The essentials for a bike outing

One of the undeniable advantages of cycling is that it allows you to escape further and faster on the roads or in the mountains/forests. Moreover, with a robust bike bag, you can carry everything you need for your long outings and secure your equipment. But this also means that you will inevitably find yourself more quickly alone in case of a problem.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR A BIKE OUTING

THE BIKE HELMET: ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR SAFETY

Wearing a helmet is recommended especially during extreme outings. For long and sporty practices, you can equip yourself with a bike helmet from the best brands, lightweight, which has precise adjustment to avoid too much pressure around the head. This can cause uncomfortable pain.

The helmet is extremely important in enduro biking outings for several reasons. First, enduro biking often involves technical and fast descents on rough terrain, which can significantly increase the risk of falls and accidents. Wearing a helmet can help protect the head in case of a collision with an object, a fall, or an impact. Additionally, enduro biking outings can take place in variable weather conditions, with muddy and slippery terrain. In these conditions, the risk of falling can increase, and wearing a helmet can help minimize the risk of head injuries.

For urban biking, a classic helmet will suffice, but for better visibility by motorists, it is recommended to choose a helmet that has a rear light. This light being higher than a seat post light, motorists will see you from further away and more quickly.

BIKE GLOVES TO PROTECT YOUR HANDS

The bike gloves meet multiple needs depending on the disciplines. Short gloves should be lightweight and offer good grip. With long gloves, it is important to check that they are touch-sensitive so you can easily use your smartphone if needed.

Gloves prevent pinching, friction, and blisters, and the padded palm prevents pain and absorbs shocks. To face the worst weather conditions or cold, you can equip yourself with Gore-tex gloves. These are waterproof, windproof gloves that wick moisture despite their thermal interior. In other words, these gloves keep your hands warm and dry.

For enduro, it is recommended to wear gloves that have protected knuckles, to face branches and anything the trails will throw in your way.

For urban biking, for your safety, you can equip yourself with brightly colored gloves or with reflective details for better visibility by motorists.

A BREATHABLE BIKE JERSEY

In hot weather, you can equip yourself with a light short-sleeve jersey to wick away the heat emitted by your body during exertion. For road enthusiasts, it is essential to complete your outfit with a road cycling outfit designed to optimize performance and comfort.

Be careful, dark colors absorb sunlight which turns into heat. Therefore, prefer light colors in summer and dark colors in winter.

If weather conditions are unstable, do not hesitate to bring arm warmers if the temperature drops or a waterproof jacket if it starts to rain. Indeed, it is very compact, lightweight, and easy to fold. So slip it into your back pocket, it won't bother you.

In mountain biking, even in hot weather, prefer long sleeves to protect yourself in case of a fall but also from branches that can scratch you during your outing. During very intense enduro outings, it is advisable to wear at least a back protection to protect yourself in case of a fall. In this case, you should wear a loose jersey and take a size up to avoid being tight and to maintain good freedom of movement. A water-repellent fabric is ideal for forest outings. It will protect you from water splashes and keep you dry.

In winter, a classic winter jacket may suffice, but for long and intense outings, it is preferable to equip yourself with a Gore-tex jacket, as it will be windproof, waterproof, thermal, and will wick moisture. It will therefore keep you warm and dry.

A BIKE SHORT

On the road, in summer, a short bib is ideal, to avoid tan lines you can equip yourself with different lengths of shorts and alternate. If the temperature drops, do not hesitate to bring leg warmers with you. To complete your road outfit, think of a road bike outfit specially designed for performance and comfort.

In winter, a long, thermal, and water-repellent bib will be ideal. It will keep you warm and protect you from a light layer of rain. In heavy rain, your bib will soak up water and may penalize your performance. In this case, prefer the Gore-tex membrane.

In a bike short, the most important thing is the chamois pad. Indeed, it is the main factor of your comfort. If your saddle is already padded, you can use a basic short, but if not and you are doing long efforts, it is advisable to take a thick chamois pad, with high-performance or even premium padding.

