Cycling in the summer is beautiful. Whether it is cruising along by a canal, through a park or over the moors, here are a few of our top tips to summer cycling:
- Stay hydrated – ensure before leaving you have had plenty to drink and that you have a bottle of water with you. Muscle function is greatly reduced by dehydration.
- Kit – think about your kit, will you be cool/warm enough. If you go out for a long ride would it be sensible to put a little fold up jacket in a bag for later.
- Protect your head! – you’ve navigated your way through the ice and rain of winter, it is tempting to leave the helmet at home and to have the wind in your hair, but summer brings its own hazards! There are lots of good helmets on the market with great ventilation so maybe time to get a new snazzy lid.
- Sunglasses – yep, not only to protect your eyes from the UV rays, but those pesky little bugs too.
- Sun cream – while getting some vitamin D is lovely, it is important to protect yourself at the same time from the harmful UV rays, especially if you are going to make a long day of it.
- Carry a puncture repair kit – unless you’re fortunate enough to have a puncture in a lovely beer garden, then punctures are nothing short of inconvenient. However, they are easy to fix and can be done in minutes, if you have the right kit. Nothing worse than a long walk home pushing your bike.
- Have fun – this is one of the most important things. Whether you are practising for a major event or simply getting around in the sunshine, it is always more fun to do it with a big smile.
