[2023] Recommended Guide to Choosing Equipment for Cycling | Jerseys, Helmets, Gloves, Headphones

Cycling is both unfamiliar and familiar to many friends, it is not just ordinary cycling tourism. Once the equipment is not fully prepared, it will engender a lot of safety problems. So if you want to ride with both safety and a good riding experience, some essential equipment is indispensable, and here are some essential items for cycling.

1. Cycling Jerseys

 Whether it is necessary to wear cycling jersey when riding a bicycle is a common discussion for cyclists. Some people feel that cycling jerseys are not necessary for cycling, while others insist that wearing cycling clothes is necessary.

There are two main reasons to support cycling without wearing cycling clothes: the first is that people think there is no need wearing cycling jersey because they are not a professional cyclist. The second reason is that they think the shape of the cycling suit is gorgeous and exaggerated, which is too ostentatious.

 Others believe that cycling clothing is a needful cycling product for their own safety and riding efficiency, and I agree with this view. There are four main reasons:

 1. The fabric of cycling clothing is mostly special fabrics, which can transport the sweat on the body surface to the surface of the clothes through the fiber of the clothing, and quickly evaporate while cycling, so as to achieve the purpose of efficient perspiration and cycling in a refreshing state.

 2. The bright colors of the cycling clothes and the design with reflective strips can attract the attention of passing vehicles on the road, which can also serve as a warning at night to ensure your riding safety. It’s very suitable for riding on cool days now, but not every road has a perfect lighting system, in addition to the taillights, the reflective design of the cycling suit is rather important at this time.

 3. Tight and close-fitting cycling jersey can effectively reduce wind resistance, improve cycling speed, and improve the durability of riding. A zipper is designed on the chest of the jersey to make breathing easier. Generally speaking, men's zippers are longer and can get better breathability, while women's zippers are more conservative and avoid exposing their bodies.

 4. The tight design of the cycling jersey also helps to tightly wrap the muscles of the whole body, so that no muscle strain occurs when riding. Generally, there are some small pocket designs on the back or sides, and the common is the design of 3 pockets on the back, which can put some small things, such as mobile phones, chocolates, etc., to facilitate replenishment of energy at any time.

 Recommending Specialized SL Bicycledelics Jersey

 Reasons for recommendation:

Specialize's jerseys never disappoint. SL jerseys are built on the belief that cycling clothes need to be very durable and able to withstand the stress of long rides, but that doesn't mean they can't be racing-level professional and lightweight at the same time. The SL series uses VaporRize fiber material, which has excellent perspiration and dehumidification properties. Not only that, but the material is incredibly soft, keeping you comfortable throughout the day.

The SL series has a very body-fitting design for this jersey, ensuring that no matter how your body moves. The clothes will always fit during the ride, as if it were another layer of your skin. Moreover, the material also has a UPF30+ sun protection rating.

In terms of style and pattern design, SL series has also been recognized by many cyclists. Gradient color plus, design simplicity plus, full of Specialized logo plus, although full of logo but not make people feel secret and uncomfortable. The beauty of this cycling uniform is the kind of cycling suit that you can see and fall in love with at a glance among many cycling suits.

2. Helmets

 If cycling clothing is unnecessary, then a helmet for cycling is definitely necessary. You can test your head circumference and choose a product that suits you before buying.

 The function of the helmet used for cycling:

 1. Reduce the risk of head injury: Helmets used for cycling can avoid head injuries and reduce human body injuries to collisions.

 2. Increase safety: Helmets can provide more safety for cyclists in the event of an accident and reduce the degree of injury caused by accidents.

 3. Increase riding pleasure: Helmets for cycling provide riders with extra comfort and protection, allowing riders to focus on the fun of riding.

 Wearing a helmet for cycling is one of the important equipment to protect cyclists, effectively reducing the risk of injury and improving the safety and fun of riding.

 What should we pay attention to when choosing a helmet for cycling?

 1. Helmet types: Learn about the types of bike helmets to suit different riding needs and personal preferences, such as full helmets, half helmets, or 3/4 helmets. Full helmets provide more comprehensive protection, while half helmets and 3/4 helmets are lighter.

 2. Safety certification: When choosing a helmet, please make sure that it has passed the world's authoritative safety certification, such as the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) in the United States, EN1078 standard in Europe and AS/NZS 2063 standard in Australia. These certifications ensure that the helmet effectively protects the head in the event of an impact.

 3. Helmet material: Helmets are usually made of materials such as polycarbonate (PC), glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate (FRP), or carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate (CFRP). PC helmets are less expensive, while carbon helmets are more expensive but perform better.

4. Size and shape: Choosing the right size and shape ensures the helmet fits snugly on the head, reducing shaking and air resistance, and also improving comfort and safety.

 5. Ventilation performance: Make sure that the helmet has good ventilation performance to prevent overheating of the head and sweat accumulation. Vents, brim and a cooling system inside the helmet all contribute to increased comfort.

