does anyone use transitions lenses, it’s time for new glasses and i cant decide on these lenses. They only appear to go dark to a certain degree and look a bit ‘boycey’,from only fools….

On the face of it they loo, good value fir fifty quid, but what are the practicalities of living with them, adapting from outside to inside etc.

Ta in advance.

I’ve got them but don’t wear the glasses as day to day glasses.

I’ve got oakleys with transitions for the bike and for general holiday sunshine. I work with people who swear by them on ordinary glasses though. After a couple of outings in bright sun they switch quickly back and forth.

Hope that helps.

steve, why don’t you use them as day to day glasses, because of the style? I intend tonuse them everyday and for a bit of riding too when it’s night or low light. Does the wind make them react?

Steve

Yeah, they are a bike friendly frame, which makes them look weird when they go clear. (see pic below – the lenses go way darker than this pic. But perfectly clear indoors). With the Oakleys you can change the style of the lens too – I got the contoured fitting lens like in the picture, which makes great protection from wind, mud etc.

If I wasn’t hell bent on the Oakleys, I could have got some kinder looking frames for everyday use though!

Have transitions lenses in my regular prescription glasses as well as a pair of prescription riding glasses. Love them. I have no issues when night riding with lights.

Probably the only negative is that they do take time to change. Whether going indoors from bright sun or riding into the woods after being out in the open, the lenses do take time to change. But your pupils adjust, too…

No reaction to wind, but they do darken more when cold, which is good in the snow if the sun is out..

OP – you don’t actually mention what glasses you are talking about as Transition Lenses are available from many glasses manufacturers. Do you mean Oakley and even then which model. Not meaning to have a go just trying to clarify as you do seem to be discussing style as well as the lens.

To clarify. I have non oakley transitions fitted by my optician. Cheaper!

I own an opticians, I use transitions in all my own glasses, currently using Essilors transitions extra active, only available in grey atm, BUT they go darker than any other transition, and work partially in a car too (the first and only ones to do this atm)

I use Specialized El Toros for riding (got contacts) and they are great, except when going through woods (the sunnier & shadier the worse!), like JoeG says, these take about 5 seconds to change completely, and sometimes I’m basically riding blind so have to take them off 🙄

I’ve recently changed to grey cheapy bolle safety glasses to see if they’re better

useful info guys, am gonna buy a pair of oakleys servos. My sunny riding specs are rudy project with a rx insert, i cant have a cycling specific oakley cuz of my prescription. You guys aren’t telling me what i wanted to hear…..

FWIW Oakley transitions have been great for bik,ing. Also have a pair of normal frames with prescription transition lenses and find real issues when wearing inside. The glare from inside of lense off overhead lights is headache inducing. Not sure if it’s down to the transition or something else but not too impressed. Fine for outside tho.

I have used transitions in oakley opthalmic frames for abou 80% of my riding for the last 4-5 years and general out and about stuff. Not Oakley lenses, just whatevers the opticians current fave. I love them, although the wife hates the current joe 90 frames!

Transitions great for that BUT i still have a non transtion pair for best and i do think.theyre bette for vdu work (which my job has shed loads of) but that could also be because i leave the anti glare off the transitions as it seems to attract grease and dirt so is farking useless in the garden or on the bike.

It’s difficult to get a good looking compromise with transitions.

Sunglasses lenses tend to be pretty enormous in comparision with glasses lenses, and the frames tend to be much thicker, with thicker arms. So you end up either having massive glasses which look OK when tinted, or normal sized glasses that look tiny when tinted.

Even “big” glasses are relatively small at the side of a pair of sunglasses.

Chuck in that there’s less need for high index in a thick pair of frames, little need for MAR etc. meaning you can pick up prescription sunnies online for very little. I’ve got a pair prescription Raybans here that cost less than retail for a normal plano pair…

I have prescription transitions from these guys: http://www.optilabs.com/site/prods.php?pfid=0,8,11

Very happy with them. I also have sunglasses from them which I use for driving as transitions don’t react in the car as the glass windscreen filters too much UV.

You don;t have to have oakley lenses in oakley frames though. Works out way cheaper.

The problem with them as your main and only specs is they always have some tint outdoors, for that ‘pedo’ look.
I have a pair separate to my clear specs, and sunnies for the car.