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Contents
- 1 Best Cycling Shirts – Why Cycling Shirts Are Best
- 2 Colored Cycling Jerseys in Major Tours
- 3 Casual Cycling Shirts For Easy Riding
- 4 Cycling Shirts Plus Cycling Shorts Equals Skin Suits
- 5 Where Can I Buy Cycling Shirts?
- 5.1 Men’s Cycling Jersey and Shorts Set Short Sleeved Bike Jersey and Shorts Mountain Clothing Summer Wear Quick-Dry
- 5.2 Hot Rides Men’s Quick Dry Cycling Jersey and 3D Gel Padded Shorts and Bib Set
- 5.3 Men’s Cycling Jersey Set Short Sleeve MTB Jersey Road Bike Clothing Shirts Shorts with 3D Padded Outdoor Riding Sportswear
- 5.4 Nine bull Men’s Cycling Jersey Set – Reflective Quick-Dry Biking Shirt and 3D Padded Cycling Bike Shorts
- 5.5 Lixada Men’s Cycling Jersey Suit Winter Thermal Fleece Long Sleeve Mountain Bike Road Bicycle Shirt Padded Pants
- 5.6 PLM Men’s Cycling Jersey Moutain Bike Short Sleeve Set Ropa Ciclismo Quick Dry Breathable Pro Cycling Wear + Bib Shorts with 9D Padded Pants
- 5.7 Men’s URBAN CYCLING TEAM Short Sleeve Jersey & Bib Shorts Cycling Kit Set
- 5.8 Solo Cycle Clothing Konig Classique Cycling Jersey
- 5.9 Dinamik Evo Pro Men’s Cycling Bib Tights Leggings, Extra Padded Long Bike Pants
- 5.10 Sparx Long Sleeve Cycling Skinsuit Pro Team Bicycle Suit Bike Racing Suit Cycle Kit 3D Pad
- 6 Share
- 7 About Post Author
Best Cycling Shirts – Why Cycling Shirts Are Best
You might be wondering why on earth you’d ever need a cycling shirt, as opposed to a normal t-shirt when you go out cycling. There are several factors to think about and the best cycling shirts offer some advantages even if you are not a professional racer.
Obviously, professional racing cyclists wear specialized cycle jerseys to display which team they ride for, and also to advertise their team sponsors. But if you just like to hurtle along normal streets in town, you may be better off wearing a cycling shirt as many of them are made in a vast array of eye-catching and sometimes garish color schemes. This is a good thing if you are riding in busy towns with a lot of traffic on the roads – basically, you want to be seen by other road users. So if you are not a racer, think of the bright colors as a safety feature.
A quite separate advantage of wearing cycling shirts is that they are tailored to be longer at the back than the front. You will be leaning over most of the time if you are riding at speed, and will prefer for your shirt not to slide halfway up your back. The front is normally fastened using a long zipper, and obviously, you can adjust this to where you want it, to cool down if you’ve been training hard or the weather is very hot.
On the subject of comfort, many cycling shirts these days are made from Hi-Tec fabrics that allow breathability. In other words, like specialized garments that runners wear, the material wicks away moisture from the skin surface of the wearer, and so these shirts help to keep you comfortable and dry.
Cycling jerseys generally have pockets that are on the rear; heavy items can get in the way if the pockets are on the front of the shirt. Some have multiple pockets, some have zips on the pockets, which are the ones I prefer as things don’t fall out of them!
If you are cycling in colder weather you can wear long-sleeved cycling shirts, some of which are designed to keep you warm, with elasticated cuffs and waistbands, and the all-important moisture-wicking ability.
So the main tips (and reasons) for getting a cycling shirt are to decide on long or short sleeves; aim to buy a jersey that wicks moisture away from your skin, as it will keep you so much more comfortable during rides that require periods of high and low intensity. And use a cycling shirt that allows you to be highly visible to motorists – bright yellow, green, or red are good colors to try.
