What Is Best Lens For Low Light (dusk) Riding?

[saulsaul]

My current plan for daily city commute riding is:

- Flaks with Transitions clear / black iridium (10%-66%)
- Flaks (2nd frame) with Clear lens (>90%)

The Transitions are so expensive I'm nervous to remove them at least once a day to replace with clear lenses. Over-cautious perhaps but I feel better knowing the lenses just stay in place. Since they don't sell Flaks with clear lenses, I have to get clear as a spare lens and buy another lens with the frame. Thinking of G30 BI or VR28BI for days when I'm bored of the grey world of Transitions and want some 'zing'.

Yeah, my one concern with this plan is that it's just too damn sensible!!

 

[saulsaul]

My current plan for daily city commute riding is:

- Flaks with Transitions clear / black iridium (10%-66%)
- Flaks (2nd frame) with Clear lens (>90%)

The Transitions are so expensive I'm nervous to remove them at least once a day to replace with clear lenses. Over-cautious perhaps but I feel better knowing the lenses just stay in place. Since they don't sell Flaks with clear lenses, I have to get clear as a spare lens and buy another lens with the frame. Thinking of G30 BI or VR28BI for days when I'm bored of the grey world of Transitions and want some 'zing'.

Yeah, my one concern with this plan is that it's just too damn sensible!!

Oh, and the fact that it's too expensive! (but I think anyone on this forum knows that expense don't get in the way of obsession)

 

[Carrera1963]

Sounds a sensible plan Saulsaul! If you get G30 or VR28 in the pair you will swap the clears into, you'll save yourself a third pair...for now

 

[saulsaul]

I was able to test Transitions clear/black iridium (10-66%) tonight in these conditions: Cycling after dark in inner ciry with streetlights all the way and lots of oncoming cars so many headlights.

I tested by regularly stopping and removing the lens to compare with normal vision.My main conclusion was that even if the lens only goes up to 66%, I really couldn't see a noticeable difference in lightness/darkness between naked vision and the lenses. Perhaps the most infinitesimal hint of a tint with the the lens, but only when really working to find it. This pleased me because I thought, great I don't need to buy the clear lens... BUT for one important caveat...

With the lens, there was a noticeable glare/flare/beam (I don't know the correct word, does this make sense?) in street lights and car lights. Without the lens (naked eye) just a nice fuzzy/hazy glow around the lights. Not to the level it would make cycling dangerous, but definitely a negative on using the Transitions at 66% as a night city cycle lens.

Do you think this is because the Transitions has an iridium coating? Is there another reason?
Would a clear lens be absolutely identical to the naked eye, without the glare/flare/beam?

If you are thinking 'well, doh', please enlighten this beginner.

I've taken this thread to a new level of anal obsessiveness and detail. Sorry about that.

 

[Duke Nivram]

my guess would be the lens does not have an anti reflective coating. what you describe to me sounds like why opticitians sell you on anti reflective for your RX pair but others may have more insight

 

[Pyu76]

My current plan for daily city commute riding is:

- Flaks with Transitions clear / black iridium (10%-66%)
- Flaks (2nd frame) with Clear lens (>90%)

The Transitions are so expensive I'm nervous to remove them at least once a day to replace with clear lenses. Over-cautious perhaps but I feel better knowing the lenses just stay in place. Since they don't sell Flaks with clear lenses, I have to get clear as a spare lens and buy another lens with the frame. Thinking of G30 BI or VR28BI for days when I'm bored of the grey world of Transitions and want some 'zing'.

Yeah, my one concern with this plan is that it's just too damn sensible!!

I know what you mean. I own two flaks and also have a half jacket.

 

[saulsaul]

my guess would be the lens does not have an anti reflective coating. what you describe to me sounds like why opticitians sell you on anti reflective for your RX pair but others may have more insight

The lens is SKU 16-995 'clear black iridium photochromic activated' I assumed because it had the word 'iridium' that meant anti-reflective coating. But yes, looking at them now in their clear state, there's almost no reflection. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

[CarGuy]

I believe it was @CarGuy who got a pair of VR28 Transitions; maybe he can speak better on their practicality.

These are probably the pair that I wear the most, Kronin. While it is true that they are not that effective while driving due to the native UV protection in automobile glass, if I'm wearing them in a car I take them off and hold them out my sunroof for a few seconds to turn them.
I'm wearing them today and wore them yesterday afternoon when it got too dark for the emeralds that I was wearing.
Any day that prospects to be an overcast day or will fluctuate, these are what I wear because they range from VR50 to VR28 and any tint in between.
I don't find that they don't turn much in an automobile to be much of an issue because they can be turned by lowering a window or opening a sunroof.
Honestly the best chops that I have ever had done because of their versatility and Infinite Hero chopped them saving the unique "Transitions" etching:

 

[saulsaul]

These are probably the pair that I wear the most, Kronin. While it is true that they are not that effective while driving due to the native UV protection in automobile glass, if I'm wearing them in a car I take them off and hold them out my sunroof for a few seconds to turn them.
I'm wearing them today and wore them yesterday afternoon when it got too dark for the emeralds that I was wearing.
Any day that prospects to be an overcast day or will fluctuate, these are what I wear because they range from VR50 to VR28 and any tint in between.
I don't find that they don't turn much in an automobile to be much of an issue because they can be turned by lowering a window or opening a sunroof.
Honestly the best chops that I have ever had done because of their versatility and Infinite Hero chopped them saving the unique "Transitions" etching:

That's great. It's frustrating that the range of different tinted Transitions is unavailable in most lines. It's very spotty in terms of what lines do and don't have Transitions or just have the clear/black. Which explains why you had those chopped of course. Innovative solution to just hold the lens out the car sun roof! But doesn't it just lighten up again in a few minutes or is it slow to change?

 

[kronin323]

if I'm wearing them in a car I take them off and hold them out my sunroof for a few seconds to turn them.

It'd really suck if they blew out of your grasp while holding them out...

I remember once having a (non-Oakley) pair ripped off my face when I turned my head while riding a motorcycle - full helmet but visor was up...