Sunglasses / Photochromic lenses?

[Fiddlesticks]

Does anyone use photochromic/self-tinting glasses for riding in? I know they're not supposed to work behind a car windscreen, but what about a helmet visor?

[S-Westerly]

When I retire I'll probably try a pair but they are banned from use on the navigation bridge of ships so don't know right now.

[Simon Davey]

Motorcycle visors are polycarbonate, which will block pretty much all UV, and it's UV that triggers photochromatic lenses to darken.

 

Although, I'm sure I saw some lenses once that were supposed to change behind glass.

Edited May 17, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Fiddlesticks]

1 hour ago, S-Westerly said:

When I retire I'll probably try a pair but they are banned from use on the navigation bridge of ships so don't know right now.

That's a strong contender for fun/obscure fact of the day!

 

38 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

Motorcycle visors are polycarbonate, which will block pretty much all UV, and it's UV that triggers photochromatic lenses to darken.

 

Although, I'm sure I saw some lenses once that were supposed to change behind glass.

I thought that might be the case. There are lenses that are supposed to overcome this, but at a price.

[RideWithStyles]

i just have the anti reflective coatings as i dont want anyother more coatings for my work wife but wears them, she gettingthe new updated ones that work even with uv blocker car windscreens.  some tinted visors do restrict them to an extent but limited compared to car ws.

Edited May 17, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[bonio]

Never liked the idea of them myself. With a sunsheild in the helmet I can go from sun to shade and with a flip of the finger I can see clearly again. But with tinted lenses, I'm not going to want to wait however many minutes it is until I'm  able to see the next bend. But I've never tried them so perhaps I'm imagining a problem that doesn't exist?

[keith1200rs]

I have used photochromic lenses for nearly 50 years- on motorbikes and in cars with no problems. They are a lot better than they used to be but I still use a sun visor in the car and my helmet sun visor on the bike when looking into the sun.

[geofferz]

Why not get a photochromatic visor? I tried one, it was okay, not dark enough at all though, still good if that's what you're after 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have them and much prefer riding in them to messing about with drop down visors.

 

Driving a car they don't work so well but I find that on the bike the visor doesn't stop them from working. 

 

They are not as dark as the drop down visors in either of my helmets so going into tunnels has never been an issue. I find I can see better on roads with overhanging trees that create dark patches with photochromics than riding in untinted lenses and using the sun visor. 

[Phil1]

Got a deployable sun visor in my helmet. Dead easy to use and works perfectly. I used to use sunglasses before I got this helmet and I didn't like not having a quick easy way to change if the conditions change. 

[Bungleaio]

My varifocals that I wear all the time are self tinting and they will still tint in the car and with my helmet on. They work really well and I don't have any issue, they don't tint as dark as sunglasses do so I still use the drop down in my helmet when necessary.