Racing shades

[Octave]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes:

Lost my shades this weekend in a road-race, looking for something new. They were Oakley Radarlock's and I liked them just fine but they weren't so spectacular that my mind immediately went to replacing them with the same model.

What are y'all racing in? Or riding in general?

[Matthew Strongin]

I'm a bit of a sunglasses freak, so here's what I've got in rotation now.

Radarlocks - Love the lenses, fit is great with some helmets and not so much with others. A little on the heavy side. Look good when wearing a helmet, but look ridiculous as soon as you get off the bike. Also, they're pricey.

Smith Pivlocks - Bought these on a whim and I'm really glad I did. Comes with 3 lenses and swapping is a breeze. They're frameless and offer great visibility. Also very light and comfortable.

Spy Screw - I have two pairs and a bit of a love/hate thing with them. I think they're my best looking cycling glasses. They're super comfortable. They fit great with every helmet I've tried. The lenses are nice and visibility is great. They're my favorite to wear. BUT, the durability of the lenses sucks. I've replaced lenses on one pair twice already and now both pairs have cracked lenses. They're relatively inexpensive to replace, but still, they shouldn't just crack from regular wearing.

Spy Alpha - Full frame so visibility isn't as good, but they're pretty comfortable and understated for less of the "eye shield" bike racer look. No major complaints, but I wouldn't rave about them either.

[BShow]

I'm a bit of a sunglasses freak, so here's what I've got in rotation now.

Radarlocks - Love the lenses, fit is great with some helmets and not so much with others. A little on the heavy side. Look good when wearing a helmet, but look ridiculous as soon as you get off the bike. Also, they're pricey.

Smith Pivlocks - Bought these on a whim and I'm really glad I did. Comes with 3 lenses and swapping is a breeze. They're frameless and offer great visibility. Also very light and comfortable.

Spy Screw - I have two pairs and a bit ofwith a love/hate thing them. I think they're my best looking cycling glasses. They're super comfortable. They fit great with every helmet I've tried. The lenses are nice and visibility is great. They're my favorite to wear. BUT, the durability of the lenses sucks. I've replaced lenses on one pair twice already and now both pairs have cracked lenses. They're relatively inexpensive to replace, but still, they shouldn't just crack from regular wearing.

Spy Alpha - Full frame so visibility isn't as good, but they're pretty comfortable and understated for less of the "eye shield" bike racer look. No major complaints, but I wouldn't rave about them either.

Funny, I was sitting in the barber shop the other day and some guy came in the door wearing jeans, a t shirt and a pair of radars. I wear mine _only_ while kitted up. I have an old set of M-Frames that i use for yard work. outside of those two scenarios I know to pick up something else. Seeing this dude in the barber shop only bolstered my stance here.

I have had soms Smiths in the past and they werent bad. the lense changes were pretty easy if I remember correctly, but I dont recall which ones i had.

I've got a set of Spy casual glasses and I like them a lot. I haven't had any durability issues with them and they tend to get knocked aroudn a bit. My wife just got a pair of Native, somethign or others, and they're pretty nice. They're polarized (which I dont like - it eff's with me) but even so the msrp seems pretty high for a relatively new brand.

Typically, I tend to buy whatever I see at a super deep discount, wherever and whenever I might see something interesting. I also dont mind having extra shades around, so there's less of a risk if it isnt "perfect". If I were looking for only one nice pair, I'd find a store that has a good selection of brands/styles and try them all on.

[Mabouya]

When you're hip, you're hip, no matter what you wear:

[one60]

I tend not to spend on items that are easily lost or damaged like sunglasses...recently purchased some XX2I polarized sunglasses and have been impressed with the quality of the optics & the frames. Easily as good as my Smiths. If you set up an account & are patient you'll receive emails for 45-65% off offers. As best I can tell this brand is a low cost brand associated with Rudy Project. The invoice came from Rudy Project not XX2i

XX2i Optics · Running, Cycling & Fishing Sport Sunglasses | XX2i Optics

[eb125]

After some Oakleys cracked apart from a drop on a hard surface I've balked at paying much for sunglasses too. The Sunwise Windrush is a nice product that fits me well, comes with 4 (!) sets of lenses and hasn't fallen apart in spite of my tendency to take the helmet off with the glasses perched on top of it allowing them to fall onto the garage floor. Not a scratch on them, even the lenses.

