Cycling In The Rain With Prescription Glasses/ Specs Can Be Difficult

Last year when I started riding the biggest question was riding in the rains. I sat on the fence looking at the BRM calendar last year because they were all during the monsoon. Don’t get me wrong, I am not scared of getting wet or the flying mud and slush, it’s my spectacles. 

I would like to share a few pointers for all the people who struggle in the rain with prescription glasses or specs. I have suffered last year and finally seem to have found a solution this year. 

 

Specs + rain = Disaster

 

I did ride extensively in the rains and monsoon last year and suffered. I did the Pandharpur wari ride, a few BRM’s and many training rides. The problem with specs/ glasses during the rain is that the moment it rains and the water droplets start accumulating on the glass the whole focus of the glass changes. Which means that visibility decreases considerably or one starts getting a headache. 

 

I carried paper napkins and my trusted handkerchief, but the handkerchief would be itself wet in the rain and cleaning the glasses would get tough. Paper napkins were a pain to be taken out during the ride and failed. I would be pissed and troubled enough to take off the specs and put them in the pocket and ride. My visibility isn’t very poor but I have a number of -2.75 on one of the eyes. This again meant that I would end up getting a headache. 

Night time riding during the BRM’s was bigger trouble sans the specs. 

I tried many options like using an MTB helmet to block off some rain but while riding they all proved to be useless.

 

The solution to Riding in the Rain

I spoke to many riders last year and was recommended to use a helmet with a visor. Could not muster the courage to get a new helmet. Finally, read a few reviews and a bit of research on Aliexpress and found a helmet with a magnetic visor on Aliexpress. This one is CE rated and comes with three magnetic visors. One dark, one yellow for night riding and one multicolored dark. Specs can be worn easily and then comes the visor on top of it without any discomfort or trouble. 

Because of the Magnetic nature, the visor can be removed during the ride and put on the top. I used the yellow one during the recent 600 BRM and it helped me with fending off the rain during night and day. The yellow glasses have excellent visibility in the dark. 

 

The way the visor helps is that the rain falls on the visor without disturbing the specs. The water droplets can be wiped with the back of the gloves and still have good visibility. 

 

Rain + Rain jacket = Dehydration

Another thing I learned last year was that riding with a rain jacket can cause misery and can get very dangerous. 

Rain jackets, even the best ones cause sweat to build up, which means that you will be wet anyway. Plus the excess sweating can cause dehydration. Riding in the rain, one does not really feel thirsty and this can cause havoc.

I hope this blog can help you prepare for your rainy rides ahead if you are someone wearing prescription glasses.