[Closed] Best MTB all-round Oakley lenses?

VR28 is the best all round lens, IMO. Positive contrast, but not too dark. Good for all sorts of riding. Followed by the simply awesome Black Iridium/Persimmon transitions lens.

i share flashys sentiments, VR28 polarised would be my suggestion.

For me, I find just the plain persimmon lenses by far the best

Polarised, Pinches? Time for a little critique, I feel....

The polarised is good at cutting out glare, so good for "life" but for riding, sometimes you [i]need[/i] to see the reflections/glare, so I'd go for the normal version.

You on good form, by the way? Need to work out where you are and drop by for more critiques...! 🙂

I personally struggle with glare like you wouldn't believe - find that the HDO polarised lens helps a lot with trail "definition".

It's also very useful in the race car for cutting the glare off tarmac in the wet, and help you find the the "dry line".

I'm fine thanks, i still reside at Holborn and occasionally Spitz1. Drop in for a critique, i'm in on saturdays outside of doing my real work 🙂

If you can get hold of one, VR50 Photochromic is great as an all-rounder.
I've got some VR28s but I don't find them to be as good for riding in as the VR50s. Much better for off-bike use, though.

Now that's some full on critique action right there! 🙂

Good point re glare, but I suspect that's more important on tarmac than off road. Unless the OP is a roady....

Will drop by some time! Great news re the "real work", by the way, really pleased for you! Glad you got where you wanted! 🙂 Not been in Holborn for an age, been too busy in aeroplanes/hotels/meetings/conferences with my own "real work"!

excellent critique going on here! i'll drop you an email CFH.

OP is also a roadie!

VR28's look good to me. Might just by a standard 'set-up' and order VR28's as a replacement (£40)

Captain : whats this black iridium/persimmon transitions lens? Sounds expensive! but interesting too.

I agree that polarised is not good for riding. Ace for driving and normal life but odd for riding- especially on Tarmac.
For all round MTB my current favourite is g30. Nice contrast but good in the bright light too. If I was stuck with only one lens- clear

Persimmon is a great all rounder but yellow can be night ridden ;O)

For me, a plain old clear lens gets used the most. In fact its all that really gets used this time of year - both on and off road.

I agree that polarised is not good for riding. Ace for driving and normal life but odd for riding- especially on Tarmac.

just interested to hear what properties of the polarisation don't you like about it for riding specifically?

i'm wondering if its just a case of my eyes being affected badly by glare to the point it makes it "normal" for me 😆

I find it messes around with 'texture a little too much for me.

Alek, the Transitions lens is expensive, but worth it. Changes from Persimmon to Black, dependent on the light conditions. Some sort of witchcraft, I think.

VR28 is a great lens. I also use clear and persimmon, but mainly vr28

High Definition Yellow makes it sunny every day!

I've had most of the Oakley lenses over the years.

the ones I use now

-clear for nightriding
-blue iridium for daylight when there's some sun
-grey were good as an all rounder. not too dark. I just slightly prefer the blue iridium

persimmon is very useful for all riding other than full on night riding. if I really had to have only 1 lens that's what I'd go for. (except the vr50)

I also have a vr50 photochromatic lens which is good and I use it for every type of riding including night rides.

ah bo***cks, this is just going to turn into me buying another paid of oakleys after having my last pair nicked 🙁

VR28's it is then. Thanks for all your advice. Persimmon on the list of replacements.

Any deals about?
Pinches where did you buy your last pair (sorry to hear they got nicked)

found this helpful...

http://www.oakley.com/innovation/optical-superiority/lens-tints

Pinches would have got his direct, I believe...

BTW, custom Holbrooks and a pair of Tens are the latest in my seemingly ever growing collection! 🙂

I use the amber gold iridium polarised lenses but I don't think
They do them anymore , they were around 80 just for the lense
But I wear them all year round , they look very dark until you put
Them on , Oakley custom @internetopticians.co.uk

i can only ride in clear on mountain bikes

Cheers for the link accu.

Checked out those persimmon/black iridium transition lenses Captain. Very impressive. Another time maybe 😀

just interested to hear what properties of the polarisation don't you like about it for riding specifically?

Its really on tarmac - i found that the road looked odd and it was a bit distracting - surfaces look strange. I do generally prefer lighter lenses for riding though.

For driving and normal day to day use though, i wont go back to non polarised. THe grey polarised seems to be a good all round tint for uk sunshine.

yeh i normally pick mine up direct.

I was in the oakley store earlier, and tried a few pairs on, it's got to the point where i need a pair for casual/driving use and a separate pair for riding.

I was considering a pair of polarised frogskins/plantiff/jupiter squares and a pair of the new fast jacket XL for riding in, although i'll have to wait until you can do custom Fast jackets...

Currently using polarised black iridium vr28 or tungsten iridium for driving and vr50 for mtb (they are better under the trees than vr28 or persimmon as they let more light through)

+1 for vr50's they change fast enough in the shade and are pretty good out in the sun.

these are my vr50 transitions out in very bright sunshine in Greece. they also go light enough to use at night

[img] ?nocache=3586[/img]

bump.

So I can find VR50 photochromic but what are the "persimmon/black iridium transition"s? Online stockists?

How do the VR50 photo's work in snow? Do they lighten on overcast days or does the snow mean they're always dark?

I find it messes around with 'texture a little too much for me.

Alek, the Transitions lens is expensive, but worth it. Changes from Persimmon to Black, dependent on the light conditions. Some sort of witchcraft, I think.

Another one for the where do you find the magic lenses? I want some for my radar's.....

The clear/black iridium photochromic are now on Oakley's website, £140.

How do the VR50 photo's work in snow? Do
they lighten on overcast days or does the snow
mean they're always dark?

As I recall, they react to UV so if it's sunny they should darken and not if not.

edit. yes I'm right. it's also why they don't really work for driving...

http://www.oakley.com/community/posts/83

clear / black are available from the us on eBay for around £100

are available from the us on eBay

so after some hours and some searching I've realised that is "from the U.S." rather than "from us"
🙂

So 3 options (no all available on all lens shapes)-
- Black/Clear
- Black/Persimmon
- VR50 (is this black/pink?)

Thinking VR50 sounds the best for everything except night riding.

I've gone for black/clear for my Jawbones, see no reason not to, it's a wider range of transmission than the others.

+1 for persimmon

Just been told by no VR28 black iridium lens!!

Gold iridium the nearest match? any other suggestions?

More questions:

- is there a difference between 'transitions' and 'photochromatic'. Some places describe different Oakley lenses as being one or the other.

Just been told by no VR28 black iridium lens!!

Gold iridium the nearest match? any other suggestions

Gold is a darker lens, without the "warmth" of VR28. Can you not just get a standard VR28 lens? (Still the most used of my M-Lenses)

- is there a difference between 'transitions' and 'photochromatic'. Some places describe different Oakley lenses as being one or the other.

Decided to go for Black Iridium (vented) and spare pair Persimmons (vented).

Thanks for all the advice...........

Need further advice from the STW massive before placing order. Just been on the Oakley Custom site for Radar Path and the 'custom' lens choices are now extremely limited.

Which of the following:
Black, Fire, Ice, Positive red, Slate (all iridium)
or
grey, persimmon, yellow
or
Gold vented (no other vented lens available!!) gutted.

Had wanted the 'plasma' (dark grey) frame but only alternative now is the polished white. Anyone know how 'dark' or 'grey' these are in the flesh as I don't really want a cheap bright white!

So far my decision is: Polished white with positive red iridium lens, matte black icons and socks. Any advance on that (for both Road + MTB)

Polished white is very white.

Why get the custom ones if you're after a very 'normal' combo? Just buy some Plasma Radars, flog the lenses on here if you don't like what they come with and buy the ones you do want?

Could be a very good option njee20 😯

I'll start scouring the web for plasma frames...............

Looks like they're £104 at Winstanley's with gold iridium. Get at least £40 for the lenses I reckon.

Some one must have beat me too it, as I can't find them on Winstanley's site!!
Plasma Radar with Path lens?

This thread has convinced me that I should try a photochromic lens for MTB'ing (here in Colorado there's alot of riding that alternates between bright sun, sun/shadow mix and mostly shadowy; and the VR28's have always worked well for me unless it gets too dark...then I'm fumbling for my yellow or persimmon lens if I remember to bring 'em).

