[Closed] MTB glasses tips please

Have you thought about EM safety glasses or bolle? 😉
Whichever ones fit your face is the answer. MTB - close to your cheeks to stop anything chucked up from your front wheel .
Road/gravel - close to your eyebrows to stop the wind and anything chucked by bikes & cars in front.
I've use Sunwise because one of their range fits my big old hooter.
Neither cheap or expensive, but nice quality.

I use melon alley cats, they look a tad 80s but I’m good with that as I can’t see my face when riding. The important bits for me are that I can easily get spares if needed, customer service has been amazing, lens is real good quality clear (haven’t used tinted yet), real good field of vision and they aren’t mega money
Tried some smith ones previous to these and they were not as good. Failing that get on wish.com and order several pairs of fake 100% or poc or whatever they are knocking off this week!

Can't see past (no pun) Oakley M-frames or whatever equivalent is now. I did not like wearing glasses and these are the most unnoticeable in use.

Mostly, I ride in decathlon's £3.99 glasses. They're well shaped, have rubberised ear bits, and the main vision part is really clear (there's a wee bit of distortion at the side, which I guess could bother some folks but it's not where you ever look when you're riding).

The real benefit is that I can lose them and not cry. Not that I do, because you only lose nice glasses. I've had nice riding glasses, who knows where they are now

Top miser tip don't bother and up your squint game. I once spent over £75 on glasses only to find not only did they steam up quickly I also don't like wearing them. Never bothered since and just learnt "Neo in the Matrix" bug dodging techniques.

Watching with interest. I wear contacts so need clear geps for riding. I’m onto at least my 10th pair of Bolle from Screwfix so thinking it’s time to get something less disposable.

Has anyone tried the Oakley prism low light (or similar) type lenses?

@sirromj it’s mainly for stopping me getting mud in my eyes and to stop them watering when I go full send (higher speed) . Goggles perhaps....

@northwind dang I just remembered the fit 4

Goggles perhaps….

But not full enduro...

Well quite

I think I tried just about all the cheap options. None of them could cope without steaming up Because of my fat sweaty face.
Currently on a pair that got advertised on Instagram, Elite k150 from gobicycle store. They're an improvement on decathlon and bolle, and whilst they will still fog up on ascents (not sure there's a pair out there that don't at this price range), I'm getting on really well with them.
The photochromic lenses work well enough that I don't notice I'm wearing them even when in and out of shade.
£30 plus postage.

£30 off rad8 glasses atm. I've had a pair of their prescription lens and frames for three years and can't fault them. I don't know they are there either so comfy. Dark enough for full sunlight and I use them for night riding too. Transition is quick

https://www.rad8.co.uk/

Bolle safety glasses if you want clear lenses for not much outlay. They’re dirt cheap, face good optics and come in lots of styles.
My Dad has some decathlon glasses which are also fine. Some of the Carnac glasses on PX are fine for similar money.
Personally, I swear by Oakley Jawbones, but they are neither cheap or readily available at the moment.

@howsyourdad, no worries, you're doing me a favour so I can hardly complain about dispatch times 😉

Top miser tip don’t bother and up your squint game

The blister in my eye says that’s a shite tip

Currently second hand Oakley Racing Jackets for me, however I like the look of Shimano Techniums. They’re around £50 and come with an additional (clear) lens, even though most listings don’t seem to mention it

Another vote for Rad8 MTB Glasses. Absolutely love my 505s

Bbb impress unless you have a large head.

I use the same safety glasses we have at work, they’re around £1.99 each and we buy in bulk of 20 at a time. Fit is good and vision perfect.screw fix and places sell them. Always got a few pairs in bags and cars and no worry if they get broke or scratched, I get through 2-3 pairs a year.

Just brought a pair of shimano technium glasses, first ride out in them yesterday and really impressed. They come with a clear lens too and hard case. Worth a look? I paid about £57.

Oakley Racing Jacket/Jawbones have made a return for those who are interested

For road and gravel im a 100% speed craft fan - the lenses are so good i can basically stare right at the sun and not squint. My biggest worry with fakes would be the quality of the lens.

