Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Click the "Create Account" button now to join.

To disable ads, please log-in.

Shop at TeamEstrogen.com for women's cycling apparel.

Results 1 to 13 of 13
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    112

    sun protection clothing esp for face and neck

    To disable ads, please log-in.

    Good morning

    I am doing the NYC 5-boro bike ride in a few weeks. My bike rides are usually early or late enough that I manage to miss the worst part of the sun plus my route is somewhat shady. This is going to be a good 4-5 hours in the sun esp as I will surely end up stopping for lots of photo opps.

    My helmet has a visor but it's teeny and doesn't do much - standard visor, maybe juts out an inch or so.

    What clothing do you use to protect the back of your neck and if possible most of your face? I will be liberally applying sunscreen but that won't be enough. Do they make under-helmet gear which has a bigger visor? Or something with flaps for the back of your neck? Do people wear rash guards?

    I have a very lightweight long sleeved shirt which will cover my arms. My padded bike shorts stop at my lower thigh so I need to figure out how to cover my legs although the face and neck are my major concern.

    Thank you for any advice!

    Beth

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Boise Idaho
    Posts
    1,162
    Hi Beth,

    You will get tons of advice so I will start Sun Sleeves for both arms and legs are readily available. I am a fan of loose Sun Shirts with a collar that I turn up to cover my neck. I also wear a bandana around my neck that I can get wet when I am hot. Finally when we are in the desert I am not opposed to putting my sun hat on under my helmet (my helmet is easy to adjust. This is the one I have and can be purchased at most outdoor stores. https://www.rei.com/product/767086/s...-adventure-hat
    Sky King
    ____________________
    Gilles Berthoud "Bernard"
    Surly ECR "Eazi"
    Empowering the Bicycle Traveler
    biketouringnews.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    532
    Here is another option: Da Brim, and a DIY version.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    california
    Posts
    1,232
    when riding in desert heat/sun I wear an adventure cycling protech cap under my helmet, a campmor blubandoo cooling neck/head band and a UPF 50+ long sleeve jersey. There are a number of long sleeve UPF jerseys and Voler has a Sol Skin line of UPF 50 leg/arm/cap items
    ‘The negative feelings we all have can be addictive…just as the positive…it’s up to
    us to decide which ones we want to choose and feed”… Pema Chodron

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I have an earlier version of this Zoot flap cap. I love it for outdoor events, though I will say it's an oven when I'm exerting myself, so I don't wear it to run. With the extra ventilation of cycling, it might be okay, especially on cooler days. The crown is soft, so it should fit fine under a helmet.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    112
    Thank you everyone, I ordered Da Brim and will let you know what I think.

    I have to figure out arms and legs. I do have a rash guard that is allegedly 50 SPF but who knows. It would only cover arms/torso/neck though. Needs legs too, preferably.

    thanks again.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    4,516
    Quote Originally Posted by skywalkerbeth View Post
    Thank you everyone, I ordered Da Brim and will let you know what I think.

    I have to figure out arms and legs. I do have a rash guard that is allegedly 50 SPF but who knows. It would only cover arms/torso/neck though. Needs legs too, preferably.

    thanks again.
    Try this for legs: http://www.amazon.com/DeSoto-Shield-.../dp/B009WWAKWU They make them for arms too. There are also lots of bike jerseys that have SPF fabric and might be a bit more reliable (rash guards IME are stretchy and I worry that the stretch will cause the fabric to lose its SPF).
    Most days in life don't stand out, But life's about those days that will...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I can't speak to the leg coolers, but I have a pair of the DeSoto arm coolers and don't much care for them. There's virtually no stretch to the fabric, so if your arms aren't the exact shape they're sewn in, they don't stay up. Functionally they work very well - they do get waterlogged fairly quickly, but even then they're no hotter than bare skin - but mine just don't stay up. I much prefer my Zoot arm coolers. They don't make leg coolers, but Sugoi makes both leg coolers and knee coolers using the same patented fabric that Zoot does. http://us-store.sugoi.com/collections/cooler-collection
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    I find the Craft arm coolers to be very comfortable. I bought them after a friend recommended them. She had tried several different brands and they were her favorite. I don't know if Craft also makes leg coolers.

    I have problems with the fit of Sugoi shorts and tights. They all seem designed for women who have no fat at all from the waist down. I've never tried their leg coolers and it's been more than 10 years since I tried their leg warmers, so I don't know about the fit of those specific products.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    california
    Posts
    1,232
    Quote Originally Posted by Blueberry View Post
    There are also lots of bike jerseys that have SPF fabric and might be a bit more reliable (rash guards IME are stretchy and I worry that the stretch will cause the fabric to lose its SPF).
    Stretch is one of the items taken into account in a UPF rating. Now with the embedding of nanoparticles into synthetic fiber you can get very stretchy, breathable, wicking and light weight high UPF fabrics….and even fabric that doesn’t lose it’s UPF rating when wet.

    Fabric ratings are UPF (ultraviolet protection factor). They’re calculated by measuring both UVB and long wavelength UVA radiation rather than a lotions SPF which just measures UVB.
    ‘The negative feelings we all have can be addictive…just as the positive…it’s up to
    us to decide which ones we want to choose and feed”… Pema Chodron

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    112
    Thank you again everyone! As it happened, the sun was the least of my worries although I was completely suited up. No sun got through that day. Literally. haha

    I bailed at mile 10 because it was too bloody cold!!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Quote Originally Posted by skywalkerbeth View Post
    Thank you again everyone! As it happened, the sun was the least of my worries although I was completely suited up. No sun got through that day. Literally. haha

    I bailed at mile 10 because it was too bloody cold!!
    Well at least you're prepared for next year! You might also want to look into the NYC Century. The roads aren't closed to cars but it's a nice ride through four boroughs (or at least it was when I did it years ago).

    I'm looking forward to some improvement in the weather -- I am getting tired of trying to guess what to wear for bike rides in this cool damp cloudy weather with a constant chance of rain. Last Saturday I went with wool under an unlined Gore rain jacket. I alternated between being cold and being too warm. The ride was 62 miles with rest stops on the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River and it was noticeably colder near both bodies of water. So we'd start cold near the water, warm up as we rode and start thinking about removing layers, then get blasted by the chill again as we approached the next stop. I am just glad that it didn't actually rain! And it helped that I was riding with friends and ran into other friends at the rest stops. Lots of moral support.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    9
    Quote Originally Posted by skywalkerbeth View Post
    Thank you everyone, I ordered Da Brim and will let you know what I think.

    I have to figure out arms and legs. I do have a rash guard that is allegedly 50 SPF but who knows. It would only cover arms/torso/neck though. Needs legs too, preferably.

    thanks again.
    Craft arm coolers. Buttery smooth and stretchy. No gel grips, just elastic inside the fabric. And Pearl Izumi Leg Coolers. Also buttery soft. No gel grips.

    I had De Soto Arm Coolers, and gave them away, I hated them so much. I do have two pair of De Soto Cool Wings.

 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •