By Andrew Montgomery www . sportivecyclist . com
52 | Cycling World
How to look good cycling
By Andrew Montgomery www . sportivecyclist . com
Back in the day , Tour de France riders cresting a mountain pass would grab newspapers held out by eager fans and shove them down the front of their jerseys . The crumpled newsprint offered some protection from heat loss caused by the bracing Alpine winds on the way down .
Thankfully , with the range and flexibility of cycling clothing available these days , neither the modern procyclist nor the keen amateur has to resort to stuffing the latest copy of Cycling World anywhere about their person . A relief .
But what should you be thinking about when planning what to wear on your next bike ride ? Here are a few considerations .
Firstly , planning is essential . I ’ m not suggesting a full ( clipboard-based ) risk assessment , but a little thought in advance will go a long way to avoiding a misery-inducing clothing gaffe .
Every ride is different . What you wear should be driven ( at least to an extent ) by the nature of the ride :
How far will you be riding and how long will it take you ? Most people can deal with a bit of discomfort ( an unexpected soaking , say ) if the ride will be over in 20 minutes . Knowing that you have 50 miles left to ride , whilst soaked to the bone , is an entirely different prospect .
Staying on weather , have you checked the forecast ? If it * is * going to rain , you ’ ll probably want to wear ( or take with you ) some sort of jacket ( whether that ’ s a simple rain cape or a more sophisticated breathable number ). If it ’ s going to be hot , can I suggest that thermal underwear might not be appropriate ?
Over what terrain will you be riding ? If it ’ s a muddy trail , then you ’ ll want to choose clothing that can withstand the grime being flung up at you by the wheels ( even if you have mudguards ). I ’ ve already alluded to the changeability of weather in the mountains . The conditions in the valleys can be very different to what ’ s going on in the higher mountain ( or hilltop ) roads , even in the summer .
What are you going to do afterwards ? If you ’ re just going for a ride , and you plan to change afterwards ( or not ), then this is less of a concern . If you ’ re riding into town to meet a friend for lunch , then you might not like to dress in full Lycra warrior-mode ( unless it ’ s one of those sorts of eateries )!
But what are the clothing essentials for any bike ride ?
My recommendation is to start with the body parts that will touch the bike . These will tend to be the places where you most benefit from making some cyclo-specific choices .
Down to business ( or the business end ). If you ’ re looking to ride for any longer than an hour , or any distance if you ’ re on a road bike , consider wearing some padded clothing on your derriere . Most commonly , this will be a pair of padded cycling shorts .
Road cyclists will just wear padded shorts ( with overtights or leg warmers if it is cold ). When I ’ ve cyclocommuted , I ’ ve worn a pair of ( more flattering ) shorts over the top of padded shorts . You can buy baggy , but nonetheless cycling-specific , shorts that come with a padded inner . There ’ s no reason why you can ’ t wear padded shorts under trousers .
And for the avoidance of doubt , no , you don ’ t wear underwear beneath your cycling shorts . They work best when the pad is against your skin .
An increasing number of companies are making trousers that have ride-specific features , aside from padding , whilst still looking smart off the bike . Some have reflective beading , making you more visible in car headlights , or turn-ups with large reflective panels underneath that serve the same purpose ( whilst also keeping the trouser material out of the way of your chain ).