Whoa Nelly and pass the drammamine

[lorazepam]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

How the hell do you get them on under a full face helmet? How do you keep them from fogging up in the first 4.7 seconds? Just wondering.

[YB in IN]

You have to take them off and on before you take your helmet off Loraz. As for the fogging, you just can't breathe normally. When it's cold, I breath like I'm exhaling smoke down and out of the way. It sucks, but it's what you have to do. Especially with an Arai, man they just fog up like crazy in the cold.

[tessler]

You have to take them off and on before you take your helmet off Loraz. As for the fogging, you just can't breathe normally. When it's cold, I breath like I'm exhaling smoke down and out of the way. It sucks, but it's what you have to do. Especially with an Arai, man they just fog up like crazy in the cold.

Bingo!


.

[lorazepam]

Dang, I knew the part about taking them off before putting on my helmet. These titanium frames are not very rigid, and they are difficult to get hooked over my ears.
I was hoping for some secret formula that I could put on my lenses to keep the fogging down.

[eddie]

I use a product called ZOOKE WAX anti-fog,works well most of the time.Cleans the lenses and treats with anti-fog.www.zooke.com

[GregFeeler]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

How the hell do you get them on under a full face helmet? How do you keep them from fogging up in the first 4.7 seconds? Just wondering.


One of the reasons I wear a Nolan flip-up. :) I also use some anti-fog I get locally (can look up when I get home), which works very well.

[Rich]

old fartdom


Old fartdom includes flip-up visors. If you don't agree, someday you will. :D

[j-budimlya]

Got to have flipup helmet....

:brow

[Friedle]

I was hoping for some secret formula that I could put on my lenses to keep the fogging down.


Goggle up a product called "Cat Crap" for the best anti fog stuff I have ever used. Get the commercial version, don't use the home made variety. :brow

I find it in ski shops and dive shops. Cheap cost, a little goes a long way.

Friedle

[kbasa]

Got to have flipup helmet....

:brow

After years of swearing I'd never own one, I broke down and bought one because I've got glasses to deal with. :bluduh

[Hodag]

flip up
never clean your glasses (that layer of grease works wonders)
get a breathe deflector

[GregFeeler]

After years of swearing I'd never own one, I broke down and bought one because I've got glasses to deal with. :bluduh


Was that the one you "stole" from Rob during his IB ride? :stick

[Montana]

If you're new to glasses, then you probably don't know that you can get frames to fit your head. There are three dimensions to control: the bridge width (the gap at the nose), a smaller or larger lens, and the temples (the "earpieces" to you newbies) come in different lengths. For example, the frames I last bought are 48 x 19 (printed on the bridge) but I used to have 52 (larger lens) x 18 (tighter at the nose) and I like 130 or 135 temples. Going to a 48 instead of a 52 (smaller lenses) and broader bridge means the frames sit a little lower and aren't as wide, so this pair doesn't hit the sides of my helmet faceshield. And since these fit closer, the air I breathe out is less likely to get behind them and fog them. And if your frames came with hooks to go over the ears, you don't have to live with that. I hate that, I straighten those out. I couldn't get those on and off with a helmet.

Look around, you'll see a lot of people with poorly-fitted glasses. If, when you take off your glasses, you can see you are wearing a groove in the side of your head, you need wider frames, for example. Picking out glasses lets you be both geeky and techie: Coatings, materials, refractive indices? Check.

I've noticed the discount places don't fit glasses very well, you pick Costco's off-the-shelf frames, no one will help you realize they don't fit your face or head, then they send them off to the low-bid lens maker. They come back and plop, they're yours with some minor adjustments.

Find a woman who's been wearing glasses for ever, she'll be your best new friend if you let her critique the style and fit while you shop for frames.

[SNC1923]

Glasses suck. I'm 44, on my second pair and pretty much hate wearing them. It became worse when I started riding again; I have a full-face helmet and it's a chore: glasses, ear plugs, stretchy head thingy, etc.

I have the blended lenses and went with the narrower frames (kind of a KBasa look) and boy was I sick for a month. I'm prone to motion sickenss anyway and I felt like c**p most of the time. Come to find out the blending in the lens/bifocal was directly in my line of sight. I think I'm gonna vom.

