I remember an employee of a bike store telling me bell had patented the visor transition technology. Can anyone chime in?
Transition Lens Motorcycle Visor?
- Thread starter tgmagas
- Start date
Transitions owns the patent (their implementation of it anyway) and branded it SolFX. Bell just has a licensing deal with them as does Akuma. I don't claim to know what their business deal is exactly but, Bell definitely doesn't own the technology (not unless they own Transitions). Photochromic technology has also been around for a long time prior to either of these companies.
Gf used to work at Lenscrafters and says their most complained about glasses are the ones with transition lenses because they take so long to change it pisses off the people that bought them. That said, my father has had transition lenses for decades and loves them.
My problems with transition with vision lenses =
1- too long to come off the shade
2- doesnt come on when you need it the most because of additional UV protection (ie. when driving a car)
But for a helmet faceshield, its perfect as you dont need super quick transitions as much
What about going from bright sunlight into a tunnel at speed? Probably not an issue for most people in southern Ontario, but it was the idea of a dark tunnel that got me wondering. Heading under the railway tracks on york/bay/yonge for example. It urban speeds I guess it isn't such a big deal if you just flip it open for a few seconds while it adjusts. Obviously it's working for the guys with the Bell helmets.
MarcosSantiago
Well-known member
Or have u seen these? UVISION Variotronic Ski Goggle marketed under the (German) Uvex brand
http://www.alphamicron.com/consumer/fx_variotronic_ski_goggles.html
Or have you seen these? Uvex gt 500 variotronic
http://www.fastbikesmag.com/2010/12/02/new-uvex-gt500-helmet-clever-stuff/
The three products above are the same technology (e-tint, uvex Goggle, uvex helmet)
EDIT: I contacted Uvex Germany a while back, maybe 2-3 years ago when the ski goggles were announced. They directed me to contact Sport Chek, the Canadian dealer. I sent an email to Sport Chek, and my email was forwarded to some one else within that company to look into... never heard anything else from Sport Chek... that's too bad
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Isn't this a problem for all tinted visors? The way I look at this is that my alternative visor would be dark smoke anyway. While the Transitions lens isn't any better in this scenario it isn't any worse either.
The ski goggle could be a handy application but I wonder if the goggle and lens' other properties are any good?
The ultimate in controllable tinting would theoretically be a bi-stable electrochromic substance that only needs a momentary charge to change states and remain in that state indefinitely (kind of like e-ink).
09SV650S
Well-known member
On my second one in my bell star carbon. Love the transitional. Never going back and great for track days too!
Shame it's not offered in AGV or others.
fearlessbob
Well-known member
Their photochromatic shield was one big factor in my decision to get Bell helmets. I have this on all 3 of my Bells. Love that shield. The transition is surprisingly quick, too.
Just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and inputs. You lot are making this term assignment easier and giving us great and useable feedback. The survey is now closed and we had more than enough responses. Thanks again!
