Hello, there's been quite a few threads recently around the topic of prescription Oakleys which I've been a keen reader as I've been after some for a while.

It's fair to say that these glasses aren't cheap and there are so many lens options available it's difficult to know what's best to get and limited places to see exactly the lens you want.

So I bought my glasses from Extreme-Eyewear based at Xscape in Castleford. You can read the About bit for a feel for the company. I would've liked to have visited the shop myself as my parents don't live too far away however wasn't going over for a while and wanted the glasses for SITs.

I e-mailed the company a few times with questions and they always responded relatively quickly with polite and useful information (from Simon and Jane) even if it was a 'we're still waiting for a response from Oakley'.

The glasses I bought are Matt White Jawbones with the Grey MAR transition lens. Cost me £240 and come with a soft cloth bag, a fairly big sturdy case and some bigger nose pads (I guess for a slightly different fit). Think Transitions are one of the most expensive options so there are cheaper options.

You enter your prescription on the site and have the option of either entering your Pupil distance figure if you've managed to get it from your opticians cold dead hands or like me you can opt to have them send out an 'easy measurer'. This came the next day, I spent a weekend measuring my PD (measure twice cut once and all) and e-mailed them with my measurements mid morning on Monday. Apparently if your out by 1mm it makes no real difference 8)

Unfortunately I missed the post the following Saturday and had a missed delivery slip on the doorstep so I reckon within a week is really good going as wasn't expecting until late this week at best.

The lenses when not active are pretty darn clear straight out of the case which I think I'd be pretty happy with riding in the dark with them.

Today now the sun has come out I've been been out to see how dark they go. Whilst not amazing they certainly take the squint off in bright sunlight, but no means as good as a dedicated sunglass.
[img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dxWxpBU-mVc/TE8PtQapWxI/AAAAAAAADtA/NPQWFmFDBFM/s288/IMAG0067.jpg[/img]

With regards to timing between inactive->active I reckon about 15-20 seconds from either end of the scale. Going back again I reckon it's a few minutes. Having said that it's a gradual process so whilst riding I don't think you'd notice a big problem with them, unless you are blasting between really bright to really dark conditions at which point with sunglasses or clear lenses your stuffed anyway.

There is a new lens just released called Clear Black Iridium SOLFX which goes darker but I was told is also a little darker when inactive (search cyclingnews). However, in the bike shop on Saturday I did notice a pair of Switch Jackets which have that lens and it looked pretty clear to me even though it was near a window so it could be a better option if you either don't go night riding or ride mainly in brighter conditions (these are the lenses that Garmin have been riding the tour in).

So far I haven't ridden in them so not sure about steam up but every pair of glasses I've had do it so I'm not overly bothered, maybe changing to the bigger pads would help?

They are very light so wearing them isn't an issue, as the lens is so big I don't see the top of the frame or the outer edges. I do see the bottom of the frame and depending where I'm looking a white shadow near on the inside (I have a small head) but I don't think this will be an issue at all when riding. The lenses do take a little bit of getting used to especially when taking normal flat lenses off and putting the now curved lenses on. It's weird but again after a couple of minutes not an issue at all.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with them, a big outlay but should be fine for a couple of years at least unless my prescription changes, I can also look to get some non prescription lenses if I fancy for around £35.

There's an £85 difference between these and the optilabs reactions glasses but I'm glad I spent the extra as they are cool (and may make me ride as fast as Lance/Cav/Andy etc.

Hope this was helpful, if you want to see bigger pictures have a look at the below URL;
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/JonB07/Jawbone?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjt2eKy25OY9QE&feat=directlink

My optician told me that the performance of the transition lenses improves with use, so you may find they go darker then that after a while. Mine go so dark that when I'm skiing I often have to take them off and use ordinary sunglasses instead.

On the down side they're no use for driving – the windscreen blocks the UV that makes them go dark. 8)

Good review
I am pleased with my flack jacket xlj prescription glasses
bloody expensive tho

Half jacket prescription here. They will steam up, I think the vented lenses help but not sure you can get prescription and vented on the jaw bones.

WOW!! you must have really missed not being able to see to type 😛

Thanks for the comments guys, just thought it might help a few people and got in a creative flow 😀