To his credit the optometrist replaced them quickly at no cost. He told me that it was so common (one in 12) that the cost of replacing them is built in to the cost of everyone's glasses. Go figure. :doh

[kbasa]

Was that the one you "stole" from Rob during his IB ride? :stick

:hide

[basketcase]

Welcome to the world of old phartdom... :bottle

Getting older might not be plesant at times, but it beats the alternative.

Sorry I can't help with technique on the glasses. I finally just stuck mine in my pocket and quit wearing them while riding. :thumb

[username]

loraze - sorry to hear that denial was no longer working! ;)

i used to be a four-eyed dude, and my eye glasses were the stylish little kind. (ok, *i* thought they were stylish...) they were terrible for riding because they were too small, and i could only clearly see what was directly in front of me.

unsafe.

so i only rode when wearing my contacts. that took care of everything, except for the fact that i also find contacts to be a hassle. so i just went ahead and had lasik surgery, and i'll be dizammed, it's one of the best things i've ever done. i'm still young enough that i don't require reading glasses yet, so things are perfect now.

i figure when i need reading glasses, i'll have the r1150r chopped and put the maps and GPS wayyyyy out in front of me where my eyes can still focus. at that time, i will become stylish again. :D

[Burnszilla]

gale, take a photo of yourself with your new glasses on and post it.

[BubbaZanetti]

After years of swearing I'd never own one, I broke down and bought one because I've got glasses to deal with. :bluduh



i'm still in that mindset, they fit me terribly and look goofy on my huge noggin.........

[Mar]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

How the hell do you get them on under a full face helmet? How do you keep them from fogging up in the first 4.7 seconds? Just wondering.

The no-line thing made me sick, too. I took them back to my optometrist and I've had the lines ever since. I'm not vain. I don't care.

My sunglasses have hard plastic frames and aren't a problem to get on under my Arai Signet. My clear glasses have thin wire frames and I have to be more careful putting them on. I slip the ear pieces between my head and the helmet liner fairly high above my ears and gently work them back until I can feel the ear pieces are behind my ears. Then I work the frames down until the glasses are sitting properly. But my glasses don't have the wrap-around ear pieces. If your's do, you're on your own!

I find that if I don't begin high enough the ear pieces will go between my ears and the helmet liner. Then, because of my hair, I have trouble getting them up and over my ears.

This all sounds complicated but you'll get used to it. It's a quick process for me now.

Regarding fogging, buy some Anti-fog stuff at Walmart or KMart. I think Rain-X makes it. It works fine but follow the directions and don't put too much on or it streaks. Do your glasses and the inside of your visor. Once warmer weather arrives you won't have any fogging unless it rains. And the Zooke stuff works well, too, and is also a good glasses cleaner. Sometimes the Zooke reps will be at the Cycle World motorcycle shows and you can buy enough there to last the rest of your life (DAMHIK).

[Montana]

Here's the geeky/techie thing again: As to those variable-no-line lenses, you can pick where the progressive zone starts, how high up the lens. This should be set for your neck comfort for the "sweet spot" for reading and the "sweet spot" for long distance based on how the frames sit on your face, if you look at a desktop computer screen Vs mostly on-the-desk paperwork.

And the little manufacturer's marks tell you who makes the lens you like, so you can get that brand again. One brand's variable range may run the sweet spots horizontally and another manufacturer runs theirs vertically.

Of course, you can avoid the reading-glasses thing when you ride, just buy some self-sticky Fresnel lens stuff and cut it to fit over your fuel gauge or speedo or map pouch or whatever it is you can't quite read, that will magnify it for you.

I like riding in contacts because my glasses bounce one way while the head is bouncing the other, and you compound a bad image when you add eyeglasses, faceshield and windshield distortion.

[Belg]

Here's the geeky/techie thing again: As to those variable-no-line lenses, you can pick where the progressive zone starts, how high up the lens. This should be set for your neck comfort for the "sweet spot" for reading and the "sweet spot" for long distance based on how the frames sit on your face, if you look at a desktop computer screen Vs mostly on-the-desk paperwork.

And the little manufacturer's marks tell you who makes the lens you like, so you can get that brand again. One brand's variable range may run the sweet spots horizontally and another manufacturer runs theirs vertically.

Of course, you can avoid the reading-glasses thing when you ride, just buy some self-sticky Fresnel lens stuff and cut it to fit over your fuel gauge or speedo or map pouch or whatever it is you can't quite read, that will magnify it for you.

I like riding in contacts because my glasses bounce one way while the head is bouncing the other, and you compound a bad image when you add eyeglasses, faceshield and windshield distortion.


My contacts were always drying out on the ride. I had some thinnner glasses, I used those, they did fine, and the fog wasn't an issue except for the first couple breaths. Polycarbonate lenses.

Since then, I've had LASIK, no issues except for my Maui Jims fogging in the cold... I store them in my inside pocket till I put them on to correct that.

[RTRandy]

The no-line thing made me sick, too. I took them back to my optometrist and I've had the lines ever since. .

When you first try bifocals, your eyes and brain need to adjust to the lens so the trick is to start out slowly the first couple of days. Over time, your brain figures it out and your eye and head tilt become precise and you never even think about it. It takes about five days, but they really work great.

Bifocals are not great for things like motorcycling or hiking though still doable. The lower half of your vision is blurry so you have some limitations. On the other hand they could help read the GPS on the dash better. Hiking down a steep hill and trying to read the ground with rocks and stumps can be tricky.

I'd go with percription single vision sunglasses for daytime and clear single vision for night.

Stupid reading glass trick: Reading lenses don't conflick with each other so if you have a pair that's say, 2.25+ and you take a second pair let's say another 2+ and simply put them over the ones you have on, it will more or less double the power. Pretty stupid look out in public, but it works when needing to get stronger magnification. Borrow a friends reading glasses and put them over your own reading glasses to see what happens.

[John Brase]

I've been wearing those "off the shelf" magnifier reading glasses for years becuase of that old phart thing that leaves your distance vision OK but messes with the close-up stuff. But now I want a GPS on the bike but figure the only way I could use it would be to stop and put on the reading glasses. Kinda' takes the fun out of the deal. I've been playing with putting stick on bifocal lenses on the faceshield of the helmet but that's not working. The lovely wife, who has years of glasses wearing experience, tells me that I need to go to a real eye doctor, get tested and get no-line bifocals. I might do that. But, if I do, I am definetly taking my helmet with me when it comes time to select the frames. That ought to confuse them.

John

[Rob Nye]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

How the hell do you get them on under a full face helmet? How do you keep them from fogging up in the first 4.7 seconds? Just wondering.

Hey now,

Aside from being ultra stylish the black frames are very rugged, I can change over from sunglasses to the clear blacks at speed. They also have the advantage of (with plastic lenses) qualifying as safety glasses so I don't have any inspection issues when I visit a ship.

For the helmet this is one of the advantages of a flip up.

For the fogging keep the lenses clean for starters. Ideally your face shield will stay up a crack which helps too. My Schberth C2 is a flip and has a shield that pops forward just a hair for quick fog clearing.

Best,

Rob Nye

[Rob Nye]

Was that the one you "stole" from Rob during his IB ride? :stick

Greg, you got it all wrong.

After pruchasing a new helmet just to get the two discs for holding on the face sheild I cut my loss and sold the lid to Dave for 50 cents on the dollar.

All told two pieces of plastic that should cost a few buck each wound up costing me almost $125 EACH! :banghead

Dopy Schuberth distributor can't keep basic parts for their helmets in stock.

For those who don't know the story I lost one of the discs about 2 hours into the Iron Butt Rally and rode the next two days with no visor, except for when it rained, then I duct taped it on. I had a nationwide APB out for some discs and had to purchase an entire helmet to get a pair. Considering where I was and what I had planned having a working face shield was vital, more for the heat in the SW than rain.

Schuberth is a great helmet distributed by someone who isn't on the ball enough to stock simple parts. If you have or ever purchase a Schuberth I recommend you get a set of these discs right away, it may take six months to get them. For all I know the K-man has yet to use his new lid as I sold it to him without these critical parts.

Best,

Rob Nye

[BradfordBenn]

You could always do contacts. Yes, they make bifocal contacts.

[Rich]

The no-line thing made me sick, too. I took them back to my optometrist and I've had the lines ever since.

That comment surprises me. I absolutely love my no-lines. I've never worn the glasses with the lines in them, but I would think that they would be more agravating. The worst part about my no-lines is the $500 price tag I paid for the last pair.

Bottom line, it's just a great thing we have all this technology to choose from, and different doctors to suit each one of us.

Next up for me is going to be Lasik, but I keep waiting for the price to come down some more. And then I can use those $5 readers from Walmart for the fine print.

