Cycling clothes: what happens and how to choose the right one?

Riding a bike is such a peculiar sport, even if many ordinary people ride only at an amateur level. At the same time, any kind of sport implies the obligatory presence of overalls, which will meet a number of special criteria. You need to understand that For the most comfortable cycling experience, you really need the right cycling clothing.

An increasing number of cyclists are now choosing comfortable clothing that can be worn in winter and summer. Modern everyday and professional cycling clothing has many important functions in its functions, as it must:

• provide high-quality ventilation of the human body - cooling during active skiing is extremely important;
• ward off the emerging sweat, because moisture on the skin is the root cause of the appearance of not very comfortable sensations when driving;
• to mitigate the negative sensations from the loads received on the body - all kinds of dressings and different reinforcements will help you feel much less tired while driving and reduce the likelihood of injury;
• create optimal aerodynamics - approximately 80% of the air flow resistance while riding will fall on the rider's body, and the force of this resistance can be significantly reduced with the help of clothing.

Cycling clothing has its advantages.

• The form. Equipment of this kind was created taking into account the fact that very often you will begin to lean towards the steering wheel while driving. This means your T-shirts or jackets will be longer at the back to completely cover the bottom of your bare back. The sleeves of T-shirts and jackets are also made a little longer so that the wrists are protected from the wind, and special shorts or tights will have curves at the knees and waist so as not to slow down the pedaling when moving. That is why it is better to ride in special clothes.

• Traffic. Clothing for cycling professionals "moves" together with the rider during movement. The legs will move most actively here, so shorts and tights for cyclists are produced from durable Lycra, since this material is highly stretchable and therefore tightly fits the body.

• Treatment of emerging sweat. A regular cotton jersey under a special jacket with a waterproof effect will quickly soak in the rider's sweat and get wet, which can cause the cyclist to freeze. Cycling equipment, on the other hand, is made of fabrics that allow sweat to pass through and evaporate quickly.

• Bicycle form will be able to qualitatively protect you from various weather troubles - for example, from heavy rain and gusty winds.

• Stuffing. A lump of foam in special cycling shorts can look quite strange and even ridiculous, in fact, it is necessary as another layer in clothing, designed to serve to reduce the impact of possible impacts. All modern cycling shorts have at least one layer of this foam. These overlays will also allow you to provide another layer of fabric that will adhere close to the skin (since no underwear is worn under the cycling shorts). This will help prevent skin irritation and allow you to take long bike rides without harming your health.

• Efficiency. The right cycling apparel will help you move a lot faster as you don't have to waste your energy. The main difference between this type of clothing and the usual will be its aerodynamic features. Specialized equipment is much tighter to the body and does not interfere with movement. The shoes for these rides have very stiff soles so you don't waste energy bending your foot as you pedal.

That's why its main negative feature can be called its “non-universality”. At the same time, like any special clothing, bicycle uniforms sometimes have a rather substantial price and therefore are not available to everyone.

Most bicycles are seen in warm and pleasant weather. That's why summer types of clothing for lovers of such riding should be lightweight, well-fitting the body, made of synthetics, which will cool the body qualitatively and quickly remove heat from it. Experienced cyclists often use drawstring gaiters and sweat-wicking bandanas to complement a special jersey and shorts, which are pulled under a bicycle helmet.

In bad weather, a cycling suit is selected with high quality protection against moisture and wind.

The set for cycling in the winter season will be special. Clothes will be changed for this period by 100%. Even special pants are complemented from the inside with a special kind of materials with the effect of insulation and "lose" all the pockets with ventilation.

What types of clothing are most often found for the most active cyclists:

They look like T-shirts that are familiar to the look, but they are made of synthetics, which are highly moisture-permeable. Most often, these kind of cycling shirts have a raised collar to protect the neck area from the sun's rays, a special zipper in the front (its length varies) and pockets behind, there they are much more convenient to use. The most common types of jersey are made with short sleeves, but these days you can easily find jersey, in general, sleeveless - for an overly hot day.

In everyday life they are called "diaper" shorts or cycling shorts. The specially designed products were first produced for racing on special bicycles, and today they are used by many enthusiasts of riding on conventional devices. The pampers are the main component of the bike shorts, which will be responsible for absorbing the shock from the saddle.

Cycling pants include both elongated shorts, which are tight and wick away heat and sweat from the body, and universal models. This primarily includes "Gaiters" - they are worn in a cold season under very tight pants or used separately in the cool. In appearance, they will practically not differ in any way from the shorts we are used to, except for the presence of a durable elastic band in the shin area. The universal type of cycling pants are models with special pockets (with ventilation) and a leg that can be unfastened. Pants are essential to protect your feet from moisture in winter and rain.

Cycling overalls are often completely ergonomic. A perfect fit on the body is achieved through the use of new compression materials that perfectly stretch in four directions, reduce muscle vibration, maintain their high performance, additionally ventilate and cool. The straps are made of lightweight mesh fabric with high elasticity and ventilation. Many cycling jumpsuits have laser cut edges and a silicone cuff for an excellent fit on the leg.

Separate thermal underwear for cycling is not produced anywhere. Professionals and amateurs simply use lingerie for outdoor activities, but at the same time very carefully select the size for themselves in order to apply thermal underwear with tight-fitting objects of their bicycle uniform.

There are usually few criteria for jackets. A universal type of windbreaker is required to protect the body, fit it as conveniently as possible and at the same time not interfere with movement... Here, both specially created models are suitable (they have a comfortable fit to the body, elongated sleeves, etc.), as well as elements familiar to the look for active sports.

It is worth noting that this kind of jacket will be clearly divided into male and female, since their cut will also be seriously different - the men's cycling jacket is more durable, and therefore the protection will be enhanced.

Heavy or waterproof layers of clothing fall into 3 categories: warm jackets (provide excellent insulation), hardshells and softshells - the latter are highly resistant to moisture and excellent insulation. Warm jackets come in handy for very cold weather. The hardshells are made from breathable modern materials to keep riders from sweating a lot during long runs. At first they were extremely popular among real fans of mountain racing, now they are used on ordinary tracks.

A vest can be classified as an outer garment that is designed to provide wind protection to your torso. Cycling models are perfectly combined with any jersey, both in cool spring and warm in autumn. They are made from fabrics with a "breathable" effectso that you do not seriously sweat, while the selected materials are absolutely not afraid of high humidity.

Modern manufacturers pay special attention to various kinds of accessories. They are much more often bought than large new items from among the items of equipment.

• Leg warmers with tightening effect are gaining immense popularity these days.Professionals were the first to appreciate the calf muscle tightening, but it is not yet so in demand among amateurs.

• Balaclavas or goggles for getting around in winter you need to purchase without fail, without them there is absolutely no point in actively driving in the winter season. This can be both dangerous and extremely inconvenient.

• Lingerie that wicks sweat away from the body - very similar to thermal underwear, but at the same time it is designed to perform the opposite function - it will qualitatively cool the rider's body and remove sweat from it, as elements of shorts with a diaper do.

• Cycling gloves - they must be selected in full combination with the clothes already purchased.

Italian brand Rosti releases its products to the markets of European countries and the USA. It produces a special uniform, and today many teams of both professional and amateur level ride in it.

Swiss manufacturer Assos appeared in 1976. He not so long ago started producing bicycle uniforms, but by now he has achieved simply tremendous success in this matter. The Assos company produces quite expensive and high-tech cycling clothing.

Vermarc was founded by the 1973 Belgian champion - immediately after the end of his sports career. Nowadays, Vermarc clothing is most often in demand among professional cyclists from the Benelux countries, but at the same time, the brand is developing quite actively and promisingly, looking for new and interesting markets.

Castelli Is one of the oldest brands producing bike racing uniforms (the first cycle shorts were created by the brand back in 1910), and it is also the first company to start producing cycle shorts from durable lycra.

Santini - completely focused on the production of clothing for various levels of cycling.

Fox racing Is one of the most famous brands of specialized clothing in the world of cycling. The brand produces a line of cycling pants, jersey, special gloves and protective helmets, boots and other protective elements, as well as stylish clothes for every day.

Cycling clothing of the italian brand Nalini known in the world market as a product of high quality and stylish design. In terms of operational characteristics, the company's equipment meets high international standards, providing athletes with comfort, convenience, safety during training and competition.

French company Mavic manufactures clothing for athletes of the full range of cycling disciplines.

Cycling clothing should be as comfortable as possible while riding, so you need to:

• choose your size correctly so that the riding suit fits snugly, but not too tightly around the body, while maintaining complete freedom of movement and at the same time not squeezing anything on the body;
• it is better to choose trousers that are narrowed downwards, and ideally they should completely hug the legs so that the material does not fall into the mechanisms of the bicycle when moving;
• it is better to choose fabrics as “breathable” as possible, which will prevent overheating of the body in the heat, and will not allow hypothermia in the cold;
• pockets are best chosen with zippers, or they should be located on the back in order to completely exclude the possibility of losing what they are filled with;
• the back of the jersey or special jacket should cover the lower back of the rider in a seated position.

When buying a complete winter outfit, professionals advise you to choose 3 layers of clothing: high-quality thermal underwear, insulated fleece layer, special outerwear made of special membrane fabric. Clothes for the summer should be light.

For women, the colors of their cycling equipment are of great importance. The meaning of color for amateurs will have more flavor value, for professionals - the color of their team. It is best for girls to choose not very heavy cycling jackets and cycling overalls.

And also the choice of the most suitable clothing for a road and mountain bike tour will differ significantly, since the weather is more capricious in the mountains, and such a trip with a high degree of probability can turn into an extreme adventure.