Tips for Riding in the Heat
Days when the sun is out are usually the best time to ride our bike. Riding to the breeze is refreshing. The roads are clear making it all good to just be outside. But we must always know how to ride in any weather condition. Even if a clear sky makes for perfect cycling weather, we have to be prepared because if not, the sun can prove to be too much. Here are some of our tips in riding in the summer or hot weather.
1. Plan Your Ride
Planning your bike ride will minimize the risk of surprises as much as possible. Know the forecasted weather on the day of your ride and weigh your options. You want to be prepared for the weather on every bike ride. This will help you decide how long you want to be outside and what to bring on a ride, be it cool or hot weather.
2. Hydrate!
For most people, this is a no-brainer. However a lot of people still forget to properly hydrate often during bike rides. We lose water and other minerals through sweat during physical activities. Dehydration has also been associated with greater fatigue.
These lost resources must be replenished to maintain your body during and after sports, especially riding your bike in hot weather. Always bring enough hydration (water or sports drinks) during every bike ride. Drink as often as possible. Do not wait to feel thirst before quenching it. There is no one rule on how often you must drink, but a recommended ratio is to consume 1 to 1.5 liters of water for every liter of water lost. Find what drinking pattern works best for you.
3. Consume Proper Nutrition
Food, energy gels and sports bars are forms of nutrition you can consume on a long and hot bike ride. These contain calories and additional nutrients that your body can use to power yourself further on your ride.
Small snacks can easily be brought in the pockets of your cycling jersey and bib shorts. Energy gels are useful for taking in nutrition when you can’t stop your bike, like during a race. For longer rides, meal stops are a great way to not just catch your breath and take shelter from the sun, but to also have a larger meal to consume more calories to be used later.
4. Wear Proper Cycling Attire
Most modern cycling apparel are equipped to adequately protect you from the sun’s harmful rays and keep you cool. Ciclo Cycling Apparel’s cycling jerseys and bib shorts provide a protection of SPF 50.
Our apparel are also made with various breathable fabrics to keep you cool, with a mesh side panel for additional ventilation on your torso. Our fabrics are also moisture wicking to prevent sweat accumulation which can weigh you down and make your apparel prone to bacterial growth. We also offer cyclists the opportunity to customize their apparel with Ciclo Custom. There you can choose which specific fabrics we can use on your custom cycling kits.
5. Wear Sunscreen!
For every other part of your body that you can’t cover with clothing, apply sunscreen! Higher SPF ratings are better. And there’s a wide availability of sunscreen brands with SPF 100 ratings or above. For cycling, sunscreen is usually applied on the face, arms and legs.
I couldn’t agree more with your article! Keep up the good work.