[Bobmws]

You could always do contacts. Yes, they make bifocal contacts.
I wore contacts for a long time before I needed close vision correction, about 8 years ago. I have not had a good recommendation from my Dr regarding bifocal contacts. The discussions on numerous forums have been less than positive. For some reason, the bifocal lenses seem to effect night vision quality. I'll ask again when I have my exam next month.
A couple of points for glasses wearers.
Take your helmet with you when you shop for frames. I've had flip-ups, I won't have one again, my choice. I have no trouble fitting frames through into Arai.
For bifocals, lined and unlined, you can choose where the line or unlined start point is. I've use a pair with a low line, app. 10mm high, for years. The height will vary depending on the frame and lens size. I have the line at a point where I can see the mirrors through the distance area without major head movements. This allows me to see the instruments and map window through the bifocal lense. A wider lense allows the distance portion to be present in the peripheral vision area (with lined lenses, not sure how this is with progressive lenses). I've become so used to the low lens, I wear them 95% of the time.
Now, how to afford separate additional purpose built pairs of clear and tinted glasses? Look in the phone book for optical laboratories. These are the people that make lenses for the optometrists that don't have onsite facilities (i.e. Lenscrafters). Though they don't advertise selling retail, I have found that they will do walk-in work. Taking in an old frame, I have bifocal lenses made for ~$30 a pair. You may find they have some frame selection available also. HTH. :wave

[kbasa]

Rob,

I swapped the silver one for a white one, which arrived with the discs. About a week before they helmet showed up, my dealer had the Fairchild rep in his office for a while. I think at that point, I'd been waiting about 6 or 8 weeks for the discs.

I've been using it for a month or two now. Man, break in on these things is painful.

Nonetheless, it makes riding with glasses a lot easier.

[GregFeeler]

Greg, you got it all wrong.

After pruchasing a new helmet just to get the two discs for holding on the face sheild I cut my loss and sold the lid to Dave for 50 cents on the dollar.

All told two pieces of plastic that should cost a few buck each wound up costing me almost $125 EACH! :banghead
........
Best,

Rob Nye

Oh, I remember the story perfectly, but had to give Dave a bad time. :stick I'd have done the same thing as him if you'd have been at my house at the time, other than the fact that Schuberths just don't fit my head. :( It's a damn shame such an excellent product has such poor support. Contrast that with my experience with the Nolan importer, Cima International.

Four months ago I bought a replacement N100E. They have an external dark visor system called "VPS" (Vision Protection System). Looked hokie to me, but I really wanted a sun shield system like the Schuberts. Called them and discussed operation. They said the system had been improved to address a couple of concerns I had, so I ordered one. Turns out it works just like they said and is a great improvement to the helmet.

They also offered to send - free - the nose breath deflector mentioned in the owner's manual as included but not really included by Nolan for several years. Cima has been fighting with Nolan, but in the meanwhile will send one free to any customer out of their own pocket.

After my unexpected getoff a month ago, I got yet another new Nolan and ordered the VPS and breath deflector from Cima directly, and again got excellent, prompt service.

Good after the sale support makes all the difference in repeat business and reputation. Too bad some vendors/importers just don't get it.

[rinty]

Greg:
Is it possible to adjust the faceshield pivots friction on the N100e? I haven't had mine apart yet. I want to be able to crack the visor a few mm. for rain riding.Thanks.

Rinty

[GeneT]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

How the hell do you get them on under a full face helmet? How do you keep them from fogging up in the first 4.7 seconds? Just wondering.


First to get rid of the motion sickness get rid of the no line bifocals and get the old type with the lines and the sea sickness will go away. If you stop exhaling the glasses will not steam up.

Next get a flip up helmet, I can get my Nolan on & off without disturbing my glasses or my hearing aids. If it starts to steam up I open the visor one notch and the fog goes away.

After growing tried of the wind noise in the hearing aids with the open face helmet and a flip up plastic face shield I tried on a fulll face type helmet, upon my removing the helmet from my head the helmet removed both hearing aids, as they hit the tile floor I said OH S****. That helmet fitting cost 360 bucks to get the hearing aids repaired and I did not buy the helmet.

Getting old requires conquering these awkward obstacles that mother nature has delt us with finesse.

