Now that the weather has finally given us a break and is starting to act like it’s the end of May/Early June, it’s the perfect time to get out and get riding. After all, taking up cycling can be one of the best decisions you’ll make in life. Whether you choose to hop on a bike for health reasons, to help the environment, try a new activity, or even to supplement another sport, cycling is a ton of fun.

And if you're taking up cycling for the first time, you’re going to be joining a great group of people that are already out there enjoying the road on a two-wheel, self-propelled means of transportation. Globally, more people own bikes than own cars – about 42% of the world’s population – and that number is growing every year.

FOR EXAMPLE, in the US, the number of people biking to work has grown by 60% over the past 10 years and the number of cyclists has grown by 15 million people overall.

And there are many benefits of taking up cycling, the best is to get yourself in better shape by taking up a cardio sport like cycling. After all, exercise Is A Critical Component of Staying Healthy. But the Type of Exercise You Do – Strength or Cardio, Sprinting or Endurance - Also Matters. Cycling, Is a great way to capture the health benefits of these different styles of fitness since It blends the line between lower body strength, aerobic training, intervals, and long rides in the “Saddle”.

Of course, health benefits don’t come for free. While you might see some benefits after your first few times on the bike, many of these benefits require cycling regularly to develop and maintain these improvements. Mixing up your cycling workouts, for example by doing intervals one day a week and a long ride later in the week, can help you to hit on different aspects of fitness.

Build Muscle
Cycling is a serious leg workout, and your quads, hamstrings, and glutes are sure to respond by building new muscle fibers to adapt. Although cycling at low resistance will slowly build muscles, you can maximize the gains and build muscle faster by riding uphill, riding in higher gears, or including sprint intervals in your workout.

Cut Fat
Low intensity, aerobic, and consistent exercise is one of the most effective ways to lose body fat. Cycling for an hour or so each day is plenty to begin losing fat, and you can maximize the loss by heading into a training section after fasting for a few hours – but be careful not to overeat at the end of the ride.
Low Intensity, Aerobic, & consistent exercise Is one of the most effective ways to lose body fat.

Strengthen Your Legs
Cycling is far more fun than lifting weights in the basement, but it can help you achieve similar strength gains in your lower body. The best way to build brute strength, particularly in your quads, is to grind away in your highest gear – but if you drop below 60 pedal strokes per minute, drop a gear so that you don’t crush your knee joints.

Decrease Your Stress
Many athletes point to the “runner’s high” as a zen mental state that comes from exercise, but the same stress-free feeling can be found through cycling. Cycling forces you to regulate your breathing, breathe more deeply, and focus on the task at hand rather than the stress of other parts of your life.

Save Your Knees
Unlike “Running”, and most team sports that involve running, that high impact shock of your feet hitting the pavement or that hilly mountain trail can, over time, slowly breaks down your knee joints. Cycling, on the other hand, has a low impact on your knee joints and as a result, is a sport you can participate even in old age. Be sure to fit your bike properly, since a seat that is too high or low can cause grinding or overextension.

Breath Deep
Just as you can train the muscles in your legs, you can train the muscles that expand and contract your lungs. Cycling is a great way for this because there are ample opportunities to include intervals in your workouts or to practice cresting a hill and then keeping up the hard effort. This type of training can help to expand your lung capacity and teach you to move air more effectively.

Reduce Anxiety
Cycling has been shown to reduce stress levels by up to 40%, and as a result, can keep feelings of anxiety at bay. By keeping your mind on the road in front of you rather than aspects of work or life that are bothering you, cycling can provide a much-needed mental break.

Stretch Yourself
The motion of cycling forces you to extend specific muscles in your lower body that don’t often get stretched, like your glutes and hip flexors. This stretching can increase your overall range of motion and flexibility. However, it’s also important to remember to stretch these muscles after rides so they don’t tighten up after expanding.

