Learning a New Sport

Posted on: 22 January 2020

When you are going for a gentle cycle ride around your town, then you will be fine wearing your everyday clothes. If you are planning a more serious and energetic cycling endeavour, then you should consider investing in a proper cycling jersey. Wearing a standard t-shirt may be fine for a gentle ride but when you plan to work up a sweat, a cotton t-shirt will absorb all of that sweat, leaving you clammy and uncomfortable for most of your journey.

Here are the top three things that you must look for when deciding which cycling jerseys would be the best choice for your situation.

Comfort comes first

Any cycling jersey must be comfortable. That has to be the top priority. If you don't find it comfortable or if you are unhappy with it for any reason, then you will never wear it, and you have wasted your money. While most cycling jerseys are designed to be skin tight to minimise wind resistance, they don't have to be that way. If you are concerned that you don't yet have the perfect body shape to show off a skin-tight design, you can always opt for a looser fit.

Consider your riding position

Cycling jerseys are normally adapted for the type of riding you will be doing. If you lean forward over the handlebars while riding, don't try on a cycling jersey while standing upright as this could mislead you about how it will work 'in action.' What seems tight on your shoulders while upright will feel entirely different when you lean forward. Jerseys are normally designed to be longer at the back than the front so that when you lean forward while riding your back is still covered but you do not suffer from a large amount of material bunching up uncomfortably in front of you, so while testing your cycling jersey you should assume the same position you will be in while riding.

Convenient storage

One of the problems faced by cyclists on long rides is that bicycles don't have anywhere to conveniently store vital accessories, such as a repair kit, a snack or even your mobile phone. In most cases when you want to store these items you must find room for them in the pockets of your jersey. Some cycling jerseys will come with at least three rear pockets so that you can safely store everything which you might need for your journey. Always check what storage features are offered on any jersey you are considering. Look online or in stores near you for cycling jerseys.