With the hot summer well and truly upon, cyclists need to take care when riding in Melbourne’s scorching heat. We’re expecting higher than average temperatures, which means there are precautions we should be taking when we go for a ride.

• Hydration

You know already that you should keep hydrated during the summertime, whether you’re riding or not. However, when it comes to riding your bike on our Melbourne roads, it is especially important that you keep hydrated throughout your journey. Ensure you have a bottle handy at all times. If you don’t have a bottle holder for you to take your drink with you, it’s probably best that you buy one and fix it to your bike.

• Clothing

There are tonnes of cycling clothing options to choose from when riding your bike. But when it comes to the summer in Melbourne, riding your bike should be considered with a bit more attention because some synthetic materials do not “breathe” well, which will not allow the air to flow in and out and keep you cool.

Also, your body sweats, and if you’re wearing clothing that doesn’t cover you adequately, your sweat may evaporate faster than you think, leading to dehydration. A good bike shop will have the best clothing choices to suit all types of weather.

• Timing

Sometimes you can’t control the time of day you need to travel; for example, when you ride to and from work. But on the other occasions when you just have that “desire” to get out and ride – you should consider what time of day you do it. Consider that the later you travel in the morning, the hotter and harder your ride will be – not to mention the more road users there will be, adding to the congestion and heat. Try to leave earlier when it’s cooler, if you can, or much later in the day. You’ll have a better, more relaxed ride, and after all, enjoying the ride is what it’s all about.

• Skin

It’s so important that we all think about our skin when riding. There are many sun-protection products on the market, and you should apply at least an SPF 30 sunscreen around your neck and arms, as well as on your face, paying special attention to your nose. With skin cancer and melanoma becoming ever-more prevalent in Australia, we can’t stress the importance enough of proper skin protection.

Now that you have these crucial pieces of information, go out there and enjoy your ride safely, knowing that you have done everything to protect yourself from the dangers of Melbourne’s hot summer sun.

For more safety tips or if you want to buy clothing and accessories for your summer rides, shop online now or contact us anytime on (03) 9529 3752.