Shopping
You have your bike, and you’re ready to ride. Well, before you get out there and start pedaling around your favorite park of trail, you’ll need to have all the gear to make you really look the part. You’ll need the right biking gloves, bike riding boots, biking shirt and of course, a cycling hat. Because, yes real cyclists do wear cycling hats.
Having the right gear however, just isn’t all about looking like a true professional cyclist. Having the right cycling shirt and pants, gloves and boots will also make you feel more comfortable when you are out enjoying your bike ride.
Biking gloves for example, will help reduce fatigue in your hands and fingers and as they are padded, they will also help to absorb any shock that transfers from your bike handlebars through to your hands and arms. And of course, in colder conditions, they will also keep your hands and fingers warm.
The right biking shirt and pants will also provide the comfort you need when you’re riding. Biking shirts are available in synthetic materials that will reduce sweat and keep you cool when you’re pedaling hard along that road or track. Bike pants with padding will provide comfort in the saddle especially when you’re on a long ride.
Bike riding boots will help keep your feet firmly in the pedals while also reducing fatigue in your feet.
Cycling hats also offer a number of benefits. But remember, you should always wear a bike helmet as well. Most riders wear their cycling hats under their helmets. But why bother if you are wearing a bike helmet?
Well, there are a number of reasons why you’d wear a hat under your helmet. Firstly, your helmet won’t protect you from getting sunlight in your eyes when you’re riding towards the sun. A cycling cap with a peak at the front will help protect your eyes, even if you are wearing sunglasses or bike goggles.
Also, wearing a cycling hat underneath your helmet will provide a bit of added comfort, as helmets do not always feel that comfortable on your head, especially if you don’t have too much hair on your head.
Another reason, if you do have hair on your head, is that when you get off your bike and take your helmet off, you can cover your helmet hair. This may seem trivial, but try taking your helmet off after a long ride, your hair will likely be very sweaty, for some, this may look okay. For most of us however, we certainly want to cover up our helmet hair, especially if we’re stopping for a coffee in the middle of a ride.
When buying a cycling hat, there’s a wide variety to choose from. They are available in natural fibers such as cotton and wool as well as synthetics. You can choose from a one size fits all or a hat in your size that fits you just right. One thing you need to consider is that you want to get good air flow through the cap, otherwise wearing a cycling hat could end up being just as uncomfortable as just wearing a helmet, perhaps even more so.
So yes, real cyclists do wear hats…under their helmets.
Tags: bike riding boots, biking gloves, biking shirts, cycling hat, cycling hats
