4 Eyes Help Needed!!

[Dudeofrude]

Just a quick question for those of us that need glasses for driving.
How do you get on with then on your bike??

I have had to wear glasses as long as I've been driving and in the car I wouldn't dare drive without them but for some reason on my bike I don't seem to bother. Mainly because I couldn't fit them in my first helmet and now I'm used to not having them on.

Anyway over the winter I noticed that at nighttime I'm now borderline blind without them so have been trying contact lenses out but for the life of me cannot get on with them 😥😥

So now I'm back to trying to wear glasses inside my helmet. I have the little grooves in this one (Shark Speed R) so they fit fine but they won't stop steaming up. Even with the visor open if I come to a standstill then within 3-4 breathes I'm completely blind. I managed to have them on for the 400 metre trip to the petrol station today then gave up completely when I tried to pull away and couldn't even see my speedometer.

I've tried some of the anti fog solutions that are designed for visors but they only seem to last a ride or 2 before losing effectiveness. I've also tried an old trick with washing up liquid with did well but didn't last more than 2 or 3 days.

So I'm guessing somebody must have some kind of solution to this that I'm not thinking of?

[fazersharp]

You gotta get sorted asap, its bad enough car driver not seeing us.
Try breathing through your nose so it gos straight down and doesn't bounce of your chin guard.
I dont really notice my glasses fogging up, I too have had issues in the past with getting then to sit right in my helmet but the last time I brought some I used Glasses direct and they send you 4 at a time and you can try them at home, I actually found that a ladies pair were best as they fit my pin head, not only that but they are semmi frameless which helps when glancing down at the clocks and they have thin wire arms that fit nice down the side.
I think I am right in saying that they have glass in so you can even go out for a ride in them because I am sure that the shape makes a difference. So I have a pair for normal everyday/car and a totally different pair for the bike.     

[robbo]

Personally I found that using a visor with the Pinlock system makes one hell of a difference as this has cut misting up drastically.Effectively you've got a double glazed visor.

[slappy]

I have had to wear glasses for last 8 years for driving / riding , need them for distance and like you I am blind without them on a night.
The ones I use on the bike are rimless with quite small lenses and  have very thin  arms and virtually no curve, easy to put on under my crash helmet, I have a Caberg flip front now which makes it even easier to put them on.
Never had a problem with them misting up, but everybody has a different shape head, different crash helmets , so what works for one might not work for someone else. I think the smaller lens helps as there is more space for air to flow round but again that could be just me.
I think you will be lucky to find something that works for more than a day or two, there are loads of specialist sprays and  suchlike out there but they are not free and you could spend a fortune and not find one that works for you, at least washing up liquid is quite cheap considering the small amount you will use, just put some in a small container and keep it under the seat.

[Kenbob]

I paid extra for custom frames made from memory metal.
You can bend the frame which makes it easier to jiggle the glasses into a helmet, the frame resorts to its original shape when taken out of my lid.
I also find a flip front lid much easier than a normal lid for putting on glasses.
I think I had anti fogging lenses too, they do mist but clear almost immediately.
Winter sure is a pisser though.

[Dudeofrude]

Thanks for the Input guys. I am wondering if it's just the helmet I'm using as it's a race lid so is very snug all round and the breath guard is quite high. I have a caberg duke flip front that I used to use for winter so I may go back to that until the evenings lighten up again. That has a much bigger visor which is further from my face so the air flow should be better

Antifog lenses?  Now that's the way forward!! I have asked at specsavers but they don't do them. I can have them anti scratch/Uv or color changing but none of them help me haha

[crickleymal]

I got a cheap pair of specs from the interwibble made to my prescription with a thick plastic frame. I found my normal specs were getting bent too much by the helmet until the springy doodad in the hinge failed.
As for steaming up yes they do a bit. I've got a Pinlock which helps but isn't perfect. An adhesive insert would be better. I find that the glasses mist up when they're cold so it's a case of ride for 400 yds, open visor a tad until they clear, close it and repeat until they warm up. Either that or put the helmet on in the house so you retain a bubble of warm air for a while. Putting washing up liquid on them helps and it's no hassle to replace it every day or so.

