As a mountain biker you wait all year in anticipation for that day when it’s not dark by the time you get back from work, you spend more time on your bike than hosing it and your self down and getting lost finding trails becomes fun and not a race to get back home before the light fades and leaves you in darkness.
All that commitment to riding over the winter pays off when the days get longer, the trails get dustier and the scenery changes from orange and brown to a carpet of green.
So here are my top tips for summer off road riding;
Short Sleeved Jersey – A good lightweight jersey with ventilation and a long zip is great for summer riding check out Outfoxed for some cool options!
Light weight gloves – To avoid hot sticky hands grab a pair of lightweight summer riding gloves which will breathe but protect your hands. My suggestion would be Grip Grab Shark gloves with built in forehead wiper!
Sun glasses with reflective lens – A good pair of cycling glasses or goggles will probably come with a selection of lenses, changing to a reflective lens in the summer will help reduce the glare to enable you to focus on your ride. My suggestion would be DHB triple lens glasses they are the best value and great quality with good lenses and light weight for summer riding.
Lip balm with SPF – Really important to avoid that sticky feeling when riding and to protect your lips from the suns rays. My suggestion would be Nivea’s sun stick it doesn’t seem to melt in the heat which is a bonus!
Hydration tabs – Staying hydrated is so important especially when riding for long periods in the sun. The best way to keep vital electrolyte and fluid in take optimal is to take a hydration tab in your water bottles. My suggestion would be High 5 they do some great flavours and I’ve always found them to be reliable.
Sun cream – Pretty obvious I’m sure but wearing sun cream will protect you against harmful rays, even if your going to a relatively shaded area you will be surprised how easy it is to burn the back of your neck when riding. My suggestion take cream with you and layer it on, always go for a water proof / sweat resistant formula.
Light weight water/wind proof – I am sure I’m not alone in feeling a chill when the sun goes behind a cloud or the wind picks up. Having a light weight wind proof jacket that you can slip on while you much on lunch or stop to admire the view will be beneficial. I would suggest Giant/Liv jacket its really light and great for keeping the wind off.