Sleep Better
Decreases in fitness have been found to correlate with levels of insomnia in both men and women, so it’s important to stay in shape to give yourself the best possible chance of a good night’s sleep. Cycling, in particular, is a great way to reap exercise-induced sleep benefits since it reduces anxiety and keeps weight down, both of which are thought to contribute to insomnia.

Heart Healthy
Hopping on a bike can drastically cut your risk of heart disease. One study found that cycling regularly can decrease your chance of developing heart problems by 50%, while another study found that those who ride just 20 miles per week have half the heart disease risk as people who don’t exercise.

Now that you’ve seen the benefits of getting that bike out of storage and hitting the open road or mountain trail, if you’re going to put some significant miles on that odometer of yours then you should get yourself a good cycling computer. One that can track your distance, your leg reps, the measurement of your ride’s difficulty and with Garmin’s GPS functionality, it can not only tell you where you are but provide maps that help to get you where you're going! The cycling computer that does this and more is the Garmin Edge 530 . It also has functionality built in to provide cycling safety features, which also include a new bike alarm, group messaging and tracking, incident detection and compatibility with Varia™ rearview radar and lights so you can see and be seen!

Now, just so you have an idea over the features that come with this model of cycling wonders. The Garmin Edge 530 has the following features designed in:

Increased display size 13% from 2.3” to 2.6”

Increased battery life from 15 to 20 hours, and to 48 hours in battery saver mode

Significantly increased processor speed: Results in much faster route calculation

Maintained complete onboard turn by turn map database for your region

Added WiFi: Used for syncing of activities/metrics/routes (not during the ride)

Added ClimbPro: Automatically shows how much distance/elevation remains for each climb on the route

Added Mountain Bike Metrics: Shows Grit, Flow, and Jump details on both unit and Garmin Connect

Added Trailforks maps to the unit: Added global Trailforks data/maps to baked-in data on the unit (no downloads required)

Added ForkSight: Automatically shows mountain bike trail options when you pause at a fork in the trail

Added Heat Acclimation: Will automatically take into account heat/humidity for performance/recovery metrics

Added Altitude Acclimation: Will automatically take into account (high) elevation for performance/recovery metrics

Added Training Plan API support: This includes a redesigned structured workout execution page

Added Hydration/Nutrition Smart Alerts: When using a course/route, it’ll automatically figure out how much water/calories you should be taking

Added Hydration/Nutrition Tracking: It allows you to record this data in ride summary screens and log it on Garmin Connect

Added Edge Battery Pack Support: You can now attach the Garmin integrated battery pack to the Edge (you can still use generic USB power too)

Added Bluetooth Smart sensor support: You can now pair Bluetooth Smart sensors like heart rate, power, and cadence

Added Performance Power Curve: This shows you your mean maximal power over different durations/timeframes (like many training sites)

Added Bike Alarm Feature: Used for cafes/bathroom stops, emits loud alarm if bike is moved

Added ‘Find my Edge’ feature: Automatically record exact GPS location on your phone if Edge is disconnected (in case unit pops off)

Added Training Plan Weather/Gear Tips.

Now if the above is not enough to satisfy you, then YOU are a very finicky person! So what are you waiting for? Get that bike out, give it a “Once Over” to make sure it's in “Tip-Top” shape. Get yourself that Garmin Edge 530 GPS Cycling Computer  and go ahead and start those peddles churning!

Now that September is reaching its end, the Fall season opens the door to more outdoor recreational activities. One activity/sport that is enjoyed year-round but is a great way to enjoy the scenery this time of year is cycling. It's not only a great way to get outdoors and breathe in that cooling air this time of year but its also a great form of exercise that will continue to help you improve your overall health.

To be fit and healthy you need to be physically active. Regular physical activity can help protect you from serious diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, diabetes, and arthritis. Riding your bicycle regularly is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. And there is no better time of year to begin this healthy journey than in the Fall season.  Which is a good way to use the season as a "marker" to weigh your progress on what you have accomplished, this time next year.

Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to older adults. It is also fun, cheap and good for the environment. An estimated one billion people ride bicycles every day, for transport, recreation, and sport.

It only takes two to four hours a week to achieve a general improvement to your health, using cycling as the means to an improved, healthy lifestyle.

Cycling is:
Low impact, it causes less strain and injuries than most other forms of exercise.

A good muscle workout: Cycling uses all of the major muscle groups as you pedal.

Cycling is for Everyone: unlike some other sports, cycling does not require high levels of physical skill. Most people know how to ride a bike and, once you learn, you don’t forget.

Good for strength and stamina: Cycling increases your stamina, strength, and aerobic fitness.
As Strong, of a Workout as YOU Want: Cycling can be done at a very low intensity, to begin with, if recovering from injury or illness, but can be built up to a demanding physical workout.

A fun way to get fit: As we stated above, cycling can be done any time of the year, all you need to do is dress accordingly, and take advantage of the cool Fall weather. Enjoying your physical activity makes what you’re doing, exercise wise, fun, while you enjoy the adventure and buzz you get from coasting down hills and being outdoors. It also means you are more likely to continue to cycle regularly, compared to other physical activities that keep you indoors or require special times or places.

Great Muscle Workout: Cycling on a regular basis helps you to strengthen the following muscle groups and providing you with a way to increase your stamina as you continue to cycle your way up and down those mountain trails or just the open road.

Leg muscles used while cycling:
Quadriceps muscles (front of thighs)
Hamstrings (rear of thigh)
Calf muscles.
Hip Flexors.
Gluteus Maximus (your butt)
Plantar-flexors of the foot
Dorsiflexors of the foot

Cycling as you can see can do quite a bit to help you maintain your regular exercise regimen. In order to take advantage of taking new bike trails, both on and off the beaten path, it’s a good idea to take along with you a good reliable GPS biking computer so that you know where you are, when you are and with the right model, your friends and family can also be aware of your position, just in case there is a need. One such bike computer is the Garmin Edge 820 GPS Cycling Computer  It is designed exclusively for the people who love to cycle and are looking to enhance their performance. It is loaded with the features like performance monitoring, Group Track feature, GPS navigation and much more. All these features will be available on your fingertip while you cycle your way through the tracks.

The Edge 820 GPS bike computer always keeps you connected with the world while you are out there enjoying the crisp Fall air while taking in all the new vistas as you pedal along. It also provides you with "Smart Notifications" including, social media sharing, live tracking, and automatic uploads to the Garmin connect family. Moreover, you can completely customize your Edge 820 the way you want with the available custom data fields and apps.

So, with a device like the Garmin Edge 820, you're never really alone and you can take the time to have a pleasurable ride while knowing that you're exercising those muscle groups mentioned above to get the maximum performance out of your body as you continue to tone it.

Happy Cycling, from your pedaling buddies here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com

The Fall Season is a traditional changing time of year. The leaves on the trees change, it becomes darker earlier, and the temperatures start to dip down a bit. It is a favorite time of year for many people. For some people though, they may fall off the health and fitness wagon during this transition. And there is NO reason to! There are many enjoyable activities that take place in the Fall that allow you to remain fit, or even begin a fitness program.

Take Advantage of Autumn Activities
There are many local events that can get you out of the house and getting active this time of year. Remember, exercise does not mean getting your keister to a gym and sweating to the oldies! Autumn events like pumpkin picking, corn mazes, haunted trails, and raking up some leaf piles are active options that can provide you with some additional reasons to get outside and enjoy that crisp autumn weather.
According to health trainers, a 150-lb. person can burn 135 calories by raking leaves for 30 minutes. Turn outdoor chores into a free fitness workout by setting small, achievable goals to help pass time and burn away fat. And you won’t have to wipe off someone else’s sweat from the support rails of the leg press machine or stair stepper!

