How to dress for a bike ride
An important condition to enjoy cycling is the right clothing. One that doesn't restrict your movement and isn't in danger of getting tangled in a chain. Sure, you can put on shorts, grab the first t-shirt from the closet, but believe me, you'll be fidgeting on the saddle in no time and it won't be comfortable for you, and it won't be pleasant to squeeze the t-shirt after going uphill, and you'll be cold again when going down. The right cycling clothes should be comfortable, convenient and, above all, functional. As with other sports, the principle of layering applies. And of course there is also a difference in whether you are going to ride on the road or off-road or in summer and winter.
Cycling clothing is made from functional materials and has its own specifics. Cycling jerseys and cycling jackets have an extended back and are full of reflective elements. In addition, the jackets have extended sleeves and an anatomical cut to improve aerodynamics while cycling. The cycling pants and shorts are reinforced in the most exposed places against chafing, and an important part of them is the insert so that you your bum doesn't hurt afetr a while of riding. The gloves have padded palms, so you won't chafe your hands when you fall.
In the basic wardrobe of a cyclist, you should not miss: cycling socks, cycling shorts, ¾ trousers, for ladies they even make cycling skirts, functional/thermal underwear, cycling jerseys, cycling jackets, cycling gloves and possibly a vest. This equipment will be enough for you from warm spring days to midsummer - early autumn. However, if you go out in the colder mornings and return late in the evening, you will also appreciate long cycling pants, overshoes, arm sleeves, short knee sleeves and long leg sleeves, scarves, neckerchiefs and hats or headbands under the helmet.
Socks
Whether it's summer or winter, always wear socks with your cycling shoes. Medium-high multi-functional socks are usually used for the bike, but ankle-high ones are enough in summer, but from autumn to early spring you can use thicker higher insulated socks. Even stronger thermal socks are designed for winter, which prevent excessive sweating and keep your feet warm.
For better comfort and experience, socks are now made of antibacterial materials - for example, those with silver fibers woven into them.
Socks are the only equipment that you will use both when cycling on the road and when riding off-road.
Shorts, trousers and skirts
Whatever you choose for your legs, for greater comfort we recommend choosing clothing with an insert in the crotch, as it prevents pressure on sensitive parts and you will enjoy cycling more. However, there is also a version of the loose pants with a removable insert that you can remove and either change or ride without. If you choose the version with an insert, you no longer need underwear. The choice of a personal decision is whether you choose the elastic pants in the version with suspenders or without it. Personally, we don't recommend the strappy version for women with bigger breasts, but many brands now make shorts with straps that go through the middle of the chest and can be easily unclipped.
Most often, you will wear elastic cycling shorts on the bike. You can choose from different lengths. Their specific feature is a silicone strip on the inside that prevents them from rolling up while you ride. And it goes without saying that they have an insert in the crotch that prevents pressure on sensitive areas. Elastic shorts are the first choice for road cycling.
Three-quarter-length pants keep your knees warm and are especially useful in the colder months or when the sun is going to hide all day.
In more difficult terrain above all you can also meet guys who wear loose shorts. They look like regular shorts, but they usually don't lack a firmly sewn inset in the crotch or they have a detachable one and you can change it. The pants are made of strong but durable materials that protect you from chafing. In some types, the exposed parts are reinforced with, for example, cordura. Compared to elastic ones, they also have a possible advantage in the form of different pockets, where you can put your phone, keys, etc. (definitely choose ones that you can close).
Women who want to look good while riding a bike will appreciate the cycling skirt. It is designed so that it does not hinder the ride and is produced either with or without an insert.
Long trousers are also produced in an elastic or loose versions. For the elastic version, you may come across the bibtights. These are also produced both with and without an insert. You can use them without insulation on colder days or in spring or autumn. Winter bibtights tend to be thicker inside and keep will you warm in winter. Alternatively, you can combine long overcoats with loose shorts, then you protect your bum from getting cold and any chafing.
Tip: Loose trousers look more casual and you can also use them when layering your clothes - you can wear them over short bibtights with an insert or in winter you can wear thermal underwear or long bibtights under them.
Cycling jerseys
A cycling jersey is the most basic clothing of a cyclist. Unlike an ordinary T-shirt, it is made of breathable materials that absorb sweat and dry quickly. The specialty of the jerseys is the extended back, which protects against wind. For the essentials needed on the bike, the jerseys have pockets on the back. The jersey must not hinder the cyclist's free movement in any way and should not chafe anywhere. A cyclist on the road must be seen, so the jerseys are most often made of brightly colored fabrics and have reflective elements on them so that they can not be overlooked.