I'm sold.

sunwise windrush | eBay

[Mr B]

After some Oakleys cracked apart from a drop on a hard surface I've balked at paying much for sunglasses too.

"I bought a seven-dollar pen because I always lose pens and I got sick of not caring." - Mitch Hedburg

[dashDustin]

I've tried most and always end up back with Oakley. I just don't think the optics of the other lenses compare. I've had 4 pairs of Radars and 3 pairs of Radarlocks. I've gone away from Radars, as I've had 2 lenses break due to wear. Which I'm ok with because they saw a lot of swapping out and a lot of sweat.

[Todd Amunrud]

ZEAL Optics Range Sunglasses | Performance Collection | Zeal Optics - Official Website

I've had a similar style from Zeal Optic I picked up in 2013. Lenses have been holding up well with no scratching after two years.

[NCC1701]

Anyone try the Assos Glasses, they look very nice but $$$$$$

[bbattle]

My wife got me a pair of Oakley half-jackets. Polarized lenses in my prescription. Not cheap, but I wear them when I ride my Vespa so the cost is amortized nicely. ;)

All black, of course. Like cycling bib shorts, cycling glasses should always be black. Perhaps, if you are Cippolini, white sunglass frames may be overlooked, the glare from your awesomeness obscuriing everyone's vision. For everyone else, black is the color.

Would Chuck Norris wear white sunglasses?

[David Tollefson]

Would Chuck Norris wear white sunglasses?

Of course not - the sun dims for him.

[doomridesout]

I like the Smith Pivlock a whole lot from a function standpoint but man they make me look like I should be wearing white denim and lots of gold rings to a Slovenian nightclub. I'm curious about the current rh+ glasses, they look appropriately future-man.

[Shinomaster]

These were great until I stepped on them. Scattante Scythe Eyewear

[Brandon White]

I like the Smith Pivlock a whole lot from a function standpoint but man they make me look like I should be wearing white denim and lots of gold rings to a Slovenian nightclub. I'm curious about the current rh+ glasses, they look appropriately future-man.

Do you get lens distortion in your Pivlocks? I do and it messes with my head/eyes when I take them off. I don't have a fat head either. I've only noticed lens distortion in my Pivlocks and aftermarket (3rd party) lenses I put into my Oakleys.

[Shoogs]

Do you get lens distortion in your Pivlocks? I do and it messes with my head/eyes when I take them off. I don't have a fat head either. I've only noticed lens distortion in my Pivlocks and aftermarket (3rd party) lenses I put into my Oakleys.

I don't though 90% of the time I ride in clear. The other 10...in the ignitors.

[doomridesout]

The visual clarity is pretty much on par with Oakley for me, but I also have a thoroughly normal shaped head and it doesn't seem wide enough to pull the lens apart. Nope, no problems like that.

[caleb]

I tend not to spend on items that are easily lost or damaged like sunglasses...recently purchased some XX2I polarized sunglasses and have been impressed with the quality of the optics & the frames. Easily as good as my Smiths. If you set up an account & are patient you'll receive emails for 45-65% off offers. As best I can tell this brand is a low cost brand associated with Rudy Project. The invoice came from Rudy Project not XX2i

XX2i Optics · Running, Cycling & Fishing Sport Sunglasses | XX2i Optics

Anyone have a longer-term review of the XX2i glasses?

I misplaced my Radarlocks, and I might try the cheap route this time.

[doomridesout]

All sorts of new future-man cyborg options out there. New shades are on my radar in the distant future. Who's riding in:
100%s
Bolle B-Rock
Oakley Wind Jacket 2.0
???

[Pinned]

I really don't like the looks of most cycling sunglasses, as they look like cycling sunglasses. I need to replace my old, cheap Louis Garneau glasses as the lens coating is starting to peel (they had a very good run). I like the looks of the Rapha Classic glasses, but I still need to try them on.