Hot weather cycling five tips to help you keep your cool

A spell of hot weather needn't stop you enjoying your nextbike, as long as you take some precautions to prevent over-heating and dehydration.

Let's not beat around the bush: it's hot. The heat wave may not be around long, which is great news if you like the sun but not ideal for your cycling life if you struggle to ride in the heat.

Riding in the heat may be far more appealing than venturing out on a winter's day, but it comes with its own set of challenges to overcome as your body deals with high temperatures.

We've put together three simple tips to follow to help you avoid some common pitfalls when hot-weather riding.

1 KEEP HYDRATED
One of the biggest obstacles with cycling in hot weather is maintaining adequate hydration. You will sweat more as your body naturally tries to cool itself down, but that sweat will evaporate quickly, meaning that it is hard for you to gauge exactly how much fluid you are losing. Drink little and often when riding, and make sure that you have plenty of drink with you or know of places on your route where you can obtain more drinks.

2 WEAR SUNCREAM
While some are proud of their cycling tan as a badge of honour, others find it embarrassing to look as though you are still wearing a white T-shirt when you take your top off. But laughable tan lines are not the main concern - damaging sunburn and the risk of skin cancer due to excessive ultraviolet light exposure are a problem. Wear sunscreen on the exposed parts of your body: arms, legs, face and in particular the back of your neck. The position on your bike means that the area on the front of your legs above the knee and calves will be exposed to sun more than other area of your legs.


3 RIDE IN THE MORNING OR EVENING
A very obvious way to avoid the severity of the sun's rays is to avoid the hottest periods of the day for your trip. There's plenty of daylight in the summer months, so heading out early or at the end of the day can still mean you are riding in the warm, but without many of the hazards.


AND WHEN YOU GET HOME… Pay particular attention to fluid intake when you get home, but also don't forget to eat as you would normally after a ride. Making a recovery drink before your ride and putting it in the fridge ready for your return will provide you with a refreshing, fuss-free cold drink. A cold bath or shower will help you cool off . *Drum roll* You may also feel you deserve an ice cream or two…