Specialised glasses/spectacles for motorcycle helm

[Supercharger_Mark]

I am considering producing a range of specialized eye protective glasses/spectacles that fit comfortably inside any helmet as it’s something that I cannot find on the market, so I thought I’d get some feedback from ASF members before I invest my hard earned cash on them.

Personally, I always wear a pair of specs/glasses when I ride as I prefer to ride with my visor up until I reach around 100kph, and as you know, bugs, rocks etc hurt like fuck at that speed, and one in the eye could blind or impair your vision for life.

I am drawing on experience and knowledge for this venture as I am an optician by trade and have many connections in the industry.

I know that it’s not easy to find a comfortable pair of spec/glasses that fit well inside your helmet, so, I’ve come up with a design that is aimed purely for us motorcyclists.

The new glasses will feature:

· Comfortable fit inside helmet.

· Adjustable bridge height and panoramic tilt setting for do-it- yourself fitting.

· Rap around design lenses for almost 180 degree uninterrupted vision.

· Polycarbonate lenses (extremely impact resistant)


· All lenses are anti reflection coated for excellent night time vision. (Clear lens).

Lenses will come in:

· Clear, tinted or Transitions, plano (non prescription)
And for you people that need a lens correction (prescription):

· Single vision, Bifocal and Multifocal.


The quality will be of a very high standard as you would expect from an optometrist.

I will keep the price to a minimum, but for a ball park figure: about AU$100 for a basic single vision pair.

So, can I get your comments please, positive or negative? Would you buy a pair?

[80s freak]

I'll have me a set of the single vision very keen at that price, and love the idea of the wrap around lense.

[Jup]

I'd buy a pair.

The issue I have is that you can't put on/take off a full face helmet with standard glasses on, and I despise having to wriggle the glasses on after putting on my helmet.

This means I'm stuck with either open faced or flip front helmets as options.

If you could design a pair of glasses that could be wor while removing a full faced helmet that would be fantastic.

The option of tinted lenses would also be something to consider.

Best of luck!

[Swordsy]

what Jup said. I can get my glasses on with a full faced, but it takes a bit of effort.
Would def be keen for a pair.

[RevHead]

at 46 my eyes r goin down hill ,i like my visor open abit all the time so i use yellow lensed saftey glasses,they help with shadows and all that stuff,xcept if u get bug splatter then its all ova yur face,,it sounds like a good idea in a couple of yrs i,l b needing gogles lol

[John.R]

Sounds good mate.

Just thought I'd share a pair of sunnies that I have that fit immaculately.

By and far the most comfortable sunnies I've worn with my helmet, which includes other motorcycle specific sunnies.

http://images.ifguk.co.uk/products/5858/5858-zoom.jpg

Found completely by accident (pinched em from lost n found at work). The arms fit superbly in the helmet (they dont scratch the shit out of your ear, or feel uncomfortable at all while putting them on) and I can barely tell they are there after 2 hours + of riding (which other sunnies I've tried on hurt like hell)


Just sharing.

[JackTar]

I'd be up for it Mark, I have Glaucoma so my eyes are degrating at a great rate of knots and even though I always pass the RTA eye test (just) without glasses sometimes I see things a little late and think fuck that could have been nasty.

[Supercharger_Mark]

Because of the size/width of the lenses together, which you need to get good coverage, you would still have to slip them on after your helmet is fitted, the temples (side arms) are straight (no curl like a hockey stick) very thin, thinner than a match stick, and very flexible so to match the curve of your head, but firm enough to slide between the padding easily, the prototype pair I have work excellently and do not move at all because the padding hold them firm.

[Hillsy]

I'd be in at that price. I find I have to choose my helmet based on the ability to house my glasses.

[Cruisecontrol]

I think it will be a rather limited market.
I wear corrective lenses and there is no way I would buy a pair specifically to wear inside a motorcycle helmet. If it is bright out I simply put a tinted visor on my helmet so sunglasses are not needed in my case on a bike.
I think your market will specifically be people who wear open face helmets: Hardley riders and Posties.
We posties get free sunnies and corrective lenses (clear and dark pairs) and a lot of the range from PSG (Post's supplier) is designed to be worn with helmets.
Therefore Hardley riders are your target audience and from what I have seen they are more concerned with form over function, and I don't reckon they could care less if they are actually comfortable and usable, as long as they think they look cool.

[Jup]

quote:Originally posted by Supercharger_Mark

Because of the size/width of the lenses together, which you need to get good coverage, you would still have to slip them on after your helmet is fitted,

In that case, although I think they're a great idea, they're not something I need since (like Cruisecontrol) I get mine supplied.

I still wish you luck in your venture though.

[puppet]

Hey , John.R what are those glasses you put up there?

