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I've just ordered a couple of cheap frames that I'll be having re-glazed primarily for riding duties, I'm tempted to have one pair done with "Reactions" (from ciliary blue) as they might look OK as off the bike specs as well as on and save me having to swap glasses about when I commute in..
My previous experience was not brilliant with photochromic lenses, they took an age to change and still felt a bit glarey in the sun, but I still like the idea and it might help to reduce the number of pairs of glasses I lug about...
I know there are some companies doing pukka photochromic cycling glasses, but I need a prescription so I'm going to be using whatever optical labs do as standard, has this improved lately?
Anyone got any useful experiences?
I use Transitions XTRActive, and they are supposed to be very quick changing (reputedly the fastest), but in reality they aren't. So if you go from bright sunlight into dense woodland, for example, you'll be in the dark for quite a while until they lighten sufficiently. Unlike Reactolite lenses, they work behind a window, such as a car windscreen, so mayhinder seeing dashboard instruments etc.
I've got used to them. They work pretty well most of the time.
I've used photochromic lenses in my riding glasses for a while - first from Optilabs and now a pair of Rudy Project Rydons. It's a lot more convenient than having to swap between clear/orange/mirror lenses depending on the weather, and you don't get caught out if it's sunny when you leave the house but then gets heavily overcast. Overall, I'd say it's worth it. What would be really cool would be lenses that could go from clear to mirror, but they don't exist (yet).
i use them.
Yes they dont change quickly. you can find yourself in the dark in trees but its not too bad.
issue i have is your eyes become more sensitive to light with constant use
Rudy Rydons. Good on the road, good in the sun, good in the trees. Never changed the lenses, they just work. Not the darkest.
My Oakley Transitions clear-black iridium go from clear enough to wear at night to dark enough for bright UK sun. The only times I've ever swapped them for fixed tint have been for weeks riding in Europe where it was going to be sunny pretty much all the time. And that was mainly because I fancied shiny red-orange lenses for aesthetic purposes.
I have some 8 or so year old Rudy Project photochromics and really like them. I only really wear them on road rides when there are lots of bugs around but have never had any issues with them not changing quickly enough. Same as TiRed in that they're not the darkest so on very bright days they could do better, but overall they're good.
My Oakley Transitions clear-black iridium go from clear enough to wear at night to dark enough for bright UK sun.
+1
Although the coating is rubbing off mine after a couple of years, which I'm not massively impressed with.
Hmmm, I was hoping they'd come on a bit and the change from tinted to clear had sped up but I'm not shocked really...
I have a couple of pairs of glasses I'll be re-glazing I'd probably be looking at the Reactions lenses for a more Wayfarer shaped frame (Rather too cheap Spy Helms, might not be genuine...), simply to use as year-round commute to work glasses, to save me having to have a 2nd pair in my pocket, so they'll mostly be used on the road.
I think I'll stick to clear, more swept profile lenses for MTBing (Bolle Spiders) where I'll be going from sunlight to shade through the trees and want a little more protection from flying crap...