The Importance of Proper Cycling Equipment
The thrill and exhilaration gained from tearing up your favorite road route can soon take a back seat to the discomfort or injury from using improper equipment. Follow these simple steps to insure that you get the most from your experiences.
Helmet
Besides the bicycle itself, your helmet is your largest financial investment and with good reason. Protecting your most valuable body part the cycling helmet should feel like it is part of you. Most helmets nowadays are of lightweight construction, with a hard shell exterior and formed foam interior. Venting allows the head to breathe, more so at higher speeds and the aerodynamic shape reduces drag and therefore reducing energy expended. Popular helmet manufacturers such as Giro, Headstrong and Bell offer a wide variety of helmet styles at price points accommodating most budgets.
Bicycle Jersey
While many treat their cycling jersey as a statement of their individuality, the actual purpose is way more important than the design. As the body exerts energy it seeks to cool itself by sweating. Only when the sweat evaporates from the body can it cool. Technology has evolved to where the cycling jersey's main purpose is to wick moisture away from your body as rapidly as possible and so aid in reducing core temperature ensuring peak performance is attained and sustained.
Other Equipment
Other important equipment includes gloves, shorts and a water bottle.
Happy Trails!