Anatomy of a Photo: Take a Look While You Still Can

FDJ guy: Is that the new fizik Kurve in Bull?

Fast Phil: Oui.

FDJ guy: Mind if I have a look?

Fast Phil: Do it while you can because it’ll be blowing past you later.

Marko

Marko lives and rides in the upper midwest of the States, Minnesota specifically. "Cycling territory" and "the midwest" don't usually end up in the same sentence unless the conversation turns to the roots of LeMond, Hampsten, Heiden and Ochowitz. While the pavé and bergs of Flanders are his preferred places to ride, you can usually find him harvesting gravel along forest and farm roads. He owes a lot to Cycling and his greatest contribution to cycling may forever be coining the term Rainbow Turd.

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GottaRideToday says:

Mar 2 2012 at 8:18 am

@paolo

I have had "photochromic" radar paths since 2009. Awesome!! Dark enough for Southern California on the brightest day, light enough that I never use anything else! Not prescription though but I don't see why they should be different.

I picked up some Oakley Flack Jacket XLJ for this season. Have opted for the photochromatic lenses so I don't have to carry another "clear" pair in my back pocket. Right now the dark seems dark enough, and the clear end looks good for the shady stretchs of the road. Mine are Rx and I had them made by SportRx (ads in all the bike magazines) we have used them for a couple years now and their service has been exceptional.
paolo says:

Mar 2 2012 at 8:25 am

@GottaRideToday

Top notch. I am heading towards needing a 'scrip. I should go get a check up, I can tell my sight isn't what it was.
Dr C says:

Mar 2 2012 at 8:40 am

@Chris

@Dr CI'm sure that if we shared a sky+ box it wouldn't be an argument but Mrs Chris doesn't really get anything that doesn't require contestants to be voted off either by a panel of judges or the public. I suppose that could be why she did rather enjoy the elimination Women's Omnium Elimination race from the recent track racing from the Olympic Velodrome.

humble beginnings - keep working on it
frank says:

Mar 2 2012 at 12:26 pm

@GottaRideToday

@paolo

I have had "photochromic" radar paths since 2009. Awesome!! Dark enough for Southern California on the brightest day, light enough that I never use anything else! Not prescription though but I don't see why they should be different.

I picked up some Oakley Flack Jacket XLJ for this season. Have opted for the photochromatic lenses so I don't have to carry another "clear" pair in my back pocket. Right now the dark seems dark enough, and the clear end looks good for the shady stretchs of the road. Mine are Rx and I had them made by SportRx (ads in all the bike magazines) we have used them for a couple years now and their service has been exceptional.

Which photochromatics do you have? Very temped to get some myself - in Seattle we have lots of light variation and I find myself taking them on and off. I notice Oakley has two brands - the transitions and some unbranded ones - and have long wondered which are better.
paolo says:

Mar 2 2012 at 12:39 pm

@frank

Not that you asked me but I have the regular non transition ones. Before that I had some Tifosi ones which were much cheaper but broke when I cleaning them with a little too much rigour.

Both work very well and very quickley. Other than that if you wanted to not use photochromatics I have found that the Oakely persimmon lens is one of the best all round lenses for going from light to dark conditions, for skiing anyways. Never used them for cycling but I would think it's the same.

ps my oaks are hydrothingymagig...works very well also....sweat beads and flows off.
Ron says:

Mar 2 2012 at 2:14 pm

@Nate

@wiscot
Atala is a classic no doubt, in the same way as Castorama and Carrera.

I like all three of them! Yeah, I know, I'm crazy & I definitely have an unusual fashion sense, but I like all three of those. Castorama's faux hogwasher bibs - Classic!
Ron says:

Mar 2 2012 at 2:16 pm

Oh, and I thought about this while out riding in the rain today. What saddle is Gilbert riding this year? I know he's ridden the Sella Italia Flite Team in recent years.
Nate says:

Mar 2 2012 at 2:49 pm

@Ron
"faux hogwasher" -- Love it, you sound like a New Yorker displaced to the South!
Oli says:

Mar 2 2012 at 3:44 pm

@Ron
I'm with you, Ron! I always thought it was a very cool outfit.
mcsqueak says:

Mar 2 2012 at 4:06 pm

@paolo

@frank

Not that you asked me but I have the regular non transition ones. Before that I had some Tifosi ones which were much cheaper but broke when I cleaning them with a little too much rigour.

Both work very well and very quickley. Other than that if you wanted to not use photochromatics I have found that the Oakely persimmon lens is one of the best all round lenses for going from light to dark conditions, for skiing anyways. Never used them for cycling but I would think it's the same.

ps my oaks are hydrothingymagig...works very well also....sweat beads and flows off.

Would you say the Oakley photochromatics get light enough to use at night?

I always wear sunglasses while riding, even in cloudy/rainy conditions, as my sunglass lenses are light enough that I can see in those conditions, but dark enough to take the the edge off of really bright sunlight.

When I was thinking about getting transitions lenses, I was thinking about the ones you usually see people have on their normal glasses, as those will go from totally transparent to standard "sunglasses" dark. Only I'd be mounting them in nice sunglasses frames.

I guess I should really go into an Oakley store and ask them all these questions. I have a Flex account that I put extra into this year specifically for new riding glasses.