Now don’t get me wrong, these are supplemental activities that you can fit around your usual exercise routines. (I was just kidding about sweating to the oldies!).

Now, since the sun is rising a bit later in the morning, the early time of day is still a great time to get out and say, go for that walk, run or maybe just a quick bike ride around the neighborhood. If you work out in the early morning, before your busy work or home responsibilities take up most of your time, you can get that feeling of accomplishment that can stay with you the rest of the day!
With the time change, that is taking place later this month, and the sun setting earlier, it can feel as though it's later in the day than it really is. This can make people more tired than usual. Getting into a routine of working out early will guarantee your workout gets done and still allow time in the afternoons and evenings to relax, or better yet, get to that corn maze with some friends and have some fun that will also involve some walking. The laughing will come later after you find yourselves lost in the maze and asking for help!

Now, these early morning exercise routines will probably get you up before those sun’s rays start to make themselves felt. But that also is part of the “Fall Effect”, of getting up in the dark, heading home from work in the dark. This is why it’s important to keep that mental outlook in the right place so you can keep a good attitude to your healthy, fitness routine. The good thing about exercising in the morning before the sun makes an appearance is that it usually cool, so you won’t break as much of a sweat and studies have shown that people that choose to work out in the morning to start their day have a better outlook on their daily tasks. So why not be one of these people? You may even find that your stress levels have gone down a bit since you would still be working off of those endorphin highs you created with your early exercise!

While some of us are thinking of apple picking and maybe enjoying the fruits of our labor by eating a slice of homemade apple pie. Keep the latter in check please, enjoying the fruits of fall apple picking is of course eating those choice fruits and if you’re lucky enough to have someone in your life that bakes a great pie, strudel or any other of your favorite family treats, just remember to eat them in moderation and make up for it by maybe doing some chores for your baker in return for her efforts!
The Fall besides picking some apples or gathering the fall crops from the garden is also a great time to dig that bike out of the garage and hit some biking paths or if your adventuress, some bike trails that lead you up and into the mountains or remote areas around where you live.

Cycling is a great workout for your entire body, cycling strengthens your muscles while going easy on your joints, like your knees, unlike the high impact on your knees and hips from running. And the Fall is a great time of the year to not only reap the benefits of this type of exercise but at the same time you get to see the colors of the trees change right before your eyes as you venture out on your bike enjoying the cool crisp autumn air.

One thing you may want to consider taking along with you on your cycling excursions is a good bike computer, one that offers an accurate GPS function so you can not only keep track of where you’re going but your friends and family can also see where you are when you are!

A good model that fits the bill is the Garmin Edge 1030 GPS Cycling Computer  Easy to use, even when wearing pressure gloves for riding, its touch screen offers a high-resolution screen that even adjusts to the amount of sunlight hitting it. And you don’t have to worry about straying off of the trails because the 1030 has a vast inventory of maps and its GPS capabilities will keep you on track and let you and your friends know where you are at all times, via Garmin Connect. And being the latest in a long line of Garmin GPS products you can bet that using this advanced device you will get all the data you need in order to get the most out of your cycling adventures. This is only going to augment your regular exercise training routines and turn your leisure, outdoor experiences into helping you maintain a healthy body toning lifestyle!

So, again, if you think the autumn season is just a prelude to winter winds, blowing snow and extreme cold, you better start re-thinking your idea of the autumn. Whatever you elect to do, just get out there and enjoy the change in the seasons and take advantage of what Mother Nature brings your way and there’s no reason, why you can’t stay active and fit “All Year Long”!

Since we just posted on how to stay hydrated and cool for your summer biking adventure. We thought we would post some of the top biking vacations located throughout our country.

Summer and Fall are ideal times of the year to get out and get some great exercise and when you couple biking with taking in the scenic views that you get to see firsthand it seems like a win-win!