Colored Cycling Jerseys in Major Tours
If you are looking out for the colors of the cycling shirts during a race on TV, make sure you know which race you are watching! There are several European Tours, not to mention the Tour of America and Tour of Britain. And just to make things interesting, each race awards different colored jerseys to the various classification leaders.
Well, which races should we be looking out for? I mentioned in a previous post that the most famous road tour is the Tour de France. The other important European road races are the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, and the Eneco Tour of Benelux.
The four main classifications, each having their own distinctive cycling shirt colors, are Overall Leader, Points Leader, Mountains Leader, and Young Star (awarded to the leading under-25 rider and indicating a potential future star). Here is an overview of the colored jerseys each leader wears when participating in the major tournaments.
Tour de France
Just as a quick reminder from my previous post, the jersey colors in the Tour de France (Le Tour) are yellow for an overall leader; green for the points leader; red and white polka-dots for the mountain stage leader (the King of the Mountains); and white for the young star.
Giro d’Italia
When the cycle race is in Italy – commonly called the Giro – the riders’ cycling shirts change their colors. Now the overall leader wears a pink jersey. Then it’s mauve (or cyclamen) for the points leader; green for the mountains leader; and again white for the young category leader.
Vuelta a Espana
The action has now gone to Spain and La Vuelta. The overall leader’s cycling shirt is back to yellow. The points leader, however, wears a blue jersey; for the mountain stages leader it’s an orange jersey, and in La Vuelta, there is no jersey awarded for the under-25s leader.
Eneco Tour of Benelux
In this tour, the racing winds its way through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The Benelux tour was devised to provide a more challenging race as the Tour of the Netherlands was deemed not to be hard enough. However, the separate Tours of Belgium and Luxembourg still exist in their own rights. The overall leader in the Eneco Tour wears a red jersey; the points leader wears the blue shirt; there is no jersey award for mountain stages in the Eneco Tour, and in Benelux, the yellow jersey is worn by the under-25s young star.
So remember when you get excited watching the progress of the guy in the yellow cycling shirt, make sure you are watching Le Tour or La Vuelta because if it’s the Eneco Tour you’ll be looking at the bright young thing coming through, rather than the overall leader!
Cycling Shirts in Competition
Cycling shirts are well-known in the famous competition the Tour de France for classifying the top riders. The jerseys to look out for in the French race are the coveted yellow jersey – or maillot Jaune. This cycling shirt is worn by the rider who is the leader of the competition. But the winner didn’t always wear the yellow jersey. Originally, the race winner wore a normal cycling shirt along with a green armband. In 1913, Belgian rider Philippe Thys became the first official wearer, although he took some persuading, as he felt he might get a harder race from his opponents if they saw him wearing the yellow top.
The fiftieth anniversary of the Tour de France saw the introduction of a new cycling shirt color – the green jersey, or maillot vert. This shirt gets worn by the racer with the highest number of individual points, the points being awarded for sprints at the end of each stage of the Tour. There are four different types of stages, each with its own scoring system. In order of highest points on offer, they are flat stages; medium mountain stages; high mountain stages; and time trials. Not only are the points lower for the winning rider in each of these types of stage, but the number of riders awarded points also reduces. So in flat sprints, the first 25 racers are awarded points, the winner receiving 35; but with time trials, only the first 10 get points, with the winner awarded only 15. The wearer of the green jersey is the rider with the most cumulative points. If more than one rider has the same points total, then the number of stage wins is taken into account.
The third important cycling shirt color in Tour de France racing is white with red polka-dots and is worn by the cyclist called the King of the Mountains. Points are given to the first to reach the peaks of certain hills and mountains along the route. The climbs are divided into categories according to steepness and duration, with the easiest numbered 4 and the hardest numbered 1 – and even climbs dubbed ‘beyond classification’. As with the green jersey system, the polka-dot jersey sees more points-winners and higher points awarded for the more difficult climbs; and on the last climb of each stage, double points are earned if the hill is classed as ‘beyond classification (horscategorie)’ as well as categories 1 and 2.
