To those of you who have Oakley Radars, does the frame above the lenses significantly interfere with vision while in the aerobars? Just looking at the pictures online, the frame looks very sleek and not as obtrusive as other glasses. I currently use the Oakley Zero but they don’t fit my face very well and the customization options with the Radar are very cool. Thank you in advance for the advice.
I love mine and do not have an issue when in the aero position. Obviously there is a frame there, but it doesn’t bother me. They are a million times better than my old glasses.
I’m thinking about getting the Oakley Zeros…is that the only thing you don’t like about them is that they don’t fit your face so well? Would you recommend them otherwise?
I have two pairs of Radars and could nto be any happier with them. I’ve not used my M-Frames or my Racing Jackets all season because I’ve been so happy with the Radars.
Bob
Other than the size issue, the Zeros are fine. The “size issue” is there is a lot of room between the frame (near the logo) and my temples. I would rather have glasses that sit snug against my face. I have a pair of Tifosi that fit like a glove but the lens frame is too obtrusive and thick for my liking. There is no performance loss from the Zero size issue, just aesthetics and my vanity. The Zeros don’t slip too much and even when they do, I end up looking over the lens which is fine.
I started using the Radars this year becasue I was getting too annoyed with the top frame bar on my Half Jackets while aero…The Radars are significantly better in this department. Though the frame is visible it is not at all obtrusive. I think they are pretty solid in all.
How snug is the fit of the Radar?
I have to preface any opinion with the fact that I am an Oakley retailer and an ardent Oakley technophile groupie.
One of the primary reasons I decided to have Lasik was to be able to wear the Radars. They are the next progression in the category that Oakley really invented, the sport sheild sunglass. All the normal stuff applies: Lowest distortion, innovative lens tints, exceeds the federal standard for impact resistance that applies to industrial safety glasses.
In addition the Radars have a new coating that enables perspiration, water and mist to sheet off thelens surface much more easily. I’ve tried it- it works. Run through an aid station late in a race and dump a cup over your head and it stays remarkably clean.
As for field of view, it is good in the Radars- quite good in fact. It is not as good as Rudy Project’s Sport Mask as seen on Rasmussen in the Tour de France. I wore the Sport Mask this morning on a 40 mile ride in hot temps (leant my Radars to someone on the ride to try…) and the field of view was unsurpassed but they were laden with perspiration to the degree they compromised my view by mile 30. Not good.
I love the Radars. Wore them Saturday at Steelhead and was very pleased with them. Recommended.
You might want to check out the Flak Jackets as well. I was looking at Radars and ended up going with the FJs instead. They are comfortable, fit well, work fine for biking, and also have the hydrophobic lenses that Tom mentioned. They’re also a little cheaper than the Radars.
“One of the primary reasons I decided to have Lasik was to be able to wear the Radars.”
Aren’t the Radars available in Rx? I’m interested in getting a pair, but the next sunglasses I buy I’m getting Rx lenses. Is that a bad idea?
I agree with everything Tom said about the visibility of the Radars and the advancement of the sport glasses Oakley has made. I would say that for heavy sweaters like myself who occasionally sweat off sunscreen onto the lenses, the hydrophobic coating is meaningless. That said, it works like a champ for water and sweat alone.
RV
My M-frames fit better. But the lenses are not even comparable. So I wear the Radars now. If they ever start making a phobic lense for the M-frame I’ll go back to the M-frame. PLEASE produce a phobic lense for the M-frame. There’s no issue of the top piece of the frame on either set in the aero position. But I do find that the Radar frame tends to only occasionally slide from my nose. Whereas the M-frame fits snug and stays snug. Also I found that the smallest lense shape on the Radar directed sweat to drop off the lense very close to my eyes. May be the way I sit and ride but I’ve since went with the middle size lense.
Do you have the polarized lenses or just the regular lenses? With regular Oakley lenses already being of a high quality, is it worth the extra dough to get the upgrade?
You can by the hydrophobic kit and apply the finish to any lense. It’s like $35.
I haven’t used it but from the research I’ve done the treatment lasts for about one use at best and still doesn’t do a very good job.
Polarized lenses are definitley worth the cost in any glasses IMO. I love polarized lenses, however I don’t have them in the majority of my sunglasses.
I’ll have to second Tom D’s opinion. I have both zeros and radars, and while I too was concerned about the frame interfering with view from the aero position, I find that they fit my face so that the frame sits above my brow line and I don’t notice that it’s there. The tackiness of the rubber on the nosepiece and earpieces keep them from sliding as well.
The venting is better, too. However, it’s that hydrophobic coating on the lens of the radars that made me put the zeros away. That stuff really works, sweat just runs right off the lens and doesn’t leave any smudging. Pretty cool stuff.
I’m reasonably certain the Radar is not Rx capable at this time. Also, even Oakley’s Rx sport sheild glasses (M-frame) weren’t so hot. The Half Jackets were excellent and I wore Rx half-jackets until I got lasik.
Now I can wear anything.
I’ve experiemented with several lenses and the polarized lens was one of them. It made the sky look more dramatic with enhanced contrast, removed glare from water and pavement under brilliant sun. It does react oddly with a cyclocomputer screen and some vehicle windows, producing an odd and bothersome black area.
I can’t remember where I saw it, but I have seen Frank Schleck of the CSC team with RX Radars.