And to help you as you travel throughout the country, make sure you know exactly where you are and how far you need to go to get to your destinations, by taking along a reliable GPS Cycling Computer from HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com The Garmin Edge 820 Cycling Computer It not only lets you know where you are, where you’re going but also how well your doing. And if you’re traveling as a group, it can keep track of everyone via the group track and Garmin Connect!

PALISADE – Where? Colorado
In Colorado's lush Western Slope, where you'll find the state's famous peach-growing region and up-and-coming wine country, the small town of Palisade hosts the new Fruit and Wine Byway. The well-marked, 25-mile loop—set in the shadow of the 11,000-foot Grand Mesa and the iconic sandstone cliffs known as the Book Cliffs—guides both motorists and cyclists along scenic backcountry roads to more than 50 vineyards, orchards, farms, and fruit stands. There are also shorter routes for those who want to spend less time on the bike and more time tasting wine.

Insider Tip: The picturesque Wine Country Inn, located in a vineyard along the Fruit and Wine Byway, is a fitting base camp for a weekend getaway spent biking through Colorado wine country

SANTA FE – Where? New Mexico
The artist and writer's haven of Santa Fe is also a road and mountain biking mecca. Nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at 7,000 feet, the vibrant town offers equal parts outdoor adventure and urban sophistication. In 2012, the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization created detailed maps of the area's bikeways. For the most stunning rides of your life, plan to see at least a portion of the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway.

The Santa Fe Century ride has been bringing people together to bike the Turquoise Trail for nearly three decades. More recently, a three-day festival called Bike and Brew celebrates the city's craft beer and cycling scene, with organized rides, cycling clinics, and gourmet beer dinners

TRAVELERS REST – Where? South Carolina
A small town in upstate South Carolina, Travelers Rest is the latest must-visit destination for cyclists. In 2013, retired 17-time Tour de France competitor George Hincapie, who lives in nearby Greenville, opened Hotel Domestique atop a hillside draped in vineyards. The European-style boutique hotel, complete with a fitness studio, Olympic-size pool, and gourmet restaurant, caters to cyclists keen to bike the winding roads through the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

SAN JUAN ISLANDS – Where? Washington   (Thought You'd Have to Take a Boat Trip ? :) )
According to the 2015 Bicycle Friendly State ranking, Washington is No. 1, and for the seventh year in a row. In the summer, it's hard to beat biking the San Juan Islands, particularly Orcas, known as the Emerald Isle. The largest of the archipelago, Orcas spans 57 square miles total, bisected by winding rural roads through forests and fields. For a worthy challenge, bike five miles up the epic (12% grade) route to the top of 2,409-foot Mount Constitution. Bring your camera, or better yet you’re GoPro and record the beautiful vistas —the highest point in the San Juans, Constitution serves up jaw-dropping views of the island-dotted sea, with snow-capped Mount Baker looming in the distance.

POINT REYES – Where? California
The small town of Point Reyes Station isn't known as a cycling destination outside of Marin Country. But locals know that after grabbing a sticky bun at The Bovine Bakery, they can ride out in any direction and roll through some of the most beautiful road cycling routes anywhere in the world: north to Marshall or Bodega Bay along the coast; south along Bolinas Lagoon to Stinson Beach and Bolinas (or to climb up Mt. Tam); east to get to the rolling hills of Marin County; or our personal favorite—get really lost in the northeasterly direction, pulling long loops on deserted roads to tiny towns like Tomales and Two Rock.

FREDERICKSBURG – Where? Texas
With seemingly endless miles of hilly, rural roads through vineyards and a pleasantly warm subtropical climate, the Texas Hill Country—roughly the area between Austin and San Antonio—has become synonymous with road biking. Base yourself out of Fredericksburg, a small town with a big German influence (think never-ending Oktoberfest), and more than 400 B&B's, each more charming than the last.

