Oakleys RIP

[Richard A Thackeray]

After 'knocking on the door' of 25 years use, my blue Oakley Mumbos have finally succumbed to age
They've seemed slightly loose, and been moving/almost fell off (in the slipstream) when l turned my head to look behind
The frames split this morning, when I took the lens out to clean it properly

The lens has been swapped with the frame that houses my 'Purple Iridium' lens
The arms are salvageable, so they will be retained

Dear when bought, as a present, in about 1992 (£90 ish). by g/f - wife since 1998
Worth every penny




Why?,
Because they probably saved my eyes, when I RTC'd back in 1997


It was on the A61 (Leeds - Wakefield road) late one night when riding home from work

I rode into the back of a (later found to be abandoned, when Police came to talk to me, at home) car, on an unlit section of road, after being dazzled by oncoming traffic
It was an Austin Metro

Back then it was unlit, & a national speed limit section - not 40MPH, & lit - as it is now

There were plenty of glass-slashes on my jacket/t-shirt/gloves/face, from going through the rear window, onto the back seat
I counted myself lucky that I was wearing glasses, I still have the scars
(contact lenses, so always wear them)

I could blow my nose, & squirt blood out of side for a week or so


The worst part was carrying the bike, the remaining 6 miles home, as I didn't have a mobile phone back then, & the pubs that I passed were closed by then
(the phones boxes I passed, weren't working)

Rather fortunately, it was about a month before I started working at Pinderfields.
However, Joanne knew a lot of staff in A&E when we attended, as she was the Chief Bed Manager for the Trust at that time, so she got me seen by the ENT team




Still hanging in the garage, as a reminder

 

[jefmcg]

What a strange but strangely beautiful story to tell.

Thanks for sharing it.

Vale Oakleys (from well before Oakley was attacked and eventually subsumed by Luxottica.)

 

[3narf]

I wish we could buy glasses actually designed for cycling, rather than the general purpose sports eyewear we are limited to.

Glasses actually designed for cycling would resemble Dennis Taylor's snooker specs, ie ones you could see out of while head down and glancing up. All I can see is frame if I do that, same as if I was wearing Oakleys (in which I'm reluctant to invest, for that reason)...

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I wish we could buy glasses actually designed for cycling, rather than the general purpose sports eyewear we are limited to.

Glasses actually designed for cycling would resemble Dennis Taylor's specs, ie ones you could see out of while head down and glancing up. All I can see is frame if I do that, same as if I was wearing Oakleys (in which I'm reluctant to invest, for that reason)...

That's what I like about the Mumbos, & why I've used them for so long (besides the initial cost)

They're a fairly slim frame, & close fitting, so can be seen through the lens, or over, not like the modern range

The model that. for example Geraint Thomas wears, seem over-burdened with frame (yes, I know he's sponsored to wear them)

 

[Globalti]

Rock climbers can buy belay glasses, which have prisms to allow them to watch their lead climber without craning their necks painfully upwards. A milder strength of that might suit a cyclist if it was optically possible.

 

[vickster]

I use Oakley bottle rockets which seem to fit your spec? I have glazed prescription ones and they weren't inexpensive. The transitions lenses work very well

These options look a bit like your now defunct ones
http://www.rxsport.co.uk/categories...m-Sunglasses/Oakley-Prizm-Cricket-Sunglasses/

 

[Truth]

R.I.P. Oakleys
Oakley Half Jacket 2.0 are great and a bargain £55 from Chainreaction at the moment

 

[NickNick]

Rock climbers can buy belay glasses, which have prisms to allow them to watch their lead climber without craning their necks painfully upwards. A milder strength of that might suit a cyclist if it was optically possible.

Something along the lines of these:

 

[Jody]

I use Oakley bottle rockets which seem to fit your spec? I have glazed prescription ones and they weren't inexpensive. l

These are what I swapped to. Oakleys don't usually suite my head shape but these fit great. Found a opticians in London who were doing them insanely cheap so picked up a brand new set of polarised Bottle Rockets for £71 delivered.

 

[vickster]

These are what I swapped to. Oakleys don't usually suite my head shape but these fit great. Found a opticians in London who were doing them insanely cheap so picked up a brand new set of polarised Bottle Rockets for £71 delivered.

Cool, it was the prescription transitions lenses that made mine v expensive. Just be very careful should the lens come out, one of mine is chipped as a result and has had to be super glued!

 

[Jody]

Cool, it was the prescription transitions lenses that made mine v expensive. Just be very careful should the lens come out, one of mine is chipped as a result and has had to be super glued!

I'm hoping they don't but there are some companies online that do replacment standard lenses at a good price. I wanted to change the lense but don't want to compromide the frame by swapping to regularly so decided to leave them be.

 

[vickster]

I'm hoping they don't but there are some companies online that do replacment standard lenses at a good price. I wanted to change the lense but don't want to compromide the frame by swapping to regularly so decided to leave them be.

There’s no good price for replacement Rx lenses. I was told I would need a new pair at £250 (the frame is the cheap bit)

 

[Jody]

I feel for anyone needing a decent prescription. My partner is an optician and anything other than a low straight foward prescription is crazy money.

 

[vickster]

I feel for anyone needing a decent prescription. My partner is an optician and anything other than a low straight foward prescription is crazy money.

Mine's not that unusual, it's just what Rx Oakleys cost (I realise you're paying for the name but cheaper ones are typically fugly as) I can't cycle without. I might give contacts a go next spring when riding regularly again (luckily no hayfever!)

£300 every few years is affordable, but I'd rather pay less for something that looks good and works as well

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I can't cycle without. I might give contacts a go next spring when riding regularly again (luckily no hayfever!)

£300 every few years is affordable, but I'd rather pay less for something that looks good and works as well

I never ride without them due to contact lenses (for 30+ years now!)
Hayfever?, I used to as a kid/teenager, (to the point of being in an oxygen tent at times, in Hospital!) but it's got to be a really bad summer now to affect me

I reckon, that as I never lost them, £90 for the Mumbos was a damned good deal

I also have a pair of Frogskins somewhere (absolutely no idea where though!!), the original shape, in 'translucent grey, with purple iridium' lenses
The oranges lensed derivatives were passed onto someone else, as I couldn't get on with the tint

The 'Flak-Jackets'(??) were bought, by my wife, for a holiday (Florida 2012), when I stated I was taking my Frogskins



There was also, a pair of Blades (again, not sure where they are?) & 'Factory Pilots' - sold to someone on RetroBike (with 2 lenses, & original packet)