While we may have passionately wished for the start of the warm season, we now need to prepare for how to deal with the heat. For cycling enthusiasts, and in general, for those just starting out, the idea of pedaling under the scorching July sun can extinguish the desire to ride. Don’t worry; with a few essential precautions, you can continue exploring the world on your bike even in summer. We’ve gathered 3 unconventional tips you may not have considered.
- Wear Gloves
- Don't Forget Your Lips!
- Programma break per raffreddare il tuo corpo
1. Wear Gloves
Yes, I know. It’s the middle of June, you’re riding your favorite bike, and it’s almost lunchtime. The last thing you’d think of doing is stopping, opening your bike bag, and pulling out your gloves.
So, are you telling me that… with 30°C (86°F) and a blazing sun, I should put on even more clothes?!
It may seem counterintuitive, but our clothing is the first line of defense against annoying (and dangerous) sunburn.
When the hottest season of the year arrives, we tend to protect roughly the same body areas, and we rarely think about our hands. Yet, during a sunny summer day, a biker’s hands are one of the areas most exposed to the risk of sun damage. Since they are often forgotten when discussing sunburn and irritation, hands are a frequent site of sun erythema (redness).
Summer cycling gloves are easy to find commercially.
Along with your hands, also protect your neck, arms, and chest by applying sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.
P.S. If you’re the type who can’t wait to jump into the water when the weather gets hot, there’s a route on Lake Trasimeno that allows you to do just that between rides.
2. Don't Forget Your Lips!
Many athletes are reluctant to use sunscreen because the combination of sweat and dust accumulated during long, fun summer outdoor days can cause that classic, unpleasant stickiness.
Yet, sunscreen is essential and is now recommended by all dermatologists. One area often forgotten when discussing sun protection is the lips.
Using sun protection on your lips is one of the best ways to protect them from the sun’s rays.
If you’re already dreading the feeling of sunscreen smeared on your face, don’t worry, there’s a solution: instead of using normal face sunscreen, try a hydrating lip balm that also includes SPF protection.
And no, don’t worry, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
One final secret: try to reapply it every two hours to maintain protection during the hottest hours.
3. Schedule Breaks to Cool Your Body
Let’s be honest, it’s not news if I told you that to avoid suffering from the heat while cycling, you just need to drink a glass of cold water or eat an ice pop.
But while that’s obvious, what might not be obvious is to plan your bike ride in advance by identifying refreshment points along the route that can provide the coolness you need. Because you will certainly need it during your ride!
Therefore, our advice is not just to look for a shady spot under the leaves of a tree on a lake shore, but to find something that cools you down from the inside: cold water, an ice pop, an ice cream, or even better, fresh fruit. This will help lower your internal temperature.
To do this, we advise against riding at your limit during the hottest hours (11:00 AM – 3:00 PM) and choosing routes that lack refreshment stops along the way.
Think carefully about where to set your ride, because without this seemingly trivial precaution, your day could turn into a stressful experience you’d rather forget.