[bri h]

I'm with Cricklymal in that my glasses steam up so I leave the visor up a few mil. the glasses clear as soon as I move. If the weather is too bad. I use the car.

[red98]

Another glasses wearer here....yep, misting up is a bugger , I wear  a neck tube but keep it clear of my nose and mouth also removed the breath guard , still mists up when stopped at lights etc but not too bad...
 bought my specs at spec savers and took my helmet with me and tried varrious on with my helmet on , looked a bit silly but I used to that  ..got the bigest pair that i could fit in the visor appature so when iam looking over my shoulder iam still looking through the lenses    .....also got vari focuals so i can see and read the clocks without the view down the road becoming blurred....modified the cheek pads in my hjc by stiching a flat spot so i can slide them in and out , did try some straight armed ones once but a small bump and the bloody things would slide down my nose ......easy to put on though 
 spent a lot of time adjusting the ones i have now for the perfect fit and can ride all day without problems.......


dont like wearing them but not going to let it spoil my ride   

[Kenbob]

I couldn't get on with varifocals, kept trying with them as my Mrs said they take getting used to.
She then got her new ones from the same company as I got mine from and admitted that they were shite.
Now I say, shouldn't go to spec savers.

[red98]

Mine are not standard varifocals....custom jobbies where I could choose the size , shape and position of the two areas of lens....not cheap but keeps me on the road and probs best not to cut corners on eyecare    ....the older i get the more i realise that your health is the most important thing in life....if i only have to put up with wearing glasses where my health is concerned i think iam doing pretty good   

[Fazerider]

I'm very short sighted and don't get on with contacts so it's always been glasses for me.
My current helmet (Givi) has grooves that are about half an inch above where my spec's arms go. Thought I'd have to do some surgery on the padding, but it's not been a problem as the specs seem to be making their own groove.


As for misting up, it's usually OK when I leave in the morning 'cos I hold them over a gas ring until they're bearably hot and, being glass, they hold onto the warmth long enough to get me through the initial slow bit.
The problem comes when you have to go slowly of course. Breath-holding can help, blowing downwards ought to, but I've never had much success with that and a lot of water condenses onto my cold chin too.
I've often thought of fitting a mouth tube to direct exhaled breath to the back of the helmet. It'd also offer the option, should some car driver irritate you, of pulling ahead and blowing a gobful of saliva onto their windscreen.

[Dudeofrude]

I'm very short sighted and don't get on with contacts so it's always been glasses for me.
My current helmet (Givi) has grooves that are about half an inch above where my spec's arms go. Thought I'd have to do some surgery on the padding, but it's not been a problem as the specs seem to be making their own groove.


As for misting up, it's usually OK when I leave in the morning 'cos I hold them over a gas ring until they're bearably hot and, being glass, they hold onto the warmth long enough to get me through the initial slow bit.
The problem comes when you have to go slowly of course. Breath-holding can help, blowing downwards ought to, but I've never had much success with that and a lot of water condenses onto my cold chin too.
I've often thought of fitting a mouth tube to direct exhaled breath to the back of the helmet. It'd also offer the option, should some car driver irritate you, of pulling ahead and blowing a gobful of saliva onto their windscreen.

Haha I like your style 😂

[Frosties]

Anyone tried a Foggy Respro http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Helmet-Respro-Foggy-Anti-Fog-Mask-Black-One-Size-Universal-Fit-/141332989089?hash=item20e81a44a1:g:X8AAAOSwa-dWi4oY.


I don't wear glasses but find that a pinlock by itself cannot cope and fogs up. With the respro added it's totally fog free.