 6. Adjustable function: The helmet should have adjustable straps and chin buckles to accommodate different head shapes and wearing styles. These adjustments ensure that the helmet remains in a safe position at all times.

7. Color and style: Choose your favorite color and style to increase the visual recognition of the helmet and make it easier to observe the surroundings while cycling.

 8. Price: Choose the right helmet according to your personal budget. Some premium brands have a higher price tag but may offer better performance and comfort. And some more cost-effective brands can also provide high-quality helmets.

 Recommending TREK Bontrager Solstice Bike Helmet

 Reasons for recommendation:

The TREK Bontrager Solstice helmet is a premium helmet for both a casual commute and mountain biking. Made of highly impact-resistant materials that provide strong head protection while also being breathable and lightweight. Especially, helmets designed for cycling enthusiasts can better fit the shape of people's heads and provide a more comfortable wearing feeling.

The inner lining of the helmet is made of removable and washable material, which ensures the hygiene and long-term use of the helmet. The helmet also has good adjustability and breathability when cycling, so you have a better experience while riding. Whether you're commuting, on vacation, or cycling outdoors, this helmet gives you peace of mind.

3. Gloves

 I incline to think that it is necessary to buy gloves for cycling as helmets. If an accident happens while cycling, the palm of our hand will rub against the ground first. If you forget to wear gloves while riding, your hands will hurt as a result. In addition, gloves also have anti-slip shock absorption effect, and can be used to wipe sweat when riding when sweating, which is a very good must-have item for cycling enthusiasts.

What are the functions of gloves for cycling?

 Although the size of the glove is small, the material will vary depending on the wearing part. For example, the back of the hand is generally made of a combination of a variety of materials that absorb sweat, breathe, protect from the sun, or protect against cold. The palm part is more inclined to anti-slip and wear-resistant, cushioning shock absorption. Therefore, although the glove is small, every part of the design is careful and considerate.

 1. Good air permeability

In order to avoid stuffiness, the surface material of gloves used for cycling is usually Lycra, nylon, polyester, and three-layer laminated cloth composed of three layers of cloth. Among them, the Lycra material has good elasticity and elasticity, and it can be said that it is the most widely used. Three layers of laminating cloth, the outermost layer is a mesh cloth, the middle is a waterproof and breathable membrane, and the inner layer is a brush cloth, which is both waterproof and cold-proof, which is a more common material for making gloves.

2. Can be used to wipe away sweat

In the thumb area of the gloves used for cycling, there is usually a terry cloth that can wipe away a small amount of sweat that interferes with the view during the ride.

 3. Anti-slip and wear-resistant

The main material of the palm part of the glove used for cycling is very important because it is in constant contact with the grip. Now the more used is PU imitation leather material.

 4. Shock absorption

The palm part of the gloves used for cycling usually has a thick cushion part, and its materials are sponge, EVA foam, SBR foam, TPE foam, memory foam, shock-absorbing gel, etc. Among them, the memory foam will slowly bounce up after being pressed, which can better hold the handle during use. Although shock absorption is weaker than shock gel, cyclists can ride on flat ground.

Highlights for choosing gloves for cycling

 1. Gloves that cover half of your fingers

In general, gloves that cover all fingers are necessary to buy in winter. When cycling, most of the time it is enough to wear gloves that cover half of your fingers. Gloves that cover half of your fingers are flexible when used, but the disadvantage is that they are not waterproof or resistant to cold.

 2. Size

Generally, the size of the glove is related to the height. The size of gloves required varies by age and gender, so the focus on size is appropriate. Due to the material of the gloves used for cycling, there is a certain stretch elasticity when used, and proper cleaning will not deform the gloves, so there is no need to buy a small size or a larger one.

3. Individual needs

If you usually like to ride for a short time, there is no need to buy functional gloves for cycling at a high price. If it is used by children, in addition to the size, shock absorption, breathability and other functions, a pair of non-slip and wear-resistant gloves for cycling are required.

 Recommending TREK Bontrager Circuit Cycling Glove

 Reasons for recommendation:

This glove makes riding more comfortable, with strategically placed silicone and gel foam pads that distribute pressure evenly, providing vibration control to ensure comfort throughout the ride. It features a textured suede palm face that gives you a greater grip during intense workouts and in adverse weather conditions, providing ideal durability and texture for confidence on the ride.

When the body gets hot during riding, the thumb is designed to absorb sweat, and the soft, breathable and stretchy Lycra mesh fabric keeps the hand cool. Its unique padded design allows for a thinner look and a better connection to the bike. The hook-and-loop closure allows the rider to better adjust the fit, and the special design of the middle and ring fingers makes it easy to remove the gloves.

 Gloves used for cycling look inconspicuous, but they contribute a lot to the safety and comfort of riding during cycling. Therefore, before cycling, we must carefully choose a pair of gloves that suit us, so that we can enjoy cycling with confidence and boldness.

