A few weeks ago a poster mentioned that Lowe's had some sunglasses suitable
for biking, but labeled as 'Safety Glasses'.
I finally had the chance to go over and look as a preysant for myself for
my riding a 12% hill yesterday that had been scaring me for a year...
I can confirm this is of the true. Go to Lowe's. (Aussie, Canadian, Far
Eastern and Euro, etc. friends/cyclists reading this...apologies....)
Tips:
1. Be sure and look in the 'Tools' area, Safety products. Here you will
find the kind that is almost identical shape and form of the old type of
Oakleys. Here is the original message:
-----8<snip>8-----
Quoted message said:If you could make a direct, side-by-side comparison of the optical qualities
of your Wal-Mart glasses against the Bolle's or the Uvex, you would be
amazed. Do your eyes a favor, get the good ones. My pick is Bolle
Uvex also makes some glasses of the same optical quality that sell for
as little as $10-15 in tool and hardware stores. <G>
My favorite pairs of sunny, summer riding glasses are US Safety
"Landscaper's Mirror Safety Glasses" that have an Oakley-ish look. $9
at Lowes! They are very comfortable, optically excellent, adjustable,
and light. They look good enough that several others on the regular
group rides I do have also purchased them.
------8<snip>8-----
2. Try them on. Usually you'll find one package of each open, check feeling
and fit. I found the fit very nice and the look nicely reminiscent of
Oakleys. Next, the pair that Lance had on riding a time trial, in
July...can't find the pic at this second, look vaguely similar to these,
which are available in that section.
http://images.lowes.com/product/078371/078371907785.jpg?wid=158&cvt=jpeg
or
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~slj/laglass.jpg
....if the Lowe's graphic loads some other picture..their site is cookie and
zipcode dependent.
Try on the LA-TT style, check the look. The earpiece is kinda 'flimsy',
ymmv. There a is rubberised plastic nose piece.
3. Try to suppress the urge to buy them all, b/c $9...wow. Nice rainbow
silverized coating...(see the Lowe's site...can't link...cookies...
www.lowes.com
4. The clear Oakely-ish is nice for riding near dark. Polycarbonate lense.
Scratch. Care...
5. Then...go find the Chainsaw section. There you will find yellow, orange,
regular, and clear-silver-tint glasses with extra ANSI standard meeting
qualities. Remember 'chainsaw'. nuf said.
6. Try to suppress the urge to 'buy them all'..., again $9.95...I found the
Clear, sliver tint glasses to be the most stylish and cool when other ppl
are lookin' at -you-, baby. <g> The light transmission seems just like the
totally clear Oakley plastic, and you can wear them in the house, but be
loving the look of the slight silvery mirroring.
7. For cloudy days, the Yellow is nice. Also shooting glasses, mogul skiing
glasses, driving glasses...suppress urge... These have metal frames, and
are slightly heavy...but I just went outside and the mostly cloudy
transformed into Jamaica at noon. <g>
8. Ditto Orange lenses..
9. Most of these have that nice clear rubbery plastic nose piece for a good
comfort fit. One or two types don't. The blue mirrored lense with black
frame is just plain plastic nosepiece.
10. Now, look around the corner from the Chainsaws. There's an upscale
versrion that -exceeds- ANSI standards, but they may be for smaller faces,
and of them all, these, at $20 bucks were too close to the eyelashes -
dontcha hate that?
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~slj/glass-master.jpg
But the coolness factor of the orange mirrored look is awesome. Probably
the pair you'd most like to be wearing for those mild faceplants into the
asphault...I couldn't wear them. (sniff, boo).
11: I don't believe -any- of these are _Polarized_. They are all UV
protection certified...at least to 99% IIRC. Many bikers skip polarization,
b/c of the way it can make wet asphault look otherworldly, i.e. you can't
see. ymmv.
12: These make excellent 'stocking stuffers'. This helped to justify
purchase(s) to wife.
13: West Virginia Glasses case...half-size sandwich baggies make a nice
quick temporary case...remember polycarb scratches. Check for 'em (lots of
handling and finger prints), at home, keep 'em in something. Larger baggie
makes nice case for the Oakleys, etc.
I haven't had a chance to test any of these on a ride yet, but will report
on the Oakleys esp for the wind leak around the sides. This is important to
me, b/c I wear soft contacts. The best pair I've found for me are the Optic
Nerve you can get at Performance, typically $36 bucks, and my serious
riding glasses. Nice bulbous eye shape, extremely good eyesocket coverage,
and best fit and feel for me. ymmv. Unable to find a website but will get
piic up.
Problems:
Just one. Now, <sigh> I have a huge amount of extra riding scheduled so I
can check out the wind and rain characteristics of each of those glasses
for a full, wired, report. (yay)
Oh, and now I don't just have sunglasses for the occasion. I have
sunglasses for -every- occasion, and I -do- mean -every-...lol. (j/k). $55
bucks total...this trip..
-B
Adding a room to the garage for biking...gear...RSN.