3 min read
Summer is right around the corner, but hot temps are already hitting across the country. Luckily, there are several go-to products we use and recommend to help you get through your hot weather rides as fresh as possible. With Memorial Day sales from popular retailers like REI, Amazon, and Backcountry, now is the perfect time to stock up on these summer essentials while the prices are low.
I combed through hundreds of sale items, then sat down with Jason Griffin, Bicycling’s Senior Health and Fitness Editor, for his advice on the five must-have products to get—plus a bonus item you can easily make at home. These products are proven ways to stay cool and maintain performance on the hottest summer rides. Whether you’ll be on blacktop, gravel roads, or singletrack trails, score these deals before you head out on your next hot-weather ride.
Hydration and electrolytes are even more critical on hot rides. I’ve relied on Skratch for many seasons because it tastes real and not like some laboratory concoction. I keep a couple of full-size bags of Skratch hydration mix on my kitchen counter all summer. The larger bags make it easy to adjust the amount of mix I need for the temperature or ride intensity.
“In the summer heat, there’s nothing worse than hitting the wall because you didn’t bring the right hydration mix to keep you going. One key to beating the heat is to make sure you are replenishing your body with what it’s losing when you sweat. One scoop of this has 400mg of sodium as well as the right mix of potassium, calcium, and magnesium to keep you rolling.” – J.G.
Last summer, I performed extensive testing on insulated water bottles. CamelBak’s Podium model kept water the coldest over three hours in 100-degree heat. They’re an excellent choice for hot days.
“CamelBak’s stainless bottle will keep your water cool without adding too much weight to your bike. On extra hot days, I like to fill my second bottle with ice about halfway up to make sure I have plenty of cool water the whole ride.” – J.G.
For long rides or on super hot days, you will need extra water. If you’re on the trail, in the backcountry, or riding gravel roads far from populated towns, there likely won’t be convenience stores to stop at to re-up your supplies, so you need to carry water with you from the start.
“One easy way to avoid getting dehydrated is simply to bring more water. This running vest lets you do that without adding the typical bulk a hydration backpack can add. I typically run water mixed with ice in the vest bladder because it does double duty, keeping me and my water cold on the ride, and allows my bottles to be used for water with drink mix. ” – J.G.
Sun protection is important on every ride, but it’s even more critical on hot summer rides. UPF sun sleeves are a good way to keep UV rays away from exposed skin.
“It might seem counterintuitive to add layers to the body on those really hot days, but hear me out. With UPF 50 built in, you’ll see that keeping the sun off your skin can help keep you cool.” -J.G.
There are a lot of excellent helmets out there, and Giro’s Aries Spherical is among the best options. Not only does it combine Mips technology and Giro’s Spherical ball-and-socket design to minimize rotational forces on your brain in the event of a crash, but it is also lightweight and very well ventilated. The Aries features 24 Wind Tunnel vents that force air over your head to improve airflow and cooling. This is the lid I grab on super hot days and long summer rides.
Bonus Tip: Ice socks are a proven, low-budget method that cyclists have used for decades to regulate body temperature in the hottest conditions.
“This is a bonus item, as many riders will already have the supplies at home to make these. Ice socks are a super affordable way to keep body temperature down on those crazy hot rides. Fill one with ice and tuck it into your jersey on your upper back.” – J.G.
Member Exclusive: Check Out Our Top Cycling Stories
As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.