Beginner's Guide - Road Bike Clothing

After I in my last article Beginner's Guide – The First Road Bike I have given you a few tips for what is probably the most important utensil - the racing bike - and now we are going to the next level: Road bike clothing.

When it comes to clothing, all road cyclists are pretty much in agreement: You need cycling shorts and a jersey. As a beginner - and so did I at the beginning of my young career - you quickly reach for pure cycling shorts. After my first few hundred kilometers, however, I got the tip from a racing cyclist friend that the only true one bike diaper is. Oops??? The term bicycle diaper is of course more of an insider among cyclists and comes more from people who have no understanding for us cyclists. This is one bib shorts.

The big advantage of bib shorts is actually that the cuffs do not tie. Even if you try on a pair of cycling shorts and think that they don't tie, after two hours at the latest it will be uncomfortable. When I switched from classic cycling shorts to bib shorts, I felt like a young god on a racing bike. I can only recommend every ambitious racing cyclist to buy bib shorts right away. I only wear my old cycling shorts for spinning in the gym.

Bib shorts for road cyclists are available from every manufacturer and you really don't have to look for them. Of course, as with any piece of clothing, it is advisable to go to a specialist shop to try it on. Of course, I would still like to make a few recommendations. My favorite brand of road bike clothing is 2XU. The brand is very well known and available in many specialist shops. I had discovered the brand for myself at the bicycle fair on the occasion of the Hamburg Cyclassics 2015. 2015 was my first racing bike year and I was in the process of exchanging my initial equipment for a good set of clothes. Road bike clothing from 2XU in my experience it always runs a bit smaller. So XL rather than L order and so on. If you already have an athletic figure, I can highly recommend 2XU. The jerseys are nice and tight and nothing flaps in the wind and the trousers fit like a glove.

In general, I prefer to wear clothing that is as close-fitting as possible when riding a road bike. That doesn't mean I want you to be able to count my veins. Tight does not mean inflexible! It's just more comfortable on the road bike when the clothes not flutter. 

As an alternative to 2XU, I have had very good experiences with it Vaude made clothes. I have always been able to buy my normal clothing size here. The jerseys I own from Vaude all fit a bit looser than those from 2XU. The somewhat loose-fitting clothing allows me to wear something long underneath. On days when it's a bit colder and I know from the start that it's going to be a bit colder, I always put on a slightly thicker compression shirt under my Vaude jersey. If you have a good wash cycle, two jerseys will get you through the year quite well.

When it comes to bib shorts, you can't avoid trying them on. It's important that the straps are nice and tight when you're standing upright, but don't tie them up. If you then sit bent over on the racing bike, the straps sit firmly without slipping and ensure a comfortable fit. When you do the first round in the bib shorts you will notice how comfortable they are. The straps and the lack of cuffs on the stomach give you a very relaxed feeling on the bike.

As I mentioned above, I always wear a compression shirt under my jersey on cold days. For me, cold means permanently below 10°C, for everything else my arm warmers are enough. The only good compression shirt with a brushed inside that really warms me was found at Under Armur. The functional clothing of Under Armour is indeed highly recommended.

Since I already have the Arm mentioned: Yes, you have to have it! I got along without arm warmers for 1,5 years. Shortly before the Hamburg Cyclassics I then bought some and I still ask myself: How did I manage without arm warmers for 1,5 years? Those things are so practical! They warm really well and since then I've actually always worn them when it's not warm. Even if you only need them for the first 30 minutes to warm up, it's worth taking them with you. If you no longer need them because it gets too warm, you can quickly take them off and stow them in your jersey pocket or simply slide them down onto your wrists. While I could no longer live without arm warmers, I need leg warmers not at all. I'm going to get some this year anyway, as I'm going to start at Vätternrundan and it starts at 2:00 am it might get a bit colder.

You can write a whole article about bicycle helmets, I already have. Look here: The right bike helmet

You have to try on a bicycle helmet and ideally test ride it. Heads are damn individual and unfortunately you only notice after a long time when a helmet doesn't fit properly. I can only recommend: go to a big store and try on bike helmets. Even if one fits well, try the next one. Maybe he sits even better.

I have to admit that I don't have a lot of experience with cycling gloves. At the beginning I bought simple cycling gloves. Simple means no frills. They didn't give me any noticeable advantage, which is why I exchanged them for road bike gloves with gel pads a short time later. I find the gel padding to be very, very comfortable on long journeys, but unfortunately the cushioning effect of my gloves wears off quickly. So I still have to find my favorite manufacturer for it and will inform you as soon as I have found something suitable.

There is a vast selection of road bike goggles. I myself have been wearing Alpina glasses since this summer. The Alpina Twist Four Shield automatically darkens when exposed to sunlight. Sunglasses that darken automatically always have the disadvantage that they get really dark. I still love these glasses because I can't ride without them even in the dark. So for racing cyclists like me who don't tolerate the wind well, this is a great option.

The road bike rain jacket is probably one of the most important items for road cyclists. On the one hand, it protects against rain and moisture, on the other hand, of course, it also warms. A special racing bike rain jacket is worth its weight in gold, especially in changeable weather. Whether it's raining or just a little uncomfortable and windy, the rain jacket protects the body from cooling down. Even if you say you don't drive when it rains, it's essential.

Another very practical feature of road bike rain jackets is that they can be folded up nicely. A decent rain jacket fits into the jersey pocket without any problems.

With this Basic Equipment do you have a good start to the season? You can find out more about pedals and shoes, which is a topic for specialists and orthopaedists my article about it read through. However, you should definitely seek advice from a specialist shop. The pedals and shoes have to be adjusted in the same way as the entire bike, otherwise your knees can get damaged.