In enduro, you have a choice. You can equip yourself with shorts, pants that have an integrated chamois pad, or you can equip yourself with underwear with a chamois pad that you can wear under your bottoms. For those looking for excellence in off-road, complete your outfit with a quality MTB outfit.

For urban biking, waterproof pants allow you to stay dry, but it is important that they are not too loose to avoid discomfort and getting caught in the pedals.

BIKE SHOES

For those who are not very comfortable with automatic pedals, simple sports shoes may suffice. However, be careful with the laces that can get caught in the pedals and make you fall. For cyclists wanting maximum efficiency, discover a range of high-performance bike shoes for every practice.

For long and high-performance outings in MTB or on the road, a pair of lightweight shoes with cleats and a BOA tightening system is ideal. It helps to keep your foot in place and improve your performance. A double tightening (BOA or strap at the front) enhances the fit of your foot.

For enduro outings, a pair of shoes with a boa system and a reinforced sole to absorb shocks will allow you to descend all slopes. Provided you have wide pedals that grip well.

In winter, equip yourself with shoe covers to keep your feet warm and dry!

SOCKS

For socks, it's up to you to know if you feel better in high or low ones. High socks allow you in MTB and enduro to protect your legs from branches and splashes. On the road, they provide good support and play a role in compression.

Merino wool socks are the most versatile. Indeed, they wick moisture much better than synthetic material, keep your feet cool and dry in summer and warm in winter. Antibacterial, unlike polyester ones, these socks will not retain any unpleasant odor after repeated use.

GLASSES/A BIKE MASK

Bike glasses not only protect you from the sun but also from wind and debris, it is important to choose them well according to the need and discipline. For the road, prefer a lightweight frame with a lens that enhances colors and contrasts for better visibility and wind protection. If you are looking for a complete road bike outfit, also think about dedicated accessories to maximize your comfort and safety.

In MTB, the climate is darker, so it is interesting to take an adapted lens or a lens without tint and wide that covers the face well, as debris is more frequent. The same goes for enduro, but it seems especially important to choose a mask that fits your helmet.

NUTRITION TO ENSURE YOUR ENERGY DURING THE BIKE OUTING

To function, our body needs energy that it will draw from our diet (carbohydrates and fats). Our carbohydrate reserves allow for about 90 minutes of intense activity.

However, during a long and energy-consuming physical activity, our energy expenditure triples. It is therefore important to always leave with cereal bars or energy gels.

You must ensure to replenish carbohydrates every hour to be able to produce optimal effort.

HYDRATION

TOOLS IN CASE OF PROBLEMS DURING YOUR BIKE OUTINGS

Never leave without a good multi-tool, as it solves most problems encountered while biking. A puncture kit and a pump should not be neglected, as depending on the rigidity of your tire, it can be disassembled and reassembled by hand. But this is not always the case. To be truly effective and prepared for any situation, also plan for a high-performance bike tool.
Moreover, repairing your tire will allow you to finish your outing. The ideal is a flat tool that can easily slip into the back pockets of a jersey, in a backpack, or in a saddlebag. To go faster, you can equip your bike with Tubeless to avoid punctures or you can get a quick inflator with CO2 cartridges.

A LIGHTING : ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR NIGHT OUTINGS

We know when we leave, but we don't always know when we will return! A lamp allows you not only to be seen... but also to see! It is therefore important to choose it well, depending on its autonomy and power. Some lamps have multiple lighting modes which can be interesting when you practice multiple disciplines.

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES :

A mount for your phone allows you to have good visibility if you use a GPS or a performance calculation app. On the road, choose its location well so it doesn't bother you. In MTB, you need to choose a sturdier mount because the vibrations are stronger. You can also equip your phone with a touch protection case to protect it from water splashes and dust.

Expert product advice: