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What you wear when riding your bike is totally up to you. You really don’t need to wear any specialist clothing at all if you don’t want to – but on anything more than a pootle to the shops there is likely to be some trade off in comfort if you don’t. Basically the faster you ride the hotter you get and that means sweat. If you want to stay comfortable you need to be wearing clothes that can deal with the heat and the sweat, you need technical fibres. That doesn’t mean to say you need to get togged up like you’re going to tackle the Tour de France. |
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These days there are whole ranges of technical cycling clothes from the likes of Surface and bspoke, designed to look like normal casual clothing but using technical fabrics cut so that they work on the bike. That means jackets with subtly dropped tails at the back to protect your rear end from the elements and slightly longer sleeves so your wrists are still covered when you are in a more stretched out position on the bike. |
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Hidden vents help you deal with excess heat on the move and there is clever use of reflective detailing – so you can wear your favourite jacket in non-cycling company and only dazzle them with your wit! There has also been a big upsurge in the use of natural fibres such as merino wool and merino wool mixes for cycling tops. Merino is very effective at wicking away sweat and is much more odour resistant than polyester. Again, many of these tops are designed to looks as good off the bike as on it. |
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For round town this sort of clothing is ideal. All that said, Lycra still has its place. If you are riding longer distances, particularly longer distances at pace, clothes made for the job will increase your comfort and enjoyment of the experience no-end. Lycra shorts give you support and padding in all the right places. They deal with excess heat and moisture to keep you as comfortable and dry as possible. |
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Technical base layers, jerseys and jackets do a similar job of managing your personal microclimate while also protecting you from the elements and the buffeting of the road. That’s why for all it’s figure hugging faults so many cyclists still wouldn’t leave home without it.
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