Riding sportives, particularly if they’re one of the usual ultra long distance types, can pose tricky questions on the clothing front. an early start when it’s still cold and the sun has yet to fully rise, changeable conditions, sudden and unforeseen shifts in temperature; all are factors which can make deciding how much and exactly what type of clothing to wear a difficulty.
Key to making sure you’re dressed appropriately for the conditions is to follow the weather forecast closely in the days leading up to the event. There are plenty of weather forecast services available on the web, and a quick search in your favourite search engine will reveal many.
It's also very important not to wear or carry too much kit. Weight is the enemy, especially on a typically hilly UK sportive.
As you’ll likely be on the bike for anything up to eight hours, you’ll want to use the layering approach so you have some flexibility. So if the conditions change or it gets really hot, you can whip a layer off. Furthermore, if the weather turns colder, a stashed gilet can provide handy additional insulation.
The trickiest part can be clothing up, not for the temperature first thing in the morning, but what you expect later in the day. Plus you need to take into account the fact you’ll be working fairly hard (most likely) so you should head out in the best and most appropriate clothing.
Here, we share our tips for picking the kind of clothing that’s flexible in the range of conditions you’re likely to encounter in sportives this summer:
Baselayer
Always start with a good quality baselayer. Unless it’s the depth of the winter, a short sleeve baselayer will be ideal, and provide the first line of defence against keeping dry when you get all sweaty on the first climb of the day. Man-made fibres offer good temperature regulation, but Merino wool based baselayers can keep you warm when its cold or cool when its hot, keep your body dry and also are very comfortable next to the skin.
Jersey
Which layers you wear over your baselayer very much depend on personal preferences and the conditions you’ll encounter. My favourite approach is based around maximum versatility, which means a short sleeve jersey. If it’s going to be hot a full-zip is preferable, which allows for maximum ventilation.
Gilet
Over the jersey will go a gilet, absolutely ideal for keeping the wind at bay and a garment that can be pulled into service throughout a ride - for long descents or short outbreaks of rain – and packed away into a jersey pocket unnoticed. Such a combination provides enough warmth and wind chill protection without adding much bulk, but most essentially offers a great deal of flexibility.
Jacket
Whether or not you need a windproof or waterproof jacket will depend on the forecast, which you’ve hopefully been paying attention to, so pack one if you think it might be needed. There’s plenty of choice for lightweight jackets. Many will roll down and pack into a jersey pocket without weighing you down and any weight penalty is quickly rewarded should it rain.
Armwamers
Along with a gilet, armwarmers are absolutely essential. Paired with a short sleeve jersey, you’ve got good coverage if it’s a bit nippy, and when the temperature rises they can be despatched to one of the jersey pockets. Ideal and indispensable.
Shorts
Easily the most important item of clothing in your outfit. Look for a good pair of bib shorts (preferable over non-bib shorts for their extra comfort) with a high quality chamois – invest as much as you can because the comfort benefits will be noticed when you’re six hours into a ride – will be noticed towards the end of a long ride. There’s a bewildering range of chamois, from multi-density gel pads and ergonomic shaped foam designs, so shop around.
The more money you spend the better designed and more technically advanced the fabrics will be used. Better shorts will also use more panels in their construction, which can lead to a better fit, resulting in a more comfortable pair of shorts. For hot weather riding, look for shorts made from lightweight fabric or with mesh panels, especially around the bib straps, for keeping cool.
Kneewarmers
If conditions dictate, knee warmers can be paired with shorts to prevent your knees from getting too cold, which is useful as you really don’t want to let your knee joints get chilled.
Gloves
One of your three contact points with the bicycle, your hands unsurprisingly get a lot of rough treatment clinging to the handlebars all day long, and putting up with the constant vibrations and shocks sent through the bars from potholes and rough roads. Gloves with gel or foam padding carefully placed can eliminate sore or numb hands and leave you finishing in a less battered state.
Top tips
Top tip 1: Get what you’re going to wear prepared the night before. Lay all the clothing out in the order that you’ll be putting it on, to ensure there’s no need to panic about that missing armwarmer and make things much smoother first thing in the morning.
Top tip 2: If you’re warm when you roll to the start, it’s inevitable that you’re wearing too much and as soon as you hit that first big climb of the day, you’ll be stopping to take clothes off. So remeber the rule: dress so you feel a bit chilly for the first 10 minutes until you get going. that way you'll be properly kitted out for the likely conditions you’re going to encounter during the mid-day, rather than first thing in the morning.