4. Headphones

 When we choose equipment for cycling, in addition to cycling jersey, helmets and gloves, we often forget one equally necessary item, and that is headphones. There are many types of headphones on the electrics market, wireless and wired headphones, in-ear headphones and bone conduction earphones, how should we choose a headset for cycling?

As cycling is a sport that can face all kinds of unexpected events and bring danger. If you buy according to ordinary headphones, it may bring certain unsafe factors, so for the purchase of headphones for cycling, I recommend the bone conduction headphones. Bone conduction headsets are not only used in sports, but also in many fields, and special operations personnel can often be seen using this type of headset.

 Advantages of bone conduction headphones

1. Open-ear design, high outdoor safety factor

The new bone conduction transmission sound method can keep the ear canal in a long-term unobstructed state, which means that in the process of listening to songs, it can also perceive the external ambient sound, and can respond in time to emergencies, improving its own safety factor.

 2. Ensuring the hygiene of the ear canal and facilitate cleaning

Bone conduction headphones are through the principle of bone vibration to complete the transmission of sound, in this process the ear canal is in a long-term open role, compared with traditional headphones can have a certain air circulation, a good prevention of the ear canal blockage caused by otitis media frequent recurrence. In the process of exercise, the phenomenon of tinnitus can be avoided, and the surface of the bone conduction headphone is basically covered with silicone material, which has a certain cleaning convenience.

3. Providing good comfort when worn for a long time

Since most of the bone conduction earphones are mainly designed with ear-hanging, not only can they be worn in one step during the wearing process, but they will not squeeze the inside of the ear canal, and wearing the headphones for a long time will not cause ear swelling and pain.

 4. Less damage to the ear canal than traditional headphones

The biggest difference between bone conduction headphones and traditional headphones is that in the principle of sound. Traditional headphones are transmitted through the air, while bone conduction headphones are transmitted through bone vibration. For the ear canal, the wearing style of traditional in-ear headphones can cause damage to the eardrum, and even produce irreversible phenomena. Therefore, bone conduction headphones have minimal damage to the ear canal.

 How to choose bone conduction headphones?

 1. Wearing comfort

One of the advantages of bone conduction headphones over traditional headphones is that they are more comfortable, and high-comfort headphones are more comfortable to wear.

 2. Higher sound quality

In the case of little difference in comfort and safety, better sound quality means a better music experience.

3. Anti-sound leakage ability

Bone conduction headphones will have sound leakage, but at present, some bone conduction headphones have adopted effective sound reduction technology, such as Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction headphones with a design that reduces shell vibration, which can well solve the sound leakage problem of bone conduction headphones.

 4. Long battery life

The battery life of bone conduction headphones is also vital. When cycling outdoors, it may need to be worn for a long time, and the bone conduction headset will greatly reduce the use experience if the battery life is too weak. It is recommended to buy bone conduction headphones with a battery life of about 10 hours.

 5. High waterproof level

Sweating a lot during riding may cause water damage to the headphones, so the waterproofness of the headphones is an important factor. Protection class IPXX display, the last digit represents the waterproof level. For example, IPX8 is level 8 waterproof.

Recommending Wissonly Hi Runner Bone Conduction Headphones

 Reasons for recommendation:

Wissonly Hi Runner is an ea-hanging bone conduction headphone, it supports Bluetooth mode and MP3 mode dual playback. If you are not convenient to carry the mobile phone or the mobile phone has no signal when cycling outdoors, you can use the MP3 mode of the headset, which can make you feel very convenient.

 Its performance is very powerful, having a large memory of 32G is one of its main features, being able to store 5000 songs. Its battery life is strong which can listen to songs for 8 to 10 hours continuously, making it suitable for long outdoor cycling sessions.

The weight of this headset is only 28 grams, it will not feel heavy when worn. And its surface is made of soft skin-friendly silicone material, which is very safe and comfortable to wear. Its overall frame is made of adjustable aviation-grade titanium steel material, strong bending resistance can adapt to different sizes of head circumference and wear firmly. It will not fall off when cycling and can work well with sunglasses and helmets for cycling.

 It has an IPX8 waterproof rating higher than the industry standard, so it can be used normally on rainy days or when exercising under sweat. This allows you to have a better experience during the cycling, the headphones will not be scrapped due to sweat erosion.

 The open-ear design of this headset allows you to hear the surrounding sounds during the ride, making it safer and more hygienic. The only downside is that wind noise is easy to hear during cycling, but the advantages of the headphones as a whole outweigh the disadvantages. Compared to other brands of headphones, Wissonly Hi Runner is inexpensive and worth buying, the price at only $99.99.

Conclusion

 To sum up, the purchase of equipment for cycling is necessary. If you're just experiencing a ride, it's more cost-effective to rent some gear for cycling. If you want to experience outdoor riding for hours and hours, you need to spend money on necessary equipment for cycling. After all, whether you have equipment for cycling will affect the comfort of your entire cycling vocation.