For a few weeks we have entered the season of cycling tours, these events that we have marked on the calendar and that make us so excited.
For some they are an excuse to get the most out of their body together with other cyclists, while for others they are a pleasant way to celebrate a festive day, discovering new places without ending up exhausted.
In both cases there are some common denominators. Many times long routes are proposed with a lot of unevenness, which the cyclist does not master beyond the altimetry. Being a relatively unknown area, the temperatures, the wind, and the weather conditions in general, can surprise more than one.
The large number of hours spent on the bike can witness a thousand different situations: cold, heat, humidity, high-altitude passes, long descents…
To try to overcome these circumstances, in this article we give you 5 tips to know how to dress for one of these cycling tours.
Undershirts are essential. With them the evacuation of sweat is facilitated, avoiding irritations in the abdominal and pectoral area. They can also help keep the heart rate monitor strap secure for those who use it.
There are different types of undershirts. Some are designed to maintain body heat, ideal for cold situations, while there are others that are much lighter, with a “grid” appearance, designed for days with high temperatures.
The cycling tours usually start very early, maybe right with the first rays of sun. In addition, in mountainous areas, surely the cool temperatures, together with the nerves, make more than one participant tremble.
Then we begin to warm up the engine, and the embarrassment already makes an appearance. But, minutes later, we are faced with an endless descent. To deal with all these situations, we recommend getting a vest, a light garment that is easy to put on and take off, which will even serve us in the event that 4 drops fall and which takes up practically no space in the rear pockets of the jersey.
It seems that cycling gloves are no longer necessary. From our point of view, quite the opposite, they only bring advantages. They guarantee us a better touch with the handlebars, they allow us to get the sweat out of our eyes and, above all, they protect our hands in the event of a fall.
In addition, they also prevent the formation of calluses on the fingers, despite spending hours and hours pedaling.
If you attend the start by car, with someone who is not going to participate in the event or there is the possibility of leaving a bag in a ticket office, we advise you to bring clothing for different weather conditions. Even if you have checked the forecast several times, you never know how the day will turn out.
Once there, choose the clothes that best suit the weather. You may need some sleeves, a neck warmer, one type of undershirt or another, some toecaps for the shoes…
It will not be the day to make inventions, neither in terms of food nor clothing. You must make sure that the garments adapt well to your body and that there are no uncomfortable points, with rubbing, seams or annoying labels.
With these 5 tips you already know everything to face one of the challenges of the year. Also do not forget to eat during the route, otherwise, it can be very long!