{"id":19691,"date":"2021-07-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/cycling-in-hot-weather-7-tips-to-keep-you-cool\/"},"modified":"2021-09-15T13:06:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T11:06:21","slug":"cycling-in-hot-weather-7-tips-to-keep-you-cool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/cycling-in-hot-weather-7-tips-to-keep-you-cool\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling in hot weather: 7 tips to keep you cool"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/b>There is no doubt that <\/span>the vast majority of cyclists prefer warm weather to being out in the cold.<\/b> Cycling in the sun is much more enjoyable as we don’t have to wear as many clothes and everything simply feels and looks nicer. But<\/span> riding a bike in the hot weather, especially when the temperatures are very high, also entails its share of issues and challenges, <\/b>particularly if we are not used to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you live in an area with moderate temperatures and decide to participate in a race\/event or to go on a route on holidays, in a place where the weather is very hot, your body will not be used to such conditions. Ideally, you would want to spend a few days acclimatizing but that’s not always possible. In order to ride a bike and fight the heat, you can try to follow these 7 tips:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • Choose appropriate clothing<\/li>\n

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  • Wear sunscreen<\/li>\n

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  • Avoid going out during the midday hours<\/li>\n

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  • Stay hydrated<\/li>\n

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  • Cool down as much as possible<\/li>\n

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  • Lower your core temperature<\/li>\n

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  • Rehydrate and cool your body after the ride<\/li>\n

    <\/b><\/p>\n

    Before going into the details of these 7 recommendations, let us explain briefly <\/span>how our body works when it\u2019s hot and we go out cycling:<\/b><\/p>\n

    One of the first things that happens is <\/span>sweating: that’s how our body defends itself against the heat sensation. <\/b>It\u2019s similar to the sensor in the car engine when it detects overheating and activates the cooling system. In our case, the body starts sweating to cool down. <\/span>It\u2019s our “air conditioning” that comes as standard. <\/b>Sweat is basically only water so it conducts heat very well, that is why we sweat to release heat from our body. In order for this mechanism to work properly we should wear the right clothes, allow our body to sweat, get properly hydrated and cool our bodies however we can (shade, air, water). Now, let’s get down to the tips:<\/span><\/p>\n

    1 – Choose appropriate clothing<\/b><\/h3>\n

    If we rode our bikes in our birthday suits, the water would evaporate, our skin would dry out and our body would keep sweating to adjust its temperature. The problem is that we are not nudist bikers, <\/span>we wear jerseys and bib shorts that can have a positive or negative influence on the proper functioning of our natural air conditioning system.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    If the cycling jersey or bib shorts is not breathable enough and blocks sweat instead of wicking it away, the moisture accumulates on our skin, on our clothes, and eventually the cooling effect it is supposed to have on the body is gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    It is important to look for clothing that protects us from the sun and heat, while being as light and breathable as possible. <\/b>In hot weather, a jersey or bib shorts made of thick, heavy and non-breathable fabrics absorb sweat, but do not wick it away efficiently, making the garments heavier and more uncomfortable, hindering our body’s ability to regulate its own temperature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Siroko SRX cycling jerseys and bib shorts<\/a> are perfect for hot weather conditions. They offer sun protection, excellent breathability and lightness. <\/b>They absorb and quickly wick away sweat to keep our skin dry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    On hot days, or when a cyclist sweats a lot, it is not uncommon to see white marks on jerseys and bib shorts. These are the remains of the salts that come out with sweat. <\/b>When the sweat evaporates, the salts remain on the fabric. Don’t worry, it’s normal, the fabric is doing its job. Just wash your clothes as soon as you can, following the instructions from<\/span> this blog post on how to take proper care of your cycling clothing.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

    2 – Wear sunscreen<\/b><\/h3>\n

    We said in the previous point that clothing should protect us from the sun, but when it is really hot, significant parts of our skin are exposed to direct sunlight, meaning we need sunscreen. <\/span>What kind of sunscreen should we choose for cycling?<\/b><\/p>\n