Orient Express - Cheap Chinese Rims / Wheels / Forks / Frames / Cranks / Etc

I'm with sumo on this. I had some real oakleys but wanted to try some alternative lens colours so bought some well reviewed 3rd party lenses and they were shit in comparison to the real deal. There may be some excellent fake lenses but I think you get what you pay for.

I've been very impressed with my bloc glasses and the lenses are just as good as anything I've experienced with Oakley, spy or similar at a fraction of the price. Plus they're a UK company, so worth supporting with your hard earned sterling.

fuck paying £160 for glasses that I drop twice every ride.

Had 2 real vs 2 fake. I know which I won't be buying ever again.

I've got to be honest, I don't really understand.

Yes Oakley are expensive, but I haven't ever seen a fake pair that stacks up against them. If price is a factor why not choose a reputable cheaper brand like Bloc? Sun glasses are there to protect your eyes.

Is it just that you just prefer the style or do you want to look like you have more expensive glasses?

I'd be really interested if smallfurry did manage to test his pair. For me it's the uncertainty that is a concern. If you spent days riding in the sun you might not notice any damage until it's too late. Whereas at least you can periodically check the brake track of a crabon rim.

Its a bit like buying fake Enve bars when they're almost the same cost and heavier than a pair of half decent alu ones.

Broke official frames, bought the foakleys to use with the official lenses.

Also polycarbonate blocks UV-A and -B.

Its classic rule of diminishing Returns though.

My fake POCs seem decent optically. The mid price Salice they are replacing are better. My old Oakleys are better again.

Yeah, I agree.

I've never being trying to claim foakley = oakley lens, if anything I originally stated foakley != oakley. I think you'd have to be pretty foolish to believe 5 lenses for £12 are the same quality as 1 or 2 for £120. They are not whole different league or unusable though. Whatever your justification for buying them, you get functional cheap sunglasses.

Plus they're a UK company

I did not know that. Which ones have you got? Titan any good?

Makes sense.

Do Oakley no longer do free frame replacement?

Yeah, I've got Titan's. Scoot is using the Shadows I think. I like their casual frames a lot, I've been using the Coast frames daily. The lenses are very good for the price.

Titan look very appealing indeed. Also have prescription insert .. I could dump the contact lens approach. Is Oakley essentially hipster tax? What lenses have you got?

I've got polarised lenses, but you might want to ask @Cazakstan how she's got on with her prescription inserts. Should be ok as long as you have the thorough prescription, but I think hers weren't quite right when we initially got them made.

If you email them, I think they might be able to offer any of their lenses in any frame in your prescription for a bit extra.

Good stuff, will email.

Yeah the Bloc optical inserts are good quality but mine were not made correctly because I didn't provide my pupil distance measurement.

any pic? (of you wearing them if possible)

At least buy me a drink first!

I'll send you a pic later.

ha! Gonna email them and see what they see, I know my pupil distance and have got a proper prescription too ;)

I'm currently poor. So am easily pleased. If I get into a better position I may get fussyer.

One thing I need to test. Is whether or not they mist horribly.

I live in Norway and am a sweaty pig. So when climbing in the Mountains the lenses will often have sub zero temps and bone dry air on one side, and nasty sweaty humid air on the other. In my experiance. Ventilation is at least as important as any fancey coating, and the POCs seem well vented. So they may be fine.

Hey, I have a proper prescription too, I'm proper blind +5.00 and +5.50 with astigmatism in both eyes, come at me bro..

:P

what do you do on longer rides? contacts and shades or prescription inserts? I've always used contacts and Oakleys .. good but not as comfortable on eyes as glasses. I am like -2.00 each eye.

Until now just worn my regular glasses and squinted.

Plan now will be Bloc titans with optical inserts for racing and training rides. Contacts and Bloc casual shades for sunny social rides.

Think it's a couple of years warranty period rather than lifetime now. I'm an idiot in the way I broke them and for misplacing proof of purchase. TBF they offered a good chunk off some new ones, but I wasn't exactly bathing in cash at the time so took a chance on the cheaper option.

one of my bottle holders doesnt seem to hold as well as the other unfortunately. will have to buy some more.. they arent the sturdiest, doubt they would do well on a mtb. insanely light though

I've got one of the plain carbon bottle cages called D13. Perfectly happy with it. Can't promise it would work for MTB use though.

27.2 carbon seatpost for cheap - any recommendations?

Jawbreakers have arrived, I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality. All the mechanisms work reasonably well and the included lenses seem fine. I'll give them a go soon to see how they do on the road, but I'm not expecting any issues.

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dang thats irritating! ive done about 5 hours with mine now without bottle going airborne yet