Beat the Heat: 5 Tips for Cycling in the Summer

Isn’t there something inherently lovely about cycling in the summer? Be it in a city or in the countryside, the sun is out, the birds are singing, and people too have emerged from their winter hibernation to enjoy the heat.

For a lot of us, getting back on the saddle is a more achievable goal when the sun comes out.

However, even if the dark nights of the winter have subsided and the roads are less affected by frost and ice, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t different challenges to consider. With rising temperatures and busier roads in the summer, there are still a few things to bear in mind to make your ride as safe and as enjoyable as possible.

Luckily, here at See.Sense, we’ve put together 5 simple tips to beat the heat in summer:

Tip 1: Stay Hydrated

As always, hydration is key. Whilst we should all already be doing our best to drink our 8 glasses of water a day, anyone exercising in warmer weather should pay particular attention to their fluids intake. 

Let’s not forget our basic biology lessons - when you exercise, you sweat more, and you need to replace those fluids. Seeing as we sweat more in the heat, you need to drink more fluids when you exercise in hot weather. For cyclists in particular, according to British Cycling, just 4% dehydration will decrease your capacity for muscular work.

This means that our first top tip when prepping to get out on the bike is to make sure that you’ve put ‘bring your water bottle’ on your checklist. For longer rides, why not even consider adding a bottle cage to your bike to make getting a hit of hydration even easier whilst on your bike.

Tip 2: Wear the Right Gear

With the new season comes a new wardrobe. Carrying on your long sleeves into the summer months may save you a few quid, but investing in summer cycle-wear will prevent bouts of heatstroke and in general, make your summer cycling experience a lot more enjoyable.

Trying opting for lightweight and moisture-wicking fabrics that allow air circulation and aid in sweat evaporation. Items such as cycling jerseys, bib shorts, fingerless cycling gloves to avoid sweaty palms, and socks designed specifically for hot weather can make a significant difference in temperature regulation and overall comfort.

Another vitally important bit of gear to remember on your summer cycles is your sun protection equipment. Wearing sunglasses with UV protection not only shields your eyes from harmful rays and reduces glare, they also help to stop summer insects from getting into your eyes.

On top of this, while not necessarily considered ‘gear’, sunscreen is a necessity all year round, but particularly in the summer sun. Get your spf on and stay safe in those UV rays!

Tip 3: Be Aware of Road Conditions

Memories of the tarmac melting in the summer heat may seem like a niche piece of nostalgia, but can pose serious problems for cyclists as for whom tar sticking to tyres, attracting dirt and grit can seriously affect performance.

When heading out, keep an eye out for these potential hazards. Maybe factor them into the time of day you decide to go cycling (as cycling earlier in the morning or later in the evening will allow you to avoid the warmest parts of the day), and make sure to regularly check your tyres for stubborn debris that could disturb you on your rides.

Tip 4: Make your Cycling Goals Achievable

Cycling in the heat is a completely different experience to cycling in cooler weather, so it's essential to pace yourself. 

Particularly if you are on a strict cycling programme, make sure to adjust your training schedules to account for the new cycling conditions, be it in changing when you take your bike out, or changing for how long you cycle and where you’re going to cycle. 

Good advice to all cyclists, be they casual cyclists or seasoned professionals, is to take regular breaks to rest, rehydrate, and refuel to maintain your energy levels and prevent heat exhaustion.

Tip 5: Stay Well-Lit

Even if the ‘grand aul stretch’ has made the evenings brighter for longer, that doesn’t mean it’s time to hang up the bike light. In fact, around 80% of cycling accidents occur in daylight (RSPA,2017), as this is when most cycling takes place.

At See.Sense, we believe that bikes should be lit up day and night, all year round. Afterall, if daylight running lights are a legal requirement for all new cars manufactured in Europe and UK, why should bikes be any different?

Our range of See.Sense smart lights are the perfect cycling partner to your summer bike rides. From our ICON3 front and rear lights, to our Beam and Beam + front lights, See.Sense’s patented reactive technology helps to attract attention faster to you than ever before on the road. What’s more, our lights do even more than keep you seen, and help you to see whilst on your bike (if that wasn’t good enough!).

Our customers can also download our See.Sense app to access a range of additional features such as;

• The ability to remotely control their light(s)
• Theft Alerts, a feature in which if the sensors in their light detect someone tampering with their bike while your away from it, they’ll be notified
• Crash Alerts, a feature that will send their location to their emergency contact if their light detects that they’ve been in an accident
• Access to their Ride Stats, helping them to monitor how far they’ve cycled, how much Co2 and fuel they’ve saved, their average speed, and numerous other statistics
• The ability to help improve local infrastructure for themselves and their cycling community by sharing data with city planners and local councils (click here to read more about how using our smart lights helps your cycling community).

You’re all caught up!

There you have it - our best ways to stay safe cycling in the summer. So what are you waiting for? As we say here in Northern Ireland, ‘On yer bike!’

If this blog has got you in the mood for some summer cycling, then check out our all new Summer Solstice Sale, featuring 20% off ICON3 - our brightest and smartest light yet!

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