[Dave48]

Have worn glasses for most of my adult life-I use a pair of rimless lenses in a very thin metal frame that gives good peripheral vision. I wear a Shoei Neotec with Pinlock insert-& the only real misting problem occurs under conditions of really cold but wet conditions-get round this by opening visor very slightly.
Legally you should cover yourself as there is a code on driving licence stating "glasses to be worn"-there are insurance implications here also-dont risk it!

[His Dudeness]

Bob Heath spray works for foggy glasses. Spray it on and let it dry it'll last for a few days https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Motorbike-Paints-Sprays/Bob-Heath-Visors-Anti-Fog-Spray-50ml/B00CCE8NF6

[Dudeofrude]

Have worn glasses for most of my adult life-I use a pair of rimless lenses in a very thin metal frame that gives good peripheral vision. I wear a Shoei Neotec with Pinlock insert-& the only real misting problem occurs under conditions of really cold but wet conditions-get round this by opening visor very slightly.
Legally you should cover yourself as there is a code on driving licence stating "glasses to be worn"-there are insurance implications here also-dont risk it!

How would the dvla know I need glasses?
And to be fair my last eye exam they said I'm on the legal limit as I can just about read the 3rd line from bottom without glasses and the legal requirement is between 3rd and 4th line.

Anyway I may not be able to read that numberplate from 100 yards away but as long as I can see the bludy car it's attached to then I'm alright haha 

And I'll look into them sprays, cheers

[fazersharp]

My eyesight was picked up by me when I was leading up to taking my bike test 32 years ago and it was the part that said you need to read a numberplate at a certain distance and I could but not without squinting and sticking my neck out like a tortoise.
The problem is in an accident and the copper asks you if you can read that cars number plate over there. You dont need to give the insurance company excuses not to pay out.

Anyway I may not be able to read that numberplate from 100 yards away but as long as I can see the bludy car it's attached to then I'm alright haha 

Now turn that statement around to one being made by a car driver coming towards you when you are on a motorbike at a junction.

My local opticians in asda have a number plate on the wall placed at the correct distance just outside the opticians door

 
 

[seangee]

I have some stuff called opti fog I got from an optician. Do need to re-apply it every 2-3 days. My last pair were hideously expensive and on those the stuff lasted about 2 weeks because they had a special coating that was activated by the opti fog. The optician did say that it would work on regular lenses but not as well. Have been commuting all through winter with my glasses.


I do keep the front vents open (always) and avoid letting the neck tube seal the helmet. When its cold I do have to open the visor a bit when I stop. My eyes are actually ok to ride without the glasses and I have tried this in case of extreme fogging, but I'm just more comfortable with perfect vision and so I ride with them.

[Panthor]

I persevered with contacts, took a couple of weeks to get used to them, also they have different types which can make a big difference, mine are the monthly ones and a bit more expensive as they allow the eyes to not dry out as quick

[tommyardin]

It's funny reading different thoughts and likes/dislikes on wearing glasses on a bike.


I have had glasses since the year dot, I am short sighted and quite badly so.


I rode a bike for years without them cos I didn't like the idea of people taking the piss, You know the sort of thing 'Four Eyes' and 'Oh! Look hes got a bicycle on his nose'
To be honest I'm not sure how I got to the age I am riding blind as I did (What a twat) from age 20 on-wards I started wearing them and you know what? No was interested enough to call names, most of the concern about it was in my own head.


I wear them all the time now and they are the second thing I reach for when waking in the morning, the old fella is the first thing, you know make sure its still there and functioning as it should.


But seriously though, I love wearing my glasses now, I can ride in slow traffic with my visor up and no fear of insects or dust getting in my eyes, I have an 'LS2 FF393 Convert' bucket and its easy to put my glasses on and off.
Haven't really had any problems with steaming up and I wear a tube /snood when riding, again it gives a little protection to my face when riding with visor up. But with saying that I am a fair weather rider so not out on the bike in the cold or wet.