[Supercharger_Mark]

I think I should tell you a little more about the design.
Most conventional sunnies, like the pair John R has posted, have very thick arms and fairly flat lenses, although they fit John well, would not suit most helmet wearers, the temples are wide which would block side vision (like horse blinkers)the frame is thick which would take up some of your overall field of view.
I have tried to address the issues of field of view and comfort in helmets.
The lenses have a high base curve and rap around the head to give almost 180 degree uninterrupted view, which is what most humans have. and the lenses have no frame around them.
With conventional frames, when you reach the outer edge of the lens you get image jump, this can be very off putting, for instance, looking over your shoulder to change lanes.

The temples swoop low so to miss the groove in the padding where the cheek pads meet the cranial padding of most helmets, and do not connect at the outer edge of the lens like conventional frames,
the lenses are connected only at the nasal/bridge and hang independently from the frame.
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1274380132.jpg

Cruisecontrol, give us a pic of the free posties helmet specs,

Keep the comments coming.

[rock hard]

sound like you know your shit supercharger, yeah id be interested in a pair

[StuNVA]

I ware corrective glasses, each lens different. The frames I've chosen have very similar arms to those above, they work well and are easy to put on and pull off while waring a full face helmet.

If you can make me a pair of corrective, non reflective lensed sunnies that wrap around and don't distort towards the outer edge of the lens for $100, I'm in for a set of tinted ones, no worries as the local guy seems to have trouble doing it for $500 bucks.

Will you offer a guarantee, as corrective lenses can be a pain to get right sometimes, last set I got the way the concave / convex was made had a big impact even though the perscription was never changed.

[gibbo]

quote:Originally posted by John.R

Sounds good mate.

Just thought I'd share a pair of sunnies that I have that fit immaculately.

By and far the most comfortable sunnies I've worn with my helmet, which includes other motorcycle specific sunnies.

http://images.ifguk.co.uk/products/5858/5858-zoom.jpg

Found completely by accident (pinched em from lost n found at work). The arms fit superbly in the helmet (they dont scratch the shit out of your ear, or feel uncomfortable at all while putting them on) and I can barely tell they are there after 2 hours + of riding (which other sunnies I've tried on hurt like hell)


Just sharing.

Where the fuck do you work mate[?] The blue oyster bar[:X]

[gibbo]

I'd be interested in looking at a pair, the frame looks pretty fragile, will they be strong enough to take every day use?

[fimpBIKES]

just my opinion
i wear plastic oakley candidates under my glasses most days
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1274391809.jpg


or alternatively oakley oildrums if i have contacts on (ride into the sun for 50minutes to work, and the sun is down on the way home)
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1274384721.jpg

i dont have any troubles with "blinkering" etc, i think you get used to looking "through" the frames of a pair of glasses after a while


been wearing a plastic framed type of glasses for years specifically for this sort of thing
i find that the thinner metal frames can be tricky to slide in the eye-port of the helmet (never even tried to have them on while putting on the helmet)
around the gaps in padding and that kind of thing

anyways, i would be interested i think
especially if they doubled a proper safety glasses without big gaps around the eyes anywhere

i'd pay $200-300 dollars for something like that

[Supercharger_Mark]

StuNVA what you are saying is absolutely correct, for RX powers under + or - 2.00D dispensed in a pair of rap spectacles generally have no problems, once you get over these powers and combined with high astigmatism dose not always work, the higher the power the more distortion.
However, these days, their are lenses available with power correction to compensate for the distortions created by the rap lenses, your Optom should have given you this option, (depending on your script).
In single vision tinted and multi-coated lenses, I still expect to be around the AU$250. with money back guarantee not including post, for any reason, as long as I get them back in the same condition you received them.
Gibbo, the better frame materials these days are excellent, the thin flexible metal frames may feel fragile to hold but in comparison to a thick stiff frame they flex heaps before failing, a stiff frame will break at the weakest point generally at the temple hinge or solder point.
Having said that if you treat any frame badly (sit on, stand on, demo to your mates how bendy they are) any materiel will eventually fail at some point, the replacement guarantee will last 12mths against manufactures faults.

[John.R]

Puppet: They are Electric BSGII (white and gold ones are 'Bam Margera' signature)
Gibbo: Work as a lifeguard mate haha, so unfortunately won't be able to help your nightlife out.

[StuNVA]

OK, so they are $250 not $100.........I'll stick to my tinted visor and clear one in the gear sack thanks, the visors are only $100.

I only ware sunnies on the bike, I hate them otherwise.

[Gix11]

I tried on Mark's prototypes at the weekend when he was over. Now I don't wear glasses on the bike, ever, so I was expecting some weirdness, but I was surprised how easily they slid in straight to the right spot and then they covered every angle of my vision so there was no light difference from sun getting in at the edges. I was even wearing a Bandit RX8 which have the poxy small eye area. I was impressed and I'm looking forward to demo-ing a real pair when he gets them sorted. (I will have to learn some of his lingo though as he goes on about glasses stuff like he's a mad inventor, I have no idea of all that tech stuff he's on about, I just nod my head).