Anatomy of a Photo: Rule #47

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• @Malfadactus

  Not sure if this is the appropriate venue for this question, but here goes. I have a serious problem with dry eyes on long rides. Even when wearing sunglasses, after four or five hours, one eye dries out to the point where I can't even see out of it, and the other eye gets pretty marginal. Not pleasant and downright dangerous. So, if I were to obtain and wear a set of old school goggles, like the gentleman in the photo above, would that be a rules violation? Would I have to obtain and wear the rest of the old school kit-button collar wool shirt, cap, etc? Could I put the helmet straps over the google straps? So many issues.

  You would have to be period-specific in every respect. No helmet, flip-flop wheel for gear shifting, etc.

  What kind of eyewear are you using? Are you getting a draft behind the eyes that is drying them out or, forgive the obvious question, are you forgetting to blink? I can't really think of reasons outside those two that would cause dry eyes, but maybe @Buck Rogers who is an eye surgeon would know?

  I have gotten to the point in some efforts where I've forgotten to blink and my eyes dry out. Blinking more often helps with that!

  I'd say if there is a draft behind your shades, you don't have the right sun glasses for your face. Try something else with better coverage - maybe a jawbone or something more like that.

• @frank

  @JoeB

  One of the Pavé boys - Alex Voisine - is a nutjob for oldschool racing; I believe André Leducq is his idol. He's got a 1919 period accurate cobble-eating fixie that he raced on the Strade Bianche last year. He also organized a fixie edition of Paris-Roubaix. To each their own.

  But Alex doesn't fuck around.

  He also races his Penny Farthing, which is crazy.

  Alex is a proper hardman. Hardly looked out of breath as he dragged us round the Roubaix route. He also took us on the most perfect recovery ride the next morning.

  He raced his penny farthing in London recently, not sure if he's doing the penny farthing race at the London Nocturn but the whole event would make a good night out. Unfortunately, I'm off for a weekend in Rome but it would be a great opportunity for London Velominati to get together for a few beers.

• @Chris Unfortunately, I'm off for a weekend in Rome.

  Seriously? you use the word "unfortunately." I'll swap you, a weekend in West Bend, WI for your weekend in Rome. Mind you, the traffic around here will be better than in the Eternal City and hopefully they'll have caught the pedophile who's on the loose! Encountered all kinds of sheriffs and an overhead helicopter last night while I was out. I felt so pro, what with the helicopter overhead, but alas, it was busy doing more important stuff than covering my 90 km ride.

• @Malfadactus Yeah, as Frank says, forgetting to blink can really exacerbate dry eye and this happends to me when I ride sometimes or even during surgery.  We are trained during residency to remember to blink when operating under the microscope b/c when you are inherently focusing on a near task with total concentration you suppress your blink reflex and your eyes dry out and blur.   It is much worse for people with dry eyes.  Frank nailed everything, though.  Use wrap around sunglasses.  If you wear contact lenses it can be worse as well as your eyes will dry out faster.  Besides blinking more, getting better/tighter fitting sunglasses, and not wearing contacts, there's not a lot you can do.  You can use artificial tears but I would not want to try to put those in while actually riding!

• @Buck Rogers

  But then again, I claim to be a Christian and if you read deeply into that it really is not too much more credible than Mormanism except that it all happened 2000 years ago instead of 200 years ago.

  Yeah, I'm going to hell.

  It's refreshing to hear a Christian say that. If there is a hell, all the Velominati will be meeting up there. It will be fun.

• TBone - It looks really faded, better pass it along to me. I LOVE scoring deals on stuff, makes me smile every time I wear/ride/use it. Assos on sale, nice! I swear their bib prices have shot up in the last couple of years, since I bought a few at once.

  I'm Mr. Last Year's Model. However now that I'm loosely sponsored by Parentini, I've put the vest in the mail for you. Keep an eye out for it.

• @Buck Rogers

  @Malfadactus Yeah, as Frank says, forgetting to blink can really exacerbate dry eye and this happends to me when I ride sometimes or even during surgery. We are trained during residency to remember to blink when operating under the microscope b/c when you are inherently focusing on a near task with total concentration you suppress your blink reflex and your eyes dry out and blur. It is much worse for people with dry eyes. Frank nailed everything, though. Use wrap around sunglasses. If you wear contact lenses it can be worse as well as your eyes will dry out faster. Besides blinking more, getting better/tighter fitting sunglasses, and not wearing contacts, there's not a lot you can do. You can use artificial tears but I would not want to try to put those in while actually riding!

  Thanks for the input.  I have been shopping for a new set of glasses that will fit tighter, and I have an appointment with the eye doc next week.  But the old pictures with the goggles made me wonder if new glasses would just be a half-measure that might or might not work.  I guess the real issue is whether I would feel sillier in absurdly expensive pro-style sunglasses, or in absurdly retro old-style goggles.

• @chris - the nocturne is a great night out. A friend of mine has done the folding bike race A couple of times. Alex Dowsett in the main event last year was spectacular - dieselled off the front and ended up lapping the field. The cheer he got when he got back on the group was enormous!

• @the Engine

  @Nate

  @the Engine

  @Ron

  Today's Trivia: What cyclist is Belgium's most recent Grand Tour winner, as well as what year and what race?

  (I've never heard of him but was just reading an article and jeez, seems like a long time for such a nation, despite their focus on the Classics.)

  Lucien Van Impe, TdF 1976 - although Wiggins was born in Belgium wasn't he?

  Johan De Muynck, 1978 Giro.

  Bugger - Wiggo it is then

  You poms and your Wiggo fanboyism.  Take it from a 'murican: this will not end well.

• @Malfadactus

  The Tifosi Pave frames with the "Light Night Fototec" lens work well for me and are not that expensive.