:brow

[RTRandy]

I came across these which are sunglasses with bifocals. Apparently you don't need a prescription for those drug store reading glasses and

this company (http://www.lesslight.com/web_store/web_store.cgi?page=cheaters.html&category=yes&cart_id=6572139_8239) sells them with the intent for motorcycle riders who want to see stuff like guages and GPS easier.

Don't have a clue how good they are, but for fifteen bucks, how could you go wrong?

[gened12]

Welcome to the world of the visually impaired...

The best thing to do if you need eyewear while rideing is to get a Schuberth Concept or C2 helmet. The second is to see if you can get laser surgery in order NOt to have to wear them...

Reason No1. You can put it on and take it off without removing your glasses (trust me this is a good thing when you have your hands full with gloves etc.)

Reason No2. Schuberth flip ups have this neat little feature that allow you to crack the visor open on either or both sides, providing just enough air to keep your eyewear from fogging. I have done this riding through rainstorms for hours on end and no fogging.

An additional tip is to see your optician and get some anti-fogging solution for your lenses. This does not work all that well unless you become anally retentive about re-applying the stuff every time you clean your specs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
:brow


Denis R1200GS (eyewear user for the past 39 years... and no I am not 100 years old!)

[olsalt]

Well in my never ending quest to enter old fartdom, I had to break down and get some glasses.
I was torn between getting black plastic frames like my hero Rob Nye, or to consider WWUD (what would username do) and ended up with titanium framed no line bifocals.
What a pleasure these things are to walk around in. My first day I literally got motion sickness. Any way I digress.

Sorry to disappoint you but you're not offically an old fart until you get tri-focals!! And wear your pants high up on your stomach. :D

[Montana]

RTRandy didn't confess to his best trick: when you print out maps for the tank bag, you want to print them ZOOMED to 150% or more!

[RTRandy]

RTRandy didn't confess to his best trick: when you print out maps for the tank bag, you want to print them ZOOMED to 150% or more!

It's true. You're one of the few here who have seen my home made maps.

For those who are interested, locate the area you want on Mapquest, print it out at the scale you are viewing on your monitor. Then go to the area just outside the map you just printed. Print this second area at the same scale and after, you can cut them out and they line up perectly. Repeat as needed, and each time scotch tape them together. Do this a half dozen times or so and you have your own custom map.

When you get to be my age, you learn to compensate for the stuff that's no longer working.

[Kenny2]

The flip up helmet is the way to go. I wear TRI-focals, except on the bike. I wear a single vision sunglasses and then got some optic-lenses-these are the stick-ons that are for the focus of my dash and the Garmin. I couldn't read the map with the "normal" mid range.

The flip-up helmet...Nolan is releasing the N102 (I believe that's the number) capable of bluetooth technology.

[GregFeeler]

Greg:
Is it possible to adjust the faceshield pivots friction on the N100e? I haven't had mine apart yet. I want to be able to crack the visor a few mm. for rain riding.Thanks.

Rinty
My current Nolan is the N100E Classic (updated with the single side chinbar release). When I had it's shield pivots apart to install the VPS system it didn't look to me that you could change the shield dentent tension.

The pivot device is a circular plastic disk with lots of cutouts. The width of the remaining material creates the spring tension. The version of these disks used with the second VPS shield have spring loaded followers for the VPS detents, so you could likely monkey with them, but I've found they are pretty good as is.

IF you were very careful, and good, with a heat gun or lighter, you might be able to soften part of the pivot disk and bend it out just a little bit to increase visor tension. Likely would be a good idea to get a spare set (or two) from CIMA first in case you had a learning curve. :uhoh Personally, I'd like it a lot if Nolan increased the visor spring tension a bit so the visor would stay open a crack at upper road speeds in the summer.

[rinty]

Thanks Greg. I think I'll leave the heat gun alone and try to find a plastic piece I can snap onto the lower opening to prevent full closure. Shouldn't be too hard to find one. It's only fogged on me once in the rain, anyway.

Rinty

[GregFeeler]

Thanks Greg. I think I'll leave the heat gun alone and try to find a plastic piece I can snap onto the lower opening to prevent full closure. Shouldn't be too hard to find one. It's only fogged on me once in the rain, anyway.

Rinty

I've thought about doing exactly the same thing, but just haven't actually tried anything. If you come up with something you like, let me know. Fog in the rain is a problem, so is heat on really warm days. A little opening really helps.