So in future, when you see these colored cycling shirts whizzing past (except perhaps for the polka-dot one!), as you watch the Tour de France, you might ponder how much-sustained effort these cyclists have had to put in, on their quest to win the final yellow jersey!
Casual Cycling Shirts For Easy Riding
Professional cycling shirts are not necessary if you are only riding for fun, or just pedaling your way to work and back. And let’s face it; you might not really want to wear a hi-tec high-performance and fairly skintight cycling shirt if you are a little out of shape. If that’s you, then keep on cycling, and pedal away the paunch!
There are plenty of other options for people looking for a comfy shirt for cycling in, and perhaps the best of all is the plain old tee-shirt. You won’t be racing, so a skintight fit isn’t necessary for reducing drag. It’s probably fair to say you won’t be haunched over the handlebars, head down and pumping the pedals like the clappers. So you won’t need a ‘proper’ cycling shirt with length down the back. In fact, you’ll almost certainly be sitting upright and looking at the scenery as you go, enjoying a leisurely ride.
So, there are a few considerations. These will depend on the time of year and the corresponding weather conditions, and also whether you intend to go out in traffic.
Weather first. Wear comfortable cycling shirts to reflect the temperature; tee-shirts for the summer and long-sleeved shirts for when it’s colder. You can get decent cycling jackets in the stores for riding in colder temperatures. In all cases, for your own comfort – especially if you sweat a lot – go for a fabric that has moisture-wicking capabilities. These are more expensive but make a huge difference to your comfort when cycling long distances. Some places sell moisture-wicking cycling shirts specifically, but I don’t see any reason not to get the wicking shirts used for jogging or hiking.
The important point about moisture-wicking materials is that if you start layering your clothes, make sure all the items can wick moisture. If you have one layer that wicks, and another that doesn’t, it won’t work properly, and you’ll probably end up feeling less comfortable than you were hoping to be.
That’s your comfort taken care of. Now onto road safety. Like with many of the professional cycling shirts worn by racers, cycling tee-shirts are available in some pretty revolting and dayglo color combinations – pick one of those. Not a black or grey one for night-riding! You need to do your utmost to be seen by motorists if you are on the roads, and even though you might not think the color scheme is very fashionable, it will more likely than not get the attention of drivers, and help keep you safe.
And finally, if you really don’t want to be shelling out cash for new cycling shirts of any description, then my advice is to wear a normal tee-shirt, make sure it’s bright, and don’t forget to take a spare with you to change into when you’ve reached your destination.
Cycling Shirts Plus Cycling Shorts Equals Skin Suits
Normal cycling shirts are fantastic if you do a lot of road riding or even road racing. They are widely available and can offer advantages over wearing just a t-shirt or some other kind of top that isn’t made from performance fabrics. Although you might not be willing to wear cycling shorts if you are riding for fun, it is a good idea to wear them if you are out road-racing. They can keep you cool, and do not hamper you when pedaling.
The big change comes if you enter the arena of indoor cycle racing – this is a serious decision, and one where tenths, even hundredths of a second can mean the difference between glorious gold or loser silver – and this means totally stripped down equipment as well; fixed gear bikes, so no freewheeling, just a single gear to remove all unnecessary weight and less chance of mechanical failures! And cycling shirts, in the conventional sense, may not be good enough for track racing. They’ll be okay for building up endurance, but if you want to improve on your lap times, you should think about wearing the same gear you would use for actual racing. The indoor specialists tend to wear cycling clothing that incorporates both a cycling shirt and cycling shorts into a single skin suit. Skinsuits reduce the drag that would be involved when using the baggier types of cycling shirts. This can make all the difference in a competitive event.
All the serious contenders on the world’s competitive stage are wearing the one-piece skin suits, as well as more aerodynamic helmets, and the bikes they ride are designed to be light and aerodynamic also. Like motor racing, a lot of thought goes into the engineering of these bikes and the riders, in order to squeeze out maximum speed and power for indoor sprint racing.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics saw the GB Team flying around the track to take a record-winning haul of cycling medals. This was possible because of the rigorous training, supreme talent, hard work, and the application of the right kit, and this includes the use of the best clothing – though of course, all teams do use skin suits to grab a few hundredths of a second advantage.
