Prescription sunglasses photochromic lens or normal ones

ruffmut

As per title I am looking to buy a set of cycling glasses and I do not know should I go for a photochromic lens type or a interchangeable type frame with a clear and shaded lens.

These are the two frames I am looking at.
https://bbbcycling.com/en_en/bsg-51ph-select-optic-ph
https://bbbcycling.com/en_en/bsg-51-select-optic

Would anyone have experiences of both type of lens and give advice. Can you use the photochromic lens ok in winter time?

selwyn froggitt

Ruffmut.

I bought a pair of prescription glasses from optilaps in the UK last year (Prescription lenses which are fitted directly into the frame).
They have a photochromic vari focal lens,I have worn them in all weather conditions and all year round without any issue.
It's the best 200 quid I ever spent.

victor201

Second what selwyn said , got mine from optilabs too ,no complaints and as good as my oakley prescription ones and more flexible as you can update inserts if your prescription changes later on.

ruffmut

Thanks for that. Will check optilabs out. What model frames did ye select?

selwyn froggitt

ruffmut wrote: »

Thanks for that. Will check optilabs out. What model frames did ye select?

They have any number to choose from

https://www.optilabs.com/product-category/sport/cycling-sunglasses/

I selected a few that I liked and they sent them over to me to try on first (for a small deposit)

Super customer service,great to deal with.

C3PO

Another very happy Optilabs customer!
Having said that, I find the pair with photochromatic lenses to be too dark to use for winter morning and evening commutes so I've purchased a 2nd pair with yellow "low light" lenses which are brilliant in poor/dark conditions!

Rechuchote

How strong a description do they go up (or down) to?

doozerie

C3PO wrote: »

Another very happy Optilabs customer!
Having said that, I find the pair with photochromatic lenses to be too dark to use for winter morning and evening commutes so I've purchased a 2nd pair with yellow "low light" lenses which are brilliant in poor/dark conditions!

Just on the photochromatic bit, different photochromic lenses often have different light ranges that they cover. Certainly when I last bought Rudy Project (non-prescription) photochromic lenses there were two different options to choose from, one of which covered a wider range. I opted for the latter and find them perfect for commuting all year round day and night, whereas I suspect the other ones would have caused me issues for the darker evenings.

You are stuck with the options a retailer offers of course, and there may be more limited options for prescription lenses, but possibly worth checking with them if they have more than one option.

cdaly_

I got mine from Zenni Optical for USD85 including bi-focal, photochromic and coated. Super value for all sorts of glasses...

Can anyone recommend somewhere in south Dublin that will make the lenses for the inserts?

mr spuckler

Aegir wrote: »

Can anyone recommend somewhere in south Dublin that will make the lenses for the inserts?

any optician should do it - I've gotten both Specsavers and another opticians in town to do them for me previously. cost around €50 iirc and wasn't connected to any other glasses / lens purchase.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I use a pair of Alpina photochromic glasses more or less all year round but I have darker polarised glasses for very bright days and yellow lens glasses for very dark/dull days.