In summer, a short-sleeved jersey is enough, but long-sleeved jerseys are also sold for colder days. For really cold days, jerseys with warm lining inside are suitable, and special jerseys also have wind protection in the front.
Cycling jacket
The tasks of a quality cycling jacket are as follows: to keep the body warm, protect against cold wind, be breathable and at least partially protect against external moisture. They are designed according to the posture of the cyclist, so they have an extended back, sleeves and a higher collar to protect the back, arms and neck. Of course, there are reflective elements for higher cyclist safety. However, when choosing one, think about how you will most often be dressed under it, so that your jacket is not too big or too small - it simply should not restrict your movement.
A high-quality windproof jacket - a windbreaker - should not be missing from a cyclist's basic equipment. It protects you against the wind, because it is very breathable, but it does not protect you much from the rain. It is also small and can often be folded into the back pocket of the cycling jersey, so you can only take it out on long descents. Windbreakers usually have no membrane.
If you plan to ride even in bad weather, add a softshell jacket to your equipment. This is an insulated jacket, the outer layer of which is resistant to wind and a little rain, and the lower part is insulated with, for example, fleece or similar material. You will also use this jacket if you plan frequent and long stops.
Another category is membrane jackets. Their properties are expressed as a ratio between breathability and water resistance. In general, the higher the water resistance, the lower the breathability. Membrane jackets can be insulated or small and can be stored as a windbreaker.
In order for the jacket to function as it should, i.e. dissipate heat, etc., you must also wear appropriate clothing underneath, it also depends on the weather and the intensity of the load.
Tip: When you want to go hard on ride, layer your clothes. As the last layer, choose a membrane jacket that wicks moisture away from the body.
Thermal underwear/functional underwear
The layer that you put directly on your body should form a second skin. Most often it is thermal underwear or functional underwear. In the hot summer, if you are not planning to go to Zlatý vrch, you can skip this layer and wear a jersey directly on your body. However, on colder days and during increased exertion, you will appreciate this layer - It prevents hypothermia or overheating. It insulates you from the cold and wicks moisture away from your body, keeping you dry and warm.
Thermal underwear is most often made of synthetic fibers Polyester (PES) or polypropylene (PP) or their mixture, for example with bamboo or cotton. Recently, wool has also become popular - especially merino. The thermal underwear has a sophisticated cut and has flat seams that do not rub anywhere, so there is no chafing underneath.
Tip: During warm summer days, we recommend wearing a very thin functional t-shirt made of perforated material. It is a very thin layer that you hardly know about, but at the same time it wicks sweat away from the body, you are not immediately sweaty.
Cycling gloves
We have dressed the body, now the hands. It is a good idea to wear gloves on bikes even in the summer. They prevent the hands from slipping when holding the handlebars and protect the palms and the back of the hand from chafing during a fall. We have either short fingerless gloves that have loops between the fingers that make them easier to handle, and then we have classic long cycling gloves. They also protect your fingers from chafing. Summer gloves are made of the most breathable material to wick away sweat well, they often have gel pads on the palms to prevent bruises and hand numbness during longer rides. Winter gloves, on the other hand, are insulated and prevent hands from freezing. The top layer most often consists of some membrane material - for example Windstopper or Goretex.
Cycling accessories
You don't necessarily need them, but they improve the comfort of riding, or can extend the cycling season. These are mainly sleeves for hands, legs, knees, cycling shoes, but also multifunctional neck warmers, scarves or helmet caps.
You can hide the multifunctional scarf in the back pocket of the jersey, where it can easily fit next to your snack and a spare inner tube. If necessary, you can use it to protect your head from the sun or warm your neck. The cap under the helmet protects the head from the cold and wind. They are elastic and sometimes have a windstopper membrane in the front.
Overshoes protect your feet from the cold, moisture and wind. You can choose here too. They are made windproof, waterproof with a waterproof coating or in winter you can use insulated waterproof neoprene. They are put on over cycling shoes and to make it easier, they have a zipper in the back. So that they don't get stepped on so quickly, their bottom is made of abrasion-resistant material - for example, cordura. The sleeves are elastic and fit multiple shoe sizes at once – just like socks…
Arm, knee and leg covers are made of elastic material, so they adapt to the body. Their winter versions can be insulated with inner lining. You will find reflective safety elements on the surface. Their primary purpose is to replace long clothing when your ride is expected to be unstable weather or you want to come back later when the temperature drops.
An absolutely necessary part of your cycling equipment must be a helmet.
