Cycling in summer: advice and clothing guide

As cyclists, we all look forward to the arrival of summer with sunshine and good temperatures to enjoy our sport, but depending on our latitude, we may encounter challenging weather.

In this guide we have compiled a series of tips and tricks to turn these days into fantastic cycling outings.

Plan to enjoy

It's important to have an accurate forecast of the temperatures along the route at hand before you set off on a summer cycling trip. We live in the information age and accessing heat wave warnings and alerts is relatively easy, as well as thinking about other days to go out, if we are warned that the heat is going to be extreme or these are our first routes and our body is not acclimatized.

If we know a little of the territory, we can deduce the best routes to avoid the most leaden sun over our heads and even plan outings at lower speeds, less demanding, and therefore more enjoyable.

First and last hours of the day

When the sun falls vertically on the rider, it is annoying and even dangerous, a file that wears out the cyclist's capacity, often leaving him dry.

It is therefore important to make the effort to get up early, which not everyone likes, or to use the late afternoon, which is not as cool, but avoids the perpendicular incidence of the sun.

We insist on the first hour of the day, cycling is a pleasure to try. Nature awakens, the smells come to the surface and the heat is bearable.

If there is no other option but to go out in the central hours, then two important things:

• Sunscreen.
• Mineral salts together with water.

The first is important: apply it to your arms, legs, neck and nose, renewing it every 2-3 hours of walking. The second, something basic to avoid dehydration and also to drink in thin and repeated sips.

Dehydration, the enemy that doesn't warn you

Dehydration, the cyclist's number one enemy. How important it is to know what kind of heat we are suffering, dry or humid.

Although for normal life, the former is more bearable, humid heat is much more suitable for cycling, as it keeps the body always wet, with a feeling of perspiration that is perennial in the cyclist.

The same does not happen with dry heat, especially at altitudes above 1000 meters. When we climb a mountain pass, the body dries out imperceptibly, and the altitude contributes to this dryness. This is why it is always a good idea to drink, even if you don't feel like it, and not only during the ride, but also the days before.

From 35 ºC, the human body's performance drops, because the brain orders reach the different parts of the body with more difficulty, so we must take special care at this time, reduce the demand and even make short stops in the shade to hydrate and eat.

Clothing and accessories to enjoy cycling

In addition to the above, cycling clothing is essential, not only in terms of cooling and breathability, but also in terms of ultraviolet protection.

Gobik, born in a land of generous summers like Murcia, has a lot of experience in creating products with this profile. We review them below by category.

Jerseys

Models with a wide range of colors and designs to our choice and an average sun protection factor of 40 UPF.

We highlight the following models PHANTOM y CARRERAmodels, both for their exceptional breathability, perfect for the most intense and torrid days:

Also the INFINITY y ATTITUDEfor warmer days, but with their second-skin fit, they expel sweat to the outside in a masterful way.

Finally, the CX PRO y STARKThe fabrics are designed for a more relaxed fit, but with fabrics selected to promote air circulation and seek the rider's highest level of comfort.