One of the great success stories of 2008 was the awesome Victoria Pendleton (above, photo from Wiki), who became the Individual Olympic Women’s Sprint Champion. She was already the British and World Champion for sprint cycling for 2007 and 2008, and has achieved champion status again this year!
Perhaps the biggest name to reach wide public acclaim because of Beijing is the cycling power-house, Chris Hoy. He was the first British Olympian in over a century to win three gold medals at a single tournament, winning Individual Sprint, Team Sprint, and Men’s Keirin golds!
So there are great rewards to be had from doing the right training and using the right equipment and clothing. Just remember though, that these guys are really traveling when they race, and a collision can mean serious injuries. Whether you’re wearing cycling shorts or skin suits, you don’t get much protection when you hit the track at up to 70km/h, as you can see from Chris Hoy’s terrifying crash at Copenhagen in February this year. Thankfully he’s fine.
Where Can I Buy Cycling Shirts?
It’s all well and good me talking about cycling shirts, how good they are, and whether you even need them, but you might have a few pressing questions. “Where can I buy them from? Can I get them in normal clothes stores?”
The simple answer is that you can’t just walk into any clothing store and grab yourself a cycling shirt, but they are widely available. Most towns have at least one specialist cycling store, and they’ll sell all manner of bike-related products, including the bicycles themselves, but also protective equipment such as helmets; security locks to secure your bike if you have to leave it anywhere; and various spare parts such as tires, brake cables, etc. Many will also sell specialist cycling shirts.
I have found that many of the products sold in the cycling stores tend to be rather expensive, so it is always advised to shop around (as with buying anything these days!)
The internet is a great place to find cycling jerseys and you’ll be pretty spoilt for choice. You can check out the manufacturers themselves, for example Bellwether, Castelli, or Polaris. Or dig around the online sports stores. Many have a cycling section where you can get all the gear you need for casual or more intense cycling.
Amazon seems to sell pretty much everything these days, and cycling shirts are there on the goods list also. They have a decent selection so a quick perusal of their site might give you some ideas, even if you decide to simply note down the ones you are interested in and then go downtown to see if you can find them in the stores – always a good ploy as you can try them on there and then.
There is also the option of checking out the specialist running and jogging stores in your town, especially if you are a casual rider looking for a tee-shirt to go riding in. It’s probably still best to opt for a tee-shirt with the moisture-wicking ability for your comfort. And that’s why I suggest running shops, as they’ll stock a variety. Go for something ‘loud’ and garish so you’ll be seen on the road by others.
There are some best cycling shirts as following:
Men’s Cycling Jersey and Shorts Set Short Sleeved Bike Jersey and Shorts Mountain Clothing Summer Wear Quick-Dry
Hot Rides Men’s Quick Dry Cycling Jersey and 3D Gel Padded Shorts and Bib Set
Men’s Cycling Jersey Set Short Sleeve MTB Jersey Road Bike Clothing Shirts Shorts with 3D Padded Outdoor Riding Sportswear
Nine bull Men’s Cycling Jersey Set – Reflective Quick-Dry Biking Shirt and 3D Padded Cycling Bike Shorts
Lixada Men’s Cycling Jersey Suit Winter Thermal Fleece Long Sleeve Mountain Bike Road Bicycle Shirt Padded Pants
PLM Men’s Cycling Jersey Moutain Bike Short Sleeve Set Ropa Ciclismo Quick Dry Breathable Pro Cycling Wear + Bib Shorts with 9D Padded Pants
Product description of PLM Men’s Cycling Jersey Moutain Bike Short Sleeve Set Ropa Ciclismo Quick Dry Breathable Pro Cycling Wear + Bib Shorts with 9D Padded Pants
- Brand Name: PLM
- Gender: Men, Women
- Material: Polyester
- Type: Jersey Sets
- Sleeve Size: Short Sleeve
- Pants Material: 80% Polyester and 20% Lycra
- Jerseys Material: 100% Polyester
- Zipper Length: Full
- Model Number: M43
- Cycling Jersey Pad Style: GEL Breathable Pad
- Sales Methods: Factory Direct Sales
- Season: Summer, Autumn, Spring
- is_customized: Yes
- Fit: Fits smaller than usual. Please check this store
- sizing info
- Cycling jersey: quick-dry and breathable
- Cycling shorts: breathable gel pad
- Printing: Full sublimation
- Unit Type: Set
- Package Weight: 0.45kg (0.99lb.)
