# Zenni RX glasses- color and tint



## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

my eyesight is starting to get just bad enough that I think RX glasses on the trail would be a good idea. I currently ride with non-RX Tifosi glasses with a few lens colors. I looked into getting RX lenses for my Tifosi frames but they seemed silly-expensive to my cheap bastard sensibilities.

Most of the trails I ride vary from open fields to pitch-dark tunnels under the highway and some night-time riding. I already have an everyday pair of glasses from Zenni that work quite well and I would like to get a second pair of tinted ones for riding. for under $30, it's hard to beat the price.

I am thinking about these frames, but I am open to suggestions for other frames that fit a PD of 63mm. my first pair was a half-frame style and I sent them back because the lens fell out and the flimsy plastic wire broke within 60 seconds of pulling them out of the box, so I am sticking to plastic full frames.

the other question is color. I can do grey, green, amber, blue, purple, pink, or yellow tint at 10, 50 or 80%. I hear good things about green, amber, and yellow lenses for mountain biking, and I have read that 10% is for fashion, 50% is significant, and 80% might be too dark for riding under a forest canopy. I am thinking amber at 50%.

is it possible to get a tinted lens that will also work at night with lights, or should I stick to clear only for that?

your thoughts?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I don't know about those particular frames but I do know that some of the least durable glasses I've owned were full plastic frames and by far the toughest pair I've had were (are) super light full titanium. At Zenni prices it's not too much a gamble though. I'd also recommend getting a pair of Chums or something similar for riding.

I like amber tint for all around riding but I'd go clear at night.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

On another note, they have lots of framess that are "sporty" but are otherwise normal frames, and they have very sport-specific that make you look like an alien. I am not really into the latter looks, but are those better for riding in a pragmatic scense?


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

I have that amber/red blend tint. Dunno on the % but its significant to notice when you put them on... 

Works great in the sun and under the canopy of trees. Haven't really tested them at night or in tunnels. 
I do have prescript dark tinted sunnies, that I wear quite often, and get lazy and wear them inside (if running in or just grabby a coffee etc) Yeah sure its abit dark, but I can deal with it. I
Id imagine it would be the same with tunnels, unless you are flying through them haha


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

mack_turtle said:


> On another note, they have lots of framess that are "sporty" but are otherwise normal frames, and they have very sport-specific that make you look like an alien. I am not really into the latter looks, but are those better for riding in a pragmatic scense?


As far as practicality goes "wraparound" lenses are helpful to keep your eyes wind and debris free. Lightweight and good fit are also important IME.


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

J.B. Weld said:


> As far as practicality goes "wraparound" lenses are helpful to keep your eyes wind and debris free. Lightweight and good fit are also important IME.


wrap around lenses also rarely work with prescription lenses =(


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

IME you don't need any wrap around BS on a MTB. I wear contacts or my cheap Zennis.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I have to wonder if "wrap around" glasses are helpful at relatively low speeds. Seems more useful at road speeds.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

LinkyPinky87 said:


> wrap around lenses also rarely work with prescription lenses =(


Yeah, I meant to say wrap around frame styles. As Travis mentioned you don't need them (just like you don't _need_ suspension) but like I said they are nice IME. My eyes start getting watery around 20mph, which does occur.

My favorite riding glasses were prescription Ray-Bans which sadly have been lost, I'm now running cheap Zenni's. There is a difference.


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## NWS (Jun 30, 2010)

I've ordered a couple of cheap pairs from Zenni, and both were too narrow for my taste. It looks like I'm wearing kids' glasses. I do like the idea of cheap glasses for high risk stuff and for backup, but I'm going to lie about my pupil-to-pupil distance next time to try to find glasses that don't look so goofy on me.

YMMV.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

NWS said:


> I do like the idea of cheap glasses for high risk stuff and for backup, but I'm going to lie about my pupil-to-pupil distance next time to try to find glasses that don't look so goofy on me.


Don't lie about pupil width unless you don't care about vision, but do pay attention to frame width.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

1. Black Contemporary Black Rectangular Eyeglasses & Sunglasses #2574 | Zenni Optical Eyeglasses
2. Black Prescription Sports Glasses #7431 | Zenni Optical Eyeglasses
3. Black Plastic Full-Rim Frame #7418 | Zenni Optical Eyeglasses

these three have that wrap-around shape to them and they all seem very narrow. I think that might be part of the package with this style. my normal glasses are 138mm across but they are conventional rectangular frames.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

mack_turtle said:


> these three have that wrap-around shape to them and they all seem very narrow.


130mm is a very narrow frame width. I usually don't advocate showrooming but you might want to try on some 130's at mal-wart and see how they look.


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## etal (Jan 26, 2004)

I've been riding with Zenni Wrap-Around Sunglasses 251821 for about a year and they have been holding up fine, despite the name they are not a real curvy wrap around like oakleys, just slightly bent.
I went with the photochromic grey lenses to cope with varying light conditions, from my experience even the lightest lens tint is a no-go after night fall. I used to ride with lite yellow-orange tint lenses in the past and even those didn't work well for night riding.


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## NWS (Jun 30, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> Don't lie about pupil width unless you don't care about vision, but do pay attention to frame width.


I should clarify - I'm only going to lie to see what frames they suggest. I'll be using real data for the prescription info.

When I chose frame widths that match what I actually wear, they warned that the glasses were too big for my IPD. I took their advice, but ended up wishing I hadn't.

But, again, real data for the prescription itself. Fudging that data seems like a terrible idea.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

The wrap around offers more debris protection it seems. When I run a more open design frame I tend to get debris flung up underneath at times which I don't like, especially this time of year.

Smith makes a "Elite Tactical" frame and I have had good luck with those, also available in Rx.


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## MadPainterGrafx (Oct 3, 2014)

When I raced motorcycles I used yellow lenses all the time. They can be kind of bright in the sun but it took away the glare and brightened the woods and shadowed area's. I never really rode at night so I can't say how that would work but I did wear a pr of yellow shooter glasses driving home one night and it messed with me with all of the cars headlights being yellow at first. Didn't wear them long after that. lol

I am looking into options for riding. I use yellow tinted and clear safety glasses right now for riding but I'm gonna need to use my rx to see the trails better. It sucks getting old!!


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I am over the idea of tinted lenses for night riding at this point, but I want something RX and tinted for everything else. my night riding is rare, although I might go do it more now that daylight is getting shorter.


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