Gravel eyewear?

Anrai
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:14 pm
Location: Hobart

Gravel eyewear?

Postby Anrai » Thu Aug 29, 2024 12:04 am

On the pavement I've been wearing my prescription-lens sunglasses for maximum visibility (shortsighted — I scrape by the driver eye tests) but a recent trip to some fine-cut gravel has me second-guessing where that's concerned, after I flicked up a small piece straight into my lens at 30-ish descending. (It's fine, but I won't be wearing those on gravel again.)
I've recently splurged a little on Fox's new trail goggles (the selling point is they're about as breathable as you can make goggles; tons of vents and completely open around the bottom) and I'll be trying those out as I get more into gravel/trails, but what do most use for gravel outings?
I'll be honest and say I never had any issues riding around access roads with no glasses at all as a kid, so I'm not sure how frequent impacts are normally but a 30+km/h mineral straight to the eye isn't my idea of a fun time. I do already have a pair of Shimano cycling glasses (that I can theoretically get prescription inserts for,) but I've noticed the info label specifically states those are not suitable for impact protection.

warthog1
Posts: 15514
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:40 pm
Location: Bendigo

Re: Gravel eyewear?

Postby warthog1 » Thu Aug 29, 2024 9:48 am

I have some of these in a +2

https://bbbcycling.com/au_en/bsg-59ph-impress-reader-ph

They have a selection;
https://bbbcycling.com/au_en/cycling-ap ... ses#page=1

they have a small magnification area in each lens near the nose. Works well enough for me to easily read the garmin with 10 fields on display. Come in +1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 I believe.
Not a solution if you are nearsighted though sorry.
Dogs are the best people :wink:

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MichaelB
Posts: 15438
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:29 am
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Re: Gravel eyewear?

Postby MichaelB » Thu Aug 29, 2024 12:15 pm

warthog1 wrote:
Thu Aug 29, 2024 9:48 am
I have some of these in a +2

https://bbbcycling.com/au_en/bsg-59ph-impress-reader-ph

They have a selection;
https://bbbcycling.com/au_en/cycling-ap ... ses#page=1

they have a small magnification area in each lens near the nose. Works well enough for me to easily read the garmin with 10 fields on display. Come in +1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 I believe.
Not a solution if you are nearsighted though sorry.
I have these as well (+2.0) as well.

Work fine, but really need about +1.8 rather than 2.

My eyes will get to 2 soon though :roll:

CmdrBiggles
Posts: 504
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2024 2:28 pm

Re: Gravel eyewear?

Postby CmdrBiggles » Thu Aug 29, 2024 4:49 pm

SpecSavers made up prescription lenses (bifocal) for my Oakley Radar EV Path photochromics. This was a significant added expense over and above the sunnies themselves, but their fit, comfort and vent slots along the top edge of the optic won me out without argument. The need for Rx lenses was 'give or take a bit/at the margin'; I could certainly read the computer display unaided, the way I had set it up to improve readability (next paragraph). I had a good look at the very well finished Serengeti sunglasses too, but they came across as rather frail/aimed at svelte fashionistas (which is not me.. :lol: .), than for active cycling. I have found, as a previous user of BBB glasses, they do not have very good optical definition/clarity. I do have a pair of BBB safety glasses in the car.

Not just for gravel riding, but all riding, including city and open road, where the eyes should be effectively protected from dust, insects and general filth — that's where photochromics have their strength as they can be left on all the time. I have always been concerned that I could be slapped in the face/hit in the eye by wayward branches etc., something I experienced painfully MTBing the back trails around Bright in January! Another thing that is a bit scary is that you — your face — are pretty much hit by superfine roadblast every time a car passes you at speed — one of two causes of sandblasted windscreens (the other being trailing the car in front too close).

Re computer displays: if figures/fields are a challenge to read on Garmin, Wahoo or whatnot, remove some fields to simplify the display e.g. I have on one screen a speed ring, cadence ring, power graph and HR figure. I assume the Garmin — among other devices, allows fields to be removed and resized to enhance visibility.

warthog1
Posts: 15514
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:40 pm
Location: Bendigo

Re: Gravel eyewear?

Postby warthog1 » Thu Aug 29, 2024 4:55 pm

Oops. :oops: Just read it again. The OP is shortsighted so no solution with what Michael and I use
Dogs are the best people :wink:

Anrai
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:14 pm
Location: Hobart

Re: Gravel eyewear?

Postby Anrai » Tue Sep 17, 2024 6:02 pm

It still hasn't dried out enough to hit the trails, but I did take the Fox Purevues for a spin.
Good FoV and importantly didn't fog when I had my neck gaiter pulled up in some low temp winds. I think I had them on a little tight though, started to hurt a bit after 40min-ish, but I've got some sensitivity issues around the head.

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