Polarized Lens and Powertap Computer

jwpicciotto

Had to replace my sun glasses due to cranial-rectal inversion on my part.  Got the new glasses and ready to rock.  Jumped on the bike to do my saturday ride and looked down at my power ta[p computer and couldn't see the display.  Crap (not may actual words but a good PG equivalent),  the lenses that were shattered in the above mentioned brilliant move were not polarized.  I know that the fix is to order another set of non-polarized lenses, but it sucks to have to swap out the more expensive lenses.  Any body else run onto this type of challenge? 

marianne

Yes i can't see my Garmin with polarized lens, so yes got new sunglasses, not prescription, but hey couldn't see my numbers!! m

Nemo Brauch

Yeah- I had to give up my polarized lenses to be able to look at the Garmin or the LYC a while back. Sucks 'cause I like riding with polarized lenses.

Julia Herrmann

Ditto here - I had to search around for sunglasses that specifically weren't polarized because I couldn't see my Garmin either.  Amazing how that narrowed down my options...!

Michele Cellai

Same. But I also would just move my eyes and not my head, thereby looking out the bottom where the lens was not touching my cheeks. That was a hassle. Easier to wear non-polarized lenses.

mgraffeo

You could try rotating the lyc 90 degrees ( I think the mount accommodates that). Might look funny, but you should be able to read it.

Cary Blanco

I got a set of Oakley's with transitions lenses last year and I've been very happy with being able to wear them in all sorts of lighting situations. I purchased them to replace a set that I lost on the bike leg of a sprint, I wasn't wearing them because it was early and overcast (low lighting) so I put them in my singlet pocket. It's also nice to have eye protection in low lighting.

I had no idea about the polarized lens vs. garmin/lyc thing, I could have easily gotten a set of those without knowing.

William Jenks

I'm surprised to read all this, since I am totally addicted to polarized lenses and have no issues reading my Garmin.  And yes, I know my glasses are polarized, since if I turn my head, the Garmin display disappears and because one of two pairs is a built in prescription lens.  (The other has a clear clip on lens behind the wrap-around polarized glasses)  I fully believe that polarized lenses cause a lot less eye strain than equivalently dark non-polarized ones and I am 99% sure that all of them are polarized in the same direction (lines parallel to the ground I believe), so buying a different pair won't change things.

 

One thought I have is that the LCD displays are also sensitive to the azimuthal angle that you view them from if you are wearing polarized lenses, i.e., if you lay the display flat on the ground and draw an arc that bisects it vertically, the best view is straight on, not (say) 45 degrees from the perpendicular.

 

My computer is mounted between my aero bars, just behind where my hands grip.  This makes it a lot easier to look down (less angle, don't have to look back at the stem) and the angle of my eyes hitting the computer is easily adjustable on the fly....and since it's right behind my hands, I don't worry about any aero issues.  (The heels of my hands are literally in contact with the top of the computer the vast majority of the time.)