Stupid question BUT (cycling issue)

sydneybeachgirl

Fellow fitness pals may I have a very stupid question.

How do you avoid getting sunburnt when cycling outdoors in the summer?

OKAY OKAY we all use sunscreen of course and try to cover up but in summer heat I am sticking with a T-shirt..a short sleeve one....Now..because I apply the sunscreen after I put my Tshirt on I usually end up with a sun toned half arm with a strong dividing line of colour to where my Tshirt ended...Even if I put some sunscreen underneath the sleeve of my T-shirt I still get the line (((((((((

I love cycling outdoors but this is driving me nuts...anyone any tips?

eldamiano

Cycling early in the day?....

sydneybeachgirl

good idea but I am not a morning person....I prefer early afternoon or mid morning

VastBreak

Switch to a tank top. I usually have long sleeves on or a tank!

eldamiano

good idea but I am not a morning person....I prefer early afternoon or mid morning

Ok. Make yourself a morning person... or move house

DavPul

Wear a tank top. Or bikini.

Or go naked

MiloBloom83

My suggestion is to own it...rock that "farmer's tan". Or go with sleeveless jerseys. That's what i do, even though it's against the "rules" for men to go sleeveless. I also flip the grippers on my bike shorts up so my tan lines on my thighs match where my regular shorts hit. I'm a rebel like that.

sillygoosie

My suggestion is to own it...rock that "farmer's tan". Or go with sleeveless jerseys. That's what i do, even though it's against the "rules" for men to go sleeveless. I also flip the grippers on my bike shorts up so my tan lines on my thighs match where my regular shorts hit. I'm a rebel like that.

QFT

rml_16

Fellow fitness pals may I have a very stupid question.

How do you avoid getting sunburnt when cycling outdoors in the summer?

OKAY OKAY we all use sunscreen of course and try to cover up but in summer heat I am sticking with a T-shirt..a short sleeve one....Now..because I apply the sunscreen after I put my Tshirt on I usually end up with a sun toned half arm with a strong dividing line of colour to where my Tshirt ended...Even if I put some sunscreen underneath the sleeve of my T-shirt I still get the line (((((((((

I love cycling outdoors but this is driving me nuts...anyone any tips?

Esoecially if you have somewhat fair skin, you'e still going to get some color while wearing sunscreen. I can slather on SPF 1,000 and I'll still get some color. I put my sunsceen on my entire body (even the parts clothing will cover) so that I'm sure every exposed area is covered. And if you're out a long time and sweating, you have to reapply.

It also helps to go in the early mornings and later in the afternoon when the sun isn't as strong.

And as others said, if you're worried about the line itself, wear a tank.

rides4sanity

I just got some tri style tanks for riding bcs the farmer tan with a cute sun dress and heels just looks stupid...

bwogilvie

If you don't want to have the farmer's tan, and you don't want to wear sleeveless jerseys, you can get lightweight long-sleeved jerseys or arm coolers. Bouré sells SPF 30 rated long-sleeved jerseys for use in the summer. I've worn them on multi-day bike tours in hot weather, and can confirm that they're comfortable. They reflect a lot of the light, and they wick sweat away, so they do leave your arms feeling cooler than if they're bare.

If you don't want to spend the $$$ on new jerseys, Rapha and a couple of other companies make arm coolers that go from the upper arm to the wrist, using the same principle.

trijoe

1) Sounds like you're doing road cycling. Have you considered getting a mountain bike or cyclocross bike and hitting the trails? Do you have trees in your area? Forest rides are great and would end your problem.

2) Triathlon tops, or sleeveless cycling jerseys. You'll still get the tan, and if you're not really good with the sunscreen you risk burning your shoulders. But it's been a solution for decades in the triathlon community. I'm sure it can work for you too.

3) There are these cool arm sleeves, relatively new on the market. You slide them on from your shoulder to your wrist. They're not terribly attractive (if you ask me) but they're supposed to keep your body cooler, and they offer SPF protection from the sun. I have a pair that I must confess I rarely use. I suppose I should break them out more often.

Good luck, and good cycling.

sydneybeachgirl

thanks cycling friends for the great suggestion...
I promise to work on becoming more of a morning person, however the issue is that I usually work in the morning and then have a couple of hours break when I cannot resist the urge of going for a ride...But I will try.

Thanks for the recommendation on wearing a tri tank - I have plenty of those but to be frank I wouldnt dare to wear that for cycling. I live in SYD and the sun is really strong down here, a tri tank is not suitable in sunny weather - will make the back of your neck burnt for sure.
Sunscreen - I am fairly fair skinned and I live in Ausralia so it s 50SPF anyway all day everyday when the sun is out

I will definately look into getting a long sleeve SPF resistant cooling jersey - I have long sleeve jerseys but they are more for spring-autumn-winter when the temp is under 20C...not when it is 25C-30C (100F and above)..

Thanks for all the recommendations I really appreciate it
Happy Riding to you all