- Package Size: 20cm x 20cm x 3cm
- Bicycle Suit Package Includes:
- 1 x Short Sleeve Top
- 1 x Short Pant
- 1 x White or Black Bibs
- 1 x Free Gift
Men’s URBAN CYCLING TEAM Short Sleeve Jersey & Bib Shorts Cycling Kit Set
Features of Men’s URBAN CYCLING TEAM Short Sleeve Jersey & Bib Shorts Cycling Kit Set
- Sublimated graphics from top to bottom for one-piece look and design.
- Jersey Material: 100% polyester; Bib shorts Material: 80% Nylon polyester 20% Lycra
- Breathable fabric wicks quickly away moisture and keeps you dry
- Antibacterial Italian 3D Gel padding provides great comfort for longer rides
- Thigh and back reflectors made from high visibility taping have been added for dusk and night riding
- Urban printed elasticated grippers to stop top both jersey and shorts from riding up
- Full-length zip, three back pockets for storing small items, plus one rear zipped pocket
Solo Cycle Clothing Konig Classique Cycling Jersey
Features of Solo Cycle Clothing Konig Classique Cycling Jersey
- Breathable and superb moisture-wicking capability
- Supersoft feel for next-to-skin comfort
- Anti-bacterial treatment minimizes odors
- Meets anti-microbial standards ATCC 6538/ATCC 43520
- 100% Polyester, created for Solo Cycle Clothing, that has superior breathability, wicking, anti-bacterial properties, and is super soft against the skin.
- 8″ front zip with an oversize zipper pull, four rear pockets, silicon elastic waistband, and knitted retro look arm and neck bands
- Retro-inspired design elements including superbly screen-printed (not digitally printed) chest, arm, and rear graphics, resulting in bright colors and patterns
Dinamik Evo Pro Men’s Cycling Bib Tights Leggings, Extra Padded Long Bike Pants
Features of Dinamik Evo Pro Men’s Cycling Bib Tights Leggings, Extra Padded Long Bike Pants
- 80% Nylon and 20% Spandex and Lycra Material
- UPF 50 for Long Lasting Sun Protection with Added Cooling Effect
- Four-Way Stretch
- Sturdy Zippered Ankles
- Bib
- Chamois Upgraded Gel Extra Padding for Top-Notch Support
- Machine Washable – Cool – Do Not Tumble Dry
- Available in XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL.
Sparx Long Sleeve Cycling Skinsuit Pro Team Bicycle Suit Bike Racing Suit Cycle Kit 3D Pad
Features of Sparx Long Sleeve Cycling Skinsuit Pro Team Bicycle Suit Bike Racing Suit Cycle Kit 3D Pad
- Made from high grade Italian extra life Lycra fabric
- Ergonomic patterning hugs the body to reduce drag and maximize performance
- Front 18″ zipper for ease, Gel thigh grippers keep the shorts in place
- Italian 3d pad built with 2 to 15 mm transition with Cutting Technology.
- It provides high elasticity, rapid transpiration, bacteriostatic treatment.
If you can’t find a local cycling specialist store or one that sells wicking shirts for runners, how about looking for an outdoors or hiking supplies store. They’ll often have wicking tops that should keep you dry and comfortable when out riding.
Hopefully you’ll find some decent cycling shirts nearby and start to benefit from what they have to offer, rather than relying on standard cotton tee-shirts, which will get waterlogged on hard rides and cause all sorts of havoc with your body’s thermostat!
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