Over the weekend I rode through the direct sun, hung on the beach, and sat in heat for 11 hours. When planning for the ride, I knew temps would be high and that we wouldn’t have much shade to keep cool and out of the sun so I decided to take HMGBRD Athletic kit. I had already done of number of miles in this kit but not in temps much more than 90F in 90% humidity. Since I had such a great time in complete comfort on this ride in my kit, I figured I would share with you why I’m calling HMGBRD Athletic my summer go to kit.
The thing about cycling in heat and humidity is that it can have a dramatic effect on our cycling so we need to be prepared both body and kit to deal with these conditions. Personally, there is nothing more annoying than having sweaty bib tights and jersey’s that don’t dry fast enough. What’s worse is when needing to relieve oneself and then putting them back on.
I know quite a few of us actually have specific summer cycling gear and apparel. For those of us who do, we know what a huge difference dry and odorless kit can make when you’ve been sweating in it for hours.
Here are a few reasons why HMGBRD Athletic is my go to summer kit…
The Jersey
A key characteristic of HMGBRD cycling jerseys is the ability to wick away sweat and odor from the body. This helped me keep cool and comfortable as the mercury rose throughout the day.
The jersey has lightweight mesh panels which are are ideal for breathability. As the wind flowed through, I didn’t really have to worry about windburn or putting on SPF cream under the jersey as the rays didn’t penetrate the holes.
The jersey fit is snug-yet-unrestrictive which helped me feel comfortable without limiting my movement. No squeezing sleeves and the jersey’s are form fitting which are ideal to keeping body temperature regulated and wicking sweat away from it.
At a point we stopped at the beach for a swim and break which I took the opportunity to take off my jersey to wipe down dirt. To much of my amazement it dried quickly before I put it back on.
The pockets are also great for your mobile phone, a few gels or bars, and a small travel-sized bottle or stick of sunscreen in case you need to reapply during a long ride. There is a left side-zippered water-resistant pocket to store money, lip balm, cards and keys that worked sufficiently to keep items dry.
The Bib Tights
You’ve heard me rage about these bib tights before but I’ve been wearing these in hotter temps for these very good reasons:
On our ride to the beach, it was 90F degrees, windy, sometimes humid, and the sun was shining high and bright. Needless to say, I was dripping sweat all over myself and noticed the shorts stayed dried and were easy to take on and off when using the bathroom – not at all like putting on a wet bathing suit!
The Nortex fabric is quick drying, seriously quick and easy to clean. Probably a good fabric to have on you if you’re doing a long ride or tour and need something that drys really fast after a wash. When laid out in direct sunlight, they dry in about 20 mins, faster than other premium brands I own.
SPF proof. After 11 hours in the sun and sitting on the beach wit them on, I felt the sun rays beam through the fabric, however, I did not notice any tanning or burning under the fabric considering how lightweight they are.
Check out the perfect black bibs short here.
A great summer day’s cycling ride can really put a smile on your face when you’re properly kitted. Just remember to hydrate with electrolytes (drink a whole bidon in an hour), lather on the SPF every 80 mins, and snack throughout your ride to keep your energy going as the sun can drain a lot out of you.
For more on my summer cycling posts from what I carry to after sun skin care and riding body care:
Summer Cycling Essentials I Can’t Live Without
Ride Strategies To Keeping Cool
How To Spend A Post Ride Rest Day