Summer is one of the best seasons for cycling. It's obvious: you don't usually have to contend with too much moisture, rain or cold. The sun shines from a hopefully azure blue sky, not a cloud in sight.
The heat brings its own challenges. Even in Europe, it can quickly reach 30 °C degrees. This means: drink a lot! When cycling, I would opt for still water, possibly spiced up with an effervescent tablet because of the taste (plastic bike bottle). These are available in different useful varieties, so that you can take vitamins, potassium or magnesium etc. at the same time. However, there is also mineral water that already has a high content of magnesium (good for cramps), other minerals and salt (salt is easily sweated out during sport).
Also immensely important: effective sun protection with a high sun protection factor against UV light and thus against skin damage and premature skin ageing! This can mean, for example, applying a generous amount of sun cream. You should always apply sunscreen to exposed areas such as the nose, neck, ears and, if necessary, calves. If you don't like or can't tolerate it otherwise, wear light-colored, long-sleeved/leggy, fluttery clothing for the rest of your body. You can also wear a wide linen shirt/blouse over your cycling jersey, for example. The jersey underneath absorbs the sweat, the flapping shirt on top provides cooling from the (riding) wind.
For the same reason, it is advisable to wear two layers in summer temperatures anyway: some people prefer to wear a breathable undershirt or top under their jersey, which should of course also be made of functional material as it transports sweat from the inside to the outside more quickly. This results in more extensive and faster evaporation. If you don't like functional clothing, we recommend cycling jerseys made from merino wool. Merino wool is very breathable and dries faster than cotton.
It can also be uncomfortable to stick to the handlebar grips with sweaty hands. Short, lightweight summer cycling gloves can help against this. There are even some with mesh on the back of the hand instead of fabric, which provides pleasant ventilation.
Last but not least: the bike helmet not only protects you in the event of a fall, but also against sunstroke. Ideally, it should have a sun shield and ventilation slits. However, you should be careful with the latter if your hair is already a little thin. Then it's better to wear something underneath!
If you don't want to wear a helmet or it's too hot for you: wear some kind of fabric underneath (or only). This can be a kind of headscarf or a buff, which are available in all shapes and colors. You can keep wetting the scarf or buff or pour the water over your head. This cools you down immensely! The same of course applies to baseball caps or similar, preferably made of cotton.
Some people also swear by a wet towel that they put on the back of their neck while rolling around.
You should treat your eyes to a good pair of sunglasses with UV protection so that they are not damaged by the bright sunlight.
It goes without saying that they should not pedal too hard: The motto should be “take it easy” in high temperatures. Cycle slowly and enjoy the ride so that it remains pleasant. You often only realize how hot it really is when you take your foot off the pedal and stop. Then the world around you feels like an oven.
Take frequent short breaks in the shade under spreading trees (trees are real air conditioners!) and, if possible, by the water (stream, river, lake - it is always cooler there than in the surrounding area).
Drink during the breaks - we recommend, for example, non-alcoholic wheat beer as an isotonic sports drink because of the nutrients (carbohydrates and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium or chloride). Of course, you can also opt for an isotonic sports drink. - Fruit tea is also a good choice, as are fruit juice spritzers with sodium-rich mineral water. Be careful with fruit juices because of their high sugar content, which can make you even thirstier.
Then treat yourself to a refreshing salad or simply a cold ice cream. During the day, it's better to eat a few lighter meals to stave off hunger, and it's better to have your main meal in the evening when it gets cooler.
A cycle tour in summer is also a pleasure in warm summer weather. If you take our tips into account, you're sure to have wonderful cycling tours ahead of you, no matter how hot it is!
