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Do people do anything to glasses to help improve visibility in wet conditions.
Out last night in light rain and I couldn't see anything so ended up taking them off. Mixture of water, mud and fogging. Happens in CX races as well, last one I ended up throwing my pair at the start/finish and looking for them afterwards.
Do the antifog liquids work or are there any equally good homebrew methods? Do they do anything to help clean mud off.
Using safety glasses, not prescription ones.
equally good homebrew methods?
start with dry clean glasses, drip a tiny blob of fairy liquid on the lens and then use a dry cloth to spread it around the lens and wipe off.
leaves a thin hydrophobic layer on the lens and greatly reduces/stops misting, and any rain or spray that does get on them should just roll off.
works well (for me), and it's cheap, I can normally get a good few hours ride out of them like this without it wearing off as long as you dont subsequently wipe them with your dirty shirt/gloves/hands/whatever while out.
Nikwax Visorproof is IMO the best anti-fog product there is, way way better than washing up liquid, bob heath etc. It's expensive but nobody knows how long a bottle lasts for, you won't live long enough. Big blobs of mud will still beat it though and over time rain can bead up and streak on it- it's not sorcery.
Mudguard can help too with mud, obviously. My SKS shockboard- mudcanoe- is pretty ugly but massively effective, when it's properly wet and visibility's a real issue I just ditch the glasses and let the mudguard do the work.
I tried a small amount of bike spray rubbed on to both sides of the lens and that seemed to work OK, fairly hydrophobic and kept the glasses fairly clear in rubbish conditions.
I give me lenses a good wash with washing up liquid pre ride and it seems to keep them fine.
+1 for the fairy liquid
I will try the Fairy option, I really dislike riding in the rain because I can't see where I'm going........
When I used to ride a motorbike I used a wax product called [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ek-123625-Cat-Crap-Anti-Fog/dp/B002ZNA488 ]Cat Crap[/url] on my visor that seemed to work.
Not to be confused with actual cat crap - which probably wouldn't help much with visibility or smell.
I use some car wax on mine, rain, mist just beads right off.
Thanks,
Will try some suggestions - probably the free/cheap ones first. Got a few sets of old clear glasses so no bothered about damaging a few with experimentation.
There is a theme on the wax, water repellents so will see what I have in the cupboard - might even raid the lab silicones cupboard.
So, I just looked up Visorproof and as far as I can see it looks to fulfil the same role as Rain-X, ie dispersing rain rather than preventing fogging. I've always found that Rain-X works brilliantly at speed and/or with heavy rain, but if anything it makes fogging worse.
It's not so much rain I have a problem with (this is on the road, BTW, so mud isn't an issue): it's conditions like we had this morning, where there's mist and it just accumulates as fog on both sides of the lens (or just plain high humidity, where evaporated sweat condenses on the inside and doesn't get dried by the air).
I know Rain-X make an anti-fogging treatment as well (for the inside of windscreens). Worth a punt?
I've tried washing up liquid years ago and never really found it worked well.
Cut a raw potato in half, then wipe it on the glasses.
Apparently stops the glasses from fogging, not tried it myself.
I think it probably means you just don't notice the fogging. On account of your glasses now being covered in smears of starch.
Has anyone tried Salclear TT (anti-fog & cleaner) and Salclear TT-X (rain repellent)?
I have the same problem with my prescription lenses, to the extent that I can't see when there's fine mist. I've bought and used the above, but it's not as effective as I'd like. It supposed to be great - probably according to the manufacturer!
By the way, one of the those (can't remember if it's the TT or the TT-X) stinks!
As I have to wear prescription lenses I've struggled for years with all the above issues. My current riding glasses actually have quite good airflow over the outer and prescription lenses and when moving they're pretty good at stopping misting up. As Bez has written above, the worst weather type is that kind of misty/ foggy/ drizzle where there isn't proper rain - but your lenses just get covered in a fine layer. I've just resorted to carrying a clean hanky and properly wiping them down every 20 minutes or so. I've tried the Visor spray, but it ended up just creating terrible smears, so I stopped using it. Basically when it rains I wear a peaked cap under my helmet and moan (a lot).
Im using Salclear TT after it was recommended to me by someone (Junkyard possibly? ) on a night ride.
It comes in a tiny bottle but it is very effective. Tried fairy liquid previously but this stuff lasts ages. I've had this bottle for about 2 years now and there's still loads left.