glasses n gloves

[Tony Boy'o']

I am about to start commuting to work next month, i have got my new bike on order at my lbs, but now i'm looking into the extra bits that i'm going to need. I have a helmet, lock, lights, mudgaurds, jacket, trousers, & overshoes picked. But i am not sure how much to spend on glasses and gloves. I didn't think about specs, as i don't wear them normally, but the guy selling me the bike said i would need some. Is it a good idea? If yes. What type are best, and how much would you spend on a pair? Same with gloves, i know i'll need some, but how much to spend? Is it worth paying around £40+ to get some 2-in-1 types? Like the spesh sub zero, then i have 2 winter and summer covered? Will i wear gloves in the summer!?
Also, if you can think of any other things that will make my new bike life a bit more pleasent, please let me know.

Cheers, Tony.

 

[jonny jeez]

@HaloJ once recommended these to me and I've since bought three pairs in varying shades. Proper good, never had any issues

http://www.arco.co.uk/products/3B3000/293087/Bolle Contour Spectacles

you'll likely wear gloves all year but longs in the winter and short (cut off's) all summer, I paid about £15 for both mine and they do me just fine for a 40 mile commute two times a week (sometimes more).

I chose the specialized gel short gloves as I suffer a little form carpel tunnel in my little finger ( pins and needles) after about 15 miles of riding and the gel paid helps to relieve this.

PS add a puncture repair kit, pump or gas inflater, and some latex gloves to your kit list.

 

[mangid]

I wear glasses to see, and prefer to ride with contacts and no glasses (even when the sun is bright), never had an issues (bugs/ stones) and I spend a reasonable time in the saddle. Glasses are a real pain if it's raining or misty/foggy.

You won't want longer fingered gloves for the summer, but you may (if like me) need both layers of gloves on these cold days. You'll need, want, cycling mitts for the summer, good for wiping your nose on, cleaning the tyres, and in the worst case protecting your hands if you come off.

 

[mangid]

PS add a puncture repair kit, pump or gas inflater, and some latex gloves to your kit list.

And some baby wipes ;-)

 

[DWiggy]

got some DHB glasses from wiggle for £15 with 4 different lenses and got some glove from Asda for £8 there not water proof but seem to keep my hand warm even in the minus temps

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I wear normal glasses so don't to bother with cycling specific ones (lenses alone cost me £300 for my prescription in normal glasses)

gloves on the other hand (pun not intended with does work) are another matter. I think I have 5 sets could be more.
half finger gel gloves x2, full finger gel gloves - summer/ use only.
full finger spring/autum/mild winter gloves also with gel, not waterproof, just resistant
fully waterproof winter gel gloves - think warm & dry...
goretx ski gloves for when it is really cold (think -10C and below).

plsu some merino wool glove liners for that will fit underneath the last 2 sets of gloves if needed

guess it depends how much you like your fingers and how many issues you have had with trapped nerves, wrist injuries and if you are prone to cold hands & feet etc

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Keeping your hands and feet warm seems to be more important than any other part of your body.

I have silk liners that I fetched off ebay for six quid, they make a ton of difference.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I am about to start commuting to work next month, i have got my new bike on order at my lbs, but now i'm looking into the extra bits that i'm going to need. I have a helmet, lock, lights, mudgaurds, jacket, trousers, & overshoes picked. But i am not sure how much to spend on glasses and gloves. I didn't think about specs, as i don't wear them normally, but the guy selling me the bike said i would need some. Is it a good idea? If yes. What type are best, and how much would you spend on a pair? Same with gloves, i know i'll need some, but how much to spend? Is it worth paying around £40+ to get some 2-in-1 types? Like the spesh sub zero, then i have 2 winter and summer covered? Will i wear gloves in the summer!?
Also, if you can think of any other things that will make my new bike life a bit more pleasent, please let me know.

Cheers, Tony.

GLoves and glasses would have been top of my list ( or maybe just after mudguards) I would suggest the Altura Rain gloves, for the worst of the weather ( they are a two part system) and then cheap mitts for the summer, when buying the mitts make sure that the padding on them is in the right place for the sort of bars you are using. Why gloves? What's the first bit of you that hits the ground when you come off? And you can't even have a crap with skinned palms.

Glasses, YES! If they don' stop your eyes watering they stop flies and insects or even worse a bit of gravel flying up at 60mph from a car tyre.

 

[byegad]

Totally unnecessary in my opinion, I wear prescription specs and have done for nearly 30 years and would ditch them on wet days if I could. Back in the day I didn't wear them all of the time I had no issues even commuting in winters like the last three we've had. These days I detest the damn things in the wet, even a wet road sees them coated with muck thrown up by passing cars and lorries.

 

[jugglingphil]

As others have said gloves important. I almost never cycle without them.
Glasses I don't tend to bother with unless it's sunny or I'm going a long way. However, just been out at lunch, and the snow was stinging my eyes so that I could hardly see, so what do I know. ( my hands were nice and warm )

 

[thefollen]

Love the cycling glasses. Aside from the obvious protective qualities, they make you look a lot cooler. Along with a nicely designed helmet you'll really look the part. Have some Madison ones I purchased from CycleSurgery with dark/orange/clear interchangeable lenses- about £40 I think. All useful depending on the conditions. Must say my favourites are the orange, but for the dark winter evenings the clears have been on a while.

 

[Beebo]

you can buy a decent pair of safety glasses for less than £10 or spend over £200 on Oakleys. You get what you pay for. Lidl usually do a set with interchangeable lenses for less than £10 in the spring. Keep a look out for the updates on the forum.

As others have said, gloves are tricky, I have a full range from cheapo fingerless mits through to water proof/wind proof sealskinz that I only wear below zero degrees.

 

[Moodyman]

I also thought that glasses were superfluous. I had a stone chip hit my helmet after a lorry overtook me. It left a large dent on my helmet so imagine what it could have done to the eye.

Been wearing clear glasses ever since.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I use tesco insulated gloves only £3, but below -3 or on wet days, I put my goretex paclite mittenss over the top.

 

[2Loose]

During dust & fly season, glasses are essential for an enjoyable ride. Having been hit on a lense by a stone flicked up by a car, I rate them as essential. Clear and Amber lenses (day time and dawn\evening) are probably more useful than dark lenses as we didn't have much bright sun last year :-)

Gloves when it is cold or for a particularly long ride for comfort.