Cycling in Summer: OverLive's Guide
Now the sunshine is beginning to creep out, many people will be dusting off their bikes from the shed and getting back out there! This may be you, or you may of been cycling throughout the colder months too. Nevertheless, we hope you can find something useful and interesting from this short guide about cycling in the summer months.
Stay Hydrated!
If there’s one thing to take away and implement into your cycling in summer routine, take plenty of hydration with you – and then take more!
Whether it be the new fancy nourishment drink on the market that boasts to quadruple your electrolytes and turn you into a super-human, or just good old fashioned water. Regardless, you’ll never regret taking an extra drink with you.
So, you’ll be looking at investing in two things here, your Bottle with enough capacity dependant on the ride distance, and a good quality Bottle Cage. Here at OverLive, we have good options for both. A great affordable option would be the SiS Water Bottle, this comes in three difference size options and two colour choices, dependant on your preference and how far you’ll be cycling.
A good cage we would strongly suggest is the ELITE Vico Bottle Cage. Additionally, this comes in eight different colour choices for your preference and is made from an incredibly lightweight Moulded Carbon material you won’t have to worry about additional weight on your bike.
The Short Version:
- Bring more hydration than you’ll need. Our suggestion – SiS Water Bottle
- Invest in a quality Bottle Cage that will see you through plenty of use. Our suggestion – ELITE Vico Bottle Cage
Bugs!
Anyone who has cycled in even remotely rural areas will have finished their ride absolutely covered in bugs. Whether they’re smushed onto your bike itself or into your freshly washed kit, it can be frustrating. OverLive recommends good Eyewear to keep them bugs from getting in your eyes making you have to stop and remove said bug from your eyeballs…
Yet, it’s not just your clothing that will need protection and a wash after a bug attack, but your bike will need a good clean too. We highly suggest investing in some good bike cleaner – you can see our Cleaning category, right here. Our current best-seller is the 1 Litre bottles of Bike Wash from Motoverde. This will keep your bike looking mint and wash them nasty bugs away with ease!
The Short Version:
- Invest in some Eyewear. OverLive’s suggestion – 100% S2 Sunglasses
- Bike Wash will come in handy. OverLive’s suggestion – Motoverde 1L Bike Wash
Storage is a life-saver!
During these summer month rides, you’ll be tempted to take extra snacks, extra drinks, a change of clothes for when your current ones become drowned in sweat and maybe even a picnic for the nice family or couple rides. With this extra kit you’re bringing you’ll need to re-vamp your storage set-up.
We would recommend Rucksacks, OverLive have a nice range that you can see here. In contrast, Pannier Bags are a great suggestion and hold more kit that a Rucksack might struggle with, and cause no restriction to your person like a backpack might. You can see our Pannier Bag collection here too.
The Short Version:
- Backpacks hold the extra drinks and snacks you’ll be wanting. Our suggestion – OGIO Alpha+ Backpack
- Pannier Bags offer additional storage that your Backpack won’t. Our suggestion – M-Wave Leather Double Pannier Bag
Keep everything running smoothly!
As mentioned in our Winter Cycling Guide. Similarly, just like riding in Winter, your bike will need to be cleaned and lubricated regularly to keep it all running smooth.
Using the Motoverde 1L Bike Wash as suggested above to remove any built-up dust, grime and dirt that has been kicked up from the dusty and dirty tracks or roads you’ve been using. Next, use a specific Dry Lube or a All-Weather Lube to ensure all the moving parts are flowing nicely and won’t cause you any unwanted damage or breakages. Want to see more? You can see our Lubricants & Oils range, right here.
In spite of this, if you’re living in the UK you will know that even though it’s Summer that doesn’t mean rain and stormy weather isn’t off the cards. You might be best to invest in a specific Wet Lube, just in case conditions change.
The Short Version:
- Dirt and grime from the roads/tracks will require regular cleaning. Our suggestion – Motoverde 1L Bike Wash
- Replace the lubrication with specific Dry or All-Weather Lubes. Our suggestion – Weldtite Dry Lube
