone else had this issue?

Edit: Posted twice for some reason

Always seems to start just after the one year warranty expires, had about five lenses on two different glasses do this. Anyone else had this issue?

My photochromic ones did the same, Oakley said it was caused by sweating on the lenses.

Yes, every single set of oakleys I’ve owned has delaminated at some point. Just send ’em back, even if it’s after the warranty’s gone they usually offer you a good discount.

but have never had a set of Oakley polarized lenses last more than about 18 months before they start “delaminating”

I had the same problem on a really nice set of Crosshair frames, the mirrored coating started coming away from the polarised lense, at first I thought I had scratched them (despite being very careful with them), then left them in the case for a month or so, next time I checked them a large area of the coating had come away. Oakley were pretty unhelpful about it, although did give me a discount on a new set of glasses. Oakley seem great in sorting out issues with frames (I have had replacement frames FOC from them before) but for some reason aren’t great in backing their lenses.

I do have a pair of Flakjackets (bought as seconds) with polarised lenses and they have been fine for a few years.