However, I too am confused about the varying names/versions of this technology that Oakley lists on their website depending on what glasses/lens you are looking at (i.e., VR50 Transitions, VR50 Photochromic, G40 Photochromic, Black Iridium Photochromic, Black Photochromic, Transitions SOLFX...). Arggh!:?

So two questions:
1) It sounds like "Transitions SOLFX" is the technology that O uses and that there are three lens versions - VR50, G40 and Black Iridium). Is this correct?
2) Which version would act most like the VR28's when used during the shadow/sun mix that the VR28's excel in (but would allow a wider range of use when it gets too dark or perhaps even too bright for the VR28's)?

Thanks!:-)

Great thread, two questions, (1) how do you tell what lens you have (if you just bought a pair in the shop and didnt take note etc and (2) what lens is good for overcast riding, on road, where you dont really need glasses other than to keep grit and flies out your eyes?

damo2576 - Member

Great thread, two questions, (1) how do you tell what lens you have (if you just bought a pair in the shop and didnt take note etc and (2) what lens is good for overcast riding, on road, where you dont really need glasses other than to keep grit and flies out your eyes?

(1) There's a code hidden by the nose piece (at least on M-Frame and Radar style lens) though it generally appears to be only the manufacture date. Near as I can tell you have to guess or take them to an Oakley store (we have 'em in the US). (2) Yellow (if you want to brighten things up) or clear.

(2) Yellow (if you want to brighten things up) or clear.

The Hi-Intensity yellow can be a little too much if (I know, this summer etc) the sun comes out. Persimmon also lifts colour contrast on duller days, not just perception of depth (as the yellow does)

I should get out more, shouldn't I?

Anyone tried fast jackets? Want something for mtb and ski, but not too roadie looking. Thinking blue iridium / persimmon

CaptainFlashheart - Member

(2) Yellow (if you want to brighten things up) or clear.

I prefer Persimmon.

I do too, though they can darken things too much if it's really murky.

P.S. Captain - any thoughts on my post just above...?

Clear is still the best off road for me. Hard to improve on a few million years of evolution.

surely that's like claiming walking is more efficient than cycling?

I find clear means I squint in bright sunlight which isn't conducive to good vision.

mtbra - I've now had both vr50 and black/clear transitions.

The vr50 is very good but the black/clear has slightly more range eg it goes near enough completely clear and about as dark as the standard grey lenses.

I think that the vr50 maybe goes a but darker than black/clear in really bright sun.

either would be a match for vr28. the vr50 has a more brown tint than the black/clear so that's a point of preference.

This is clear/black on a very sunny day in Turkey
[img] ?nocache=5462[/img]

and this is vr50 on a similarly bright day in Greece though it's hard to compare pics IMO.
[img] ?nocache=6486[/img]

Anyone tried the prescription Oakleys?
Looking at a pair of jawbones and want lenses for mountain biking and road biking - any recommendations?

clubber - Member
mtbra - I've now had both vr50 and black/clear transitions....

Cool pics clubber and thanks for the info. Funny thing is that I demo'd the clear/black iridium and G40 photochromics today at the Denver Oakley store (they let me take them outside). I couldn't get the clear/blacks to change color very much (nothing like your pic shows, even after holding them up to the bright outside sun for several minutes). Hmm? The G40's were pretty good at changing between dark/light and have a tint that is almost as good as the VR28's (more rose than amber/brown, but still provided good contrast). They didn't have any VR50's to try (uh - here I am in the MTB capital of the US...)!

Unfortunately Oakley makes it so difficult to get any of these photochromic lenses in a frame that fits well for MTB use (i.e., the Radar or M Frames are what work for me). They won't even sell them here as "spare" lens for my current set of M Frames or as a second lens to a Radar setup (I even searched for some web sources). Apparently, the only way they to get 'em is with Half or Flak Jacket frames (which don't fit me well for MTB'ing) or in some god-awfully colored sky-blue Radar's.

Oh well - may be getting some Tifosi's instead and saving some big money as the result.... 🙁