Varifocals and clip in sports glasses for mountain biking

I wear varifocals every day and also have my old fixed focus clip in Rx insert for my Rudy Rydons. I’m +3 in one eye and +8 in the other with another +1.5 for close up. My next riding pair will be bifocal not varifocal. Why? Well I’m either looking close up for Garmin, phone, or maybe signing in, or far away when riding. There is no mid point so no need for varifocal. I use fixed focus glasses for desk work on the monitor too as everything is 1.5 m away. This works much better than varifocal and “occupational” lenses in my experience. More akin to reading at a distance. Bifocals will be easier to adjust to in sports glasses too.

I wear varifocals and have a high prescription - about -10.00 both eyes. I have a pair of Evil Eyes with a clip in prescription insert. Despite my high prescription I went for single vision and they've been fine.

I'm looking for a replacement now as the Evil Eye model I got from my optician is discontinued, the lenses are crazed and I can't get replacements. 

I would advise against Adidas as I think the lens quality is poor. I'm thinking maybe Rudy Project, Oakley, Scott, Smith, more expensive but I think probably higher quality lenses. What I'm having difficulty finding out is whether their inserts will take my prescription. My optician change hands and no longer do sport glasses and the online suppliers seem to stop at -8.50 or so.

Thanks both and that gives me something to think about re the bifocals… 🙂

I ride with my normal varis, but as a dispensing optician I’m amazed those two examples above work, but they do so great. As soon as you introduce a wrap around to a frame it’s usually pretty bad. Bifocal with a longer working distance for the Garmin is a great solution. It might make it harder to check down at the drive train. I’ve been contemplating a bifocal in the non drive side for the Garmin and single vision in the right but never bothered trying. 

I've been wearing varifocals for everyday use for more than 20 years now, but my riding glasses are Rudy Project Rydons with a bifocal insert. Works fine since you are either looking at the trail/scenery or the Garmin - not much in between.

This is a timely conversation. Last Saturday I was at my optician getting an eye test and discussing Sports glasses with Transition Lenses for cycling. My prescription is approx' +1.75.

The 'best' option was Oakley with their lenses at approx' £480! Yikes.

Second option was their own frame (not even remotely wrap around or sports looking) with their lens at approx' £300.

The step between those two felt too great. I walked away with new everyday, fixed focus, glasses but no 'sports' sunglasses. I'm now looking into my options for some sports sunglasses preferably with a 'Transition' type of lens.

I see the 'sports' sunglasses with inserts and I worry about how much they fog up and how quick they clear. Can anyone share any experiences? Is it a real concern?

I liked my ‘insert’ specs but there are now 4 lens surfaces, and the outer lens sits further from the face. Good for fast road and take them off when you stop.

The ‘best’ option was Oakley with their lenses at approx’ £480! Yikes.

I have a similar prescription to you, just bought a set of oakleys from RXSport, about £300

I had Evil Eye with the insert but I found they steamed up far more than just using as sunglasses. I imagine this would apply to any inserts as the vents are designed to put air across the sunglass lens not the insert

Been wearing rad8 varifocal moderate prescription for years and I have prisms reactolite etcetera and all good.

My Rydons with Rx insert do fog up in some severe conditions of rain. I have on occasion had to remove them completely as they would not clear. Generally they mist a little and clear when moving. I would not call it a big issue and will replace them next year with the same insert and a more wrapping frame. They are over 10 years old with one Rx update. The next update will be bifocal. @jkomo, I'm long sighted but not so bad in one eye that I can't see the drivetrain with distance correction. I can also see the Garmin in daylight with normal prescription. I have a 520 with only THREE data fields to make the numbers bigger. At night I can also read white on black OK-ish. I've been a varifocal user for six years and a glasses wearer for 52.

I’m now looking into my options for some sports sunglasses preferably with a ‘Transition’ type of lens.

Fwiw, I've got some transitions lenses in a pair of prescription Oakley's and the dark lens makes riding off road a real problem for me. To the point that I never use them now. They're fine in the dark when they stay clear but as soon as they are exposed to daylight they darken up to much for my purposes.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

just bought a set of oakleys from RXSport, about £300

I shall go and take a look - this is my preferred option but the optician costs was way above my threshold :o)

Fwiw, I’ve got some transitions lenses in a pair of prescription Oakley’s and the dark lens makes riding off road a real problem for me. To the point that I never use them now.

This is where I think prescription inserts win, you keep the option of interchangeable lenses in your glasses.

I’m amazed those two examples above work

I was a bit surprised when my optician suggested it but it's fine. The map view on my Polar V650 can be a bit problematic at times (strong sun) but that's mainly down to the display rather than my lenses. text screens are fine.

Do you actually need varifocals? especially for riding an MTB?

I've been short sighted for ~28 years, but at my last check I was informed that while I should technically get a -1 reading prescription that I might be better off without that for most day to day tasks like driving, cycling, and using a PC and if I'm actually reading at close quaters just going without my normal glasses would probably be sufficient until my near distance focus actually gets worse.

They also reduced my distance prescription, So I've just got some Tifosi glasses and their RX insert glazed with a single vision lenses for my distance prescription only which seem fine for riding so far.

Wouldn't varifocals be a bit of a mare especially rattling about on an MTB, surely you are mostly going to want the distance bit of your prescription for riding?...

I'm caught in a bit of a trap with prescription cycling glasses. I have been using some Rudy Project flip graves but they aren't made any more, and another pair that don't come with the Crystal photochromic lens and are a bit dark for me. My prescription is -12 though so more difficult to solve.

I'm probably just going to find a reasonable pair of aviator style graves and get transitions lenses. Although I'm out of prescription for the Zeiss levels I wanted to get earlier this year.

I bought some Yohji Yamamoto frames in July with progressive photochromic lenses with a brown tint which are pretty good, although the cost was *quite high* - SGD2700 😯

I have challenged my optician over the use of very high index very high prescription lenses in a variety of frame types over the years to the point that the lens manufacturers have been quite concerned over their ability to deliver what I need...

I really struggled with varifocals so went back to fixed focus. For biking i wear contacts and carry a cheap pair of readers to wear over the contacts for close up/mechanical stuff.

On a gentle pootle I just wear my fixed focus but I had been wondering if I could get a bifocal in one lens (other eye is basically rubbish). So it's actually heartening to hear what people are doing is similar to what I wanted

I wear a reading contact lens in my left eye and a distance lens in my right. It doesn't work for everyone but it does for me.

If you want some Oakley's your best bet is to find some cheaper on Ebay.

I bought some and got a local firm (Warwickshire based) to make me some lenses for them.

Polycarbonate prescription lenses were £90 rather than Oakley at £250!

Generally stick to lenses that are seperate rather than wraparound eg Field jacket,Flak Jacket,old Jawbone .

If the original lenses are removable you maybe able to get them sold on eBay to make cost bearable!

Thanks,

Max.