Our cycling tips as the mercury hits 30°C this Summer June 26, 2018

As the temperatures are set to rise this Summer in the UK, here are our top tips whilst out and about on your bike in the heat:

  1. Keep well hydrated – It is important to keep hydrated whilst out in the heat, especially when exercising/riding. Always carry a water bottle/hydration bladder and fill it up as often as possible to ensure you don’t run dry.  You will be sweating and therefore losing fluids, so its important you keep yourself topped up, little but often is the key.
  2. Don’t forget your suncream! – Apply a high factor whilst out in the sun, if you are going cross country you may find longer stretches have little shade. Remember to top up your sunscreen every few hours to minimise your chances of burning.
  3.  Dress appropriately – Too many layers will cause you to sweat excessively, which may lead to heat exhaustion and dehydration…get kitted out properly to keep yourself cool but protected from the suns harmful rays.
  4. Keep an eye on the roads – Road surfaces can become very hot and quite often tarmac can melt when exposed to high temperatures which could potentially cause damage to your bike’s wheels. Some councils may have gritted the roads to deal with potential road damage caused by the heatwave so watch out as this may lead to some surfaces to become slippery.
  5. Don’t forget your helmet – Yes we know it’s hot and helmets make your head sweaty but they are there for your safety! No matter how hot you are, keep it on whilst riding. If the heat is becoming unbearable, treat yourself to a stop.
  6. Pack a few extra essentials – Don’t forget to take a bit of money with you, in case you need to buy extra water or fancy an ice cream in the sun. It might also be worthwhile packing a few lightweight energy gel sachets in case you start to feel weary.
  7. Eye see you – it might be worthwhile treating yourself to a good pair of sun glasses, to help reduce glare and protect your eyes from the high UV levels whilst out on the road.
  8. Sweaty palms – another bit of kit that might come in useful is a pair of cycling gloves, these will help you keep a good grip on your handlebars should your hands become sweaty.