Chapter three of Bike Easy is about what to wear. The style conscious cyclist has a breathtaking choice of clothing designed specifically for on the bike. Many cycle shops, especially the larger stores, have a clothing section, or you can buy from on-line stores.
Cycling clothes can be expensive but there are several good reasons for taking the plunge and investing in quality gear. For a start you’ll get garments made from advanced materials: outerwear that manages to be simultaneously tough, supple, weatherproof and breathable; and shorts and shirts that wick moisture away from the skin keeping you dry and comfortable.
You’ll also get good design. Sleeves, for example, will be a tad longer than on regular clothes because most people adopt a slightly stretched forward riding position. Trousers or leggings will have an extra seam at the knee to allow for the bending and flexing that goes with pedalling. Seams generally will be padded or positioned in such a way as to prevent rubbing. Hoods on rain jackets will turn with your head so as not to obstruct your vision. Pockets will easy to reach. And several enlightened manufacturers recognise that the sexes are proportioned differently and they produce ranges of clothing designed specifically for women.
Then there are aesthetic considerations. These days many cycling clothes are not only well designed and technically superior, they’re also pretty cool. They also look as good as they function. Extroverts have endless bright colours and psychedelic patterns to choose from, while migraine sufferers and those who might want to wear their cycling clothes for everyday trips, or to the office (where high visibility isn’t necessarily an advantage) are catered for with more sober designs.
Yes, natty gear abounds. But you don’t need a completely new wardrobe to go cycling. You can ride wearing pretty well anything at all. Or, indeed, nothing at all as the participants in the annual World Naked Bike Ride proudly demonstrate! More>>>