I got a pair of “Bolle tracker II” safety glasses from work that I use when riding (when I remember them that is) they’re not too expensive to buy (under £10 in some places) they don’t look too much like safety glasses and you can buy new lens’ for them to suit your taste (clear, smoke, yellow)

I don’t especially like wearing glasses when riding but the handful of times I’ve remembered these, I have genuinely forgotten they are on at points

I can recommend Optilabs for reasonable prescription glasses; been running them for almost 10 years.  The Flows have a decent gap in the lens that really helps airflow, so much so that I don't use contacts for riding anymore.  They can also post a few frames so you can try them out with helmets/bikes to check fit.

I've been looking at glasses this past week or so, and think I've settled on a pair of Tifosi Amok Fototecs. Seem to be available for about £50.

I'd also quite liked the look of the Rad8 505s. @rOcKeTdOg Where's the £30 off? I'm seeing all models at full price on the website.

@deltacharlie72 use egg30 at the checkout as per

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Oakley Jawbreakers with cheap clear lenses. Good fit and can hardly see the frame even if you’re looking for it. Cheap non-Oakley lenses mean I don’t worry about scratching them up.

Rob Hunter anti fog spray

Mainly used for trail riding in and out of dark forests 👌

I have a pair of Adidas evil eye vario (photochromic lens) and a pair of Oakley racing jackets with the trail prizm (non photochromic) lens and I prefer the Oakleys for riding. I've had a few pairs of photochromic glasses but I find they take too long to change tint if moving in and out of tree cover quickly, the prizm lens isn't as good in really bright direct sunlight but with everything else its consistently better. It's a bit like watching a 15 yr old TV compared with a latest 4k uhd TV, everything seems clearer and more defined when wearing them. They weren't 'cheap' (around £85, a lot less than the rrp) but I'd highly recommend the lens over photochromic

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orena45
Free Member

Another vote for Rad8 MTB Glasses. Absolutely love my 505s

Do they actually go clear “as stated on the website) or just to a fairly light tint?

@mashr depends how much UV light is about. They go clear in the dark or indoors. If there's a bit of light about e.g overcast or in the woods, they will go to a light tint. Bright sunshine and they go very dark.

I've never felt the need to take them off in low light conditions because I've felt they've gone too dark (apart from nipping into a shop briefly from outside in bright daylight).

Might have to splurge on some prescription riding glasses as the work pair I'm currently using look a bit, erm, special....

Shame the rad8 discount isn't on prescription glasses. Think I'll get some trial frames sent from them and Optilabs, any other prescription recommendations?

I do have a pair of the Adidas Evil Eye photochromics as well (£40 TK Maxx PSA off here), I find the fit and clarity superb. Love them on the roadie but my contacts jiggle over rough ground at speed on the mtb and make my vision blurred, I hate that so has to be glasses

use egg30 at the checkout

"Excluding prescription"

That's a bit unfair on us blind folk 🙁

Thanks @orena45, good to know. For some reason I have a hang up about photochromic off road that I’m struggling to shift. £59 might tempt me though

I used the cheap Decathlon ones for ages, which are great. Unlike with skiing, MTB glasses get scratched up in no time, no matter how careful you are. It feels obscene dropping £100+ on something so disposable.

Maybe if I lived in Sedona I'd get some s****y jobs, but in the UK the grit and slop will mess them up.

There is of course the AliExpress option, which I have had good experiences with in the past. If they happen to look like Oakley then all the better, as Luxotica can get to ****.

Unlike with skiing, MTB glasses get scratched up in no time, no matter how careful you are

That has not been my experience at all. I’ve been using clear prescription lenses in my (hock, spit) Oakleys for a year or so with no issues. I’m careful with them, though. Revant clear lenses before that.

Ive had the same pair of Bloc cycling glasses for 15 years. They came with 3 interchangeable lenses. Only the clear ones are scratched but they have been worn more than the other ones. Only recently bought a new pair of Bloc again, with the lenses that react to light. Fully expecting these to last too. Ive still got the same pair of bloc sunglasses ive had for 20 years too. Not a miser but these last and last.

I have a couple of pairs of Sunwise Shipwreck glasses, just back from a ride wearing them, I'd forgotten I had them on.

Had a pair of Bolle safety glasses which were great fitting,dropped them and a Landy drove over them,frame was pretty sturdy and picked them up and bent back to shape,lenses were slightly scratched but they done their job,for the few quid I paid they were superb!
Now own Adidas evil eye vario only because my local Tk maxx was selling them for £30
Few mates ride in the RockBros glasses
Look similar to the melon ones but fraction of the price

Thanks all, lots of options. I think i prefer no frame/half frame so i'll check a few of those out.