MOAB – Where? Utah
The most famous mountain biking trail in the U.S., and possibly the world, can be found just outside the small, unpretentious town of Moab. Known as Slickrock, the trail is anything but slick. Fat tires literally stick to the grippy Navajo Sandstone for a roller coaster-like ride of steep inclines and hair-raising descents. Don't forget to take in the scenery: Slickrock rolls though some of the best viewpoints in Utah, serving up a red rock panorama stretching from the Colorado River to the 13,000-foot La Sal Mountains.

PHILADELPHIA – Where? Pennsylvania
Since its inception in 1986, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has transformed more than 20,000 miles of defunct railways all across the U.S. into bike paths. Pennsylvania is one of the conservancy's star states, with nearly 100 rail trails spanning more than 1,000 miles. Plan for a weekend of cycling in Philadelphia for a fresh twist on the City of Brotherly Love.

Insider Tip: Starting in downtown Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Schuylkill River Trail stretches 27 miles along the water to Valley Forge National Historic Park. Details on the bike path, and all of Pennsylvania’s rail trails, can be found here.
http://www.traillink.com/state/pa-trails.aspx


BURLINGTON - Where: Vermont
The hip foodie town of Burlington is also a standout place for cyclists. The paved 7.5-mile Burlington Bike Path follows the Lake Champlain shoreline in view of the Adirondack Mountains, linking six waterfront parks. It's a pleasant ride on its own, or use it as a connector, to the Lake Champlain Bikeways system, a 1,300-mile network of bike paths linking the best of New England scenery in New York, Vermont, and Quebec.

Insider Tip: Vermont's oldest and largest cycling club, Green Mountain Bicycle Club, maintains a thorough website that tracks everything from Vermont Bike Laws to dozens of detailed bike routes

LOUISVILLE – Where? Kentucky
For bucolic farm-road riding in the Midwest, there's no place like Kentucky Bluegrass Country. Stay in Louisville, home of one of the oldest and most active cycling clubs in the nation, the Louisville Bicycle Club (formerly Louisville Wheelmen). The city fosters a bike-friendly culture and maintains a robust website of cycling information and maps.

Insider Tip: In 2013, Louisville hosted the UCI Cyclocross World Championships at the scenic Eva Bandman Park, located on the Ohio River. It was the first time in history that the event has been held outside of Europe. Eva Bandman remains the premier cyclocross venue in the U.S. and visitors are welcome to ride the course.

So, know that you know how to take care of yourself on those hot, sunny summertime days, go ahead and have that biking adventure you've been thinking about.  Do you know what would make the trip even better? Why not make a point of taking your significant other along to enjoy the ride and sights with you?  Pleasant Times make for Great Memories!  

Travel Information about the biking destinations recommended were provided by Fodors.com.

High temperatures mean you have to be well prepared to deal with the heat. There’s sunburn to worry about, dehydration and, worst of all, sunstroke. These are potential headaches that come with the season, but there are things you can do to cope with them and still get out there and bike!
Here are some tips for staying cool and healthy if you’re bike touring in hot weather.

1 – Water, water, water
Think about how much you normally drink during the day and then add an extra 1-2 liters. Sip on your water supply during the day, rather than taking in a lot of water all at once. Doing this will help you stay well hydrated and that is a huge factor in coping with the heat. It will also help you not to get cramps while your biking. A great addition to your biking gear that does not take up much room or weight is the Avex Brazos Stainless Steel AutoSeal Water Bottle 24 oz. This Insulated stainless steel water bottle with a double wall, and vacuum insulation to keep your water cold for hours and eliminate external sweating. Whether you're or biking, hiking a desert trail or scaling a mountain, it has the capacity to quench your thirst!  It also has a spout shield to protect against dirt and an ergonomic clip-on handle that attaches to backpacks and other gear

Sometimes it’s hard to drink a lot of just plain water, so you can add some flavorings. We suggest adding a little iced tea powder, with a squeeze of lemon juice or about 20% orange juice to the mix. Clean your bottles well afterward to stop mold from growing in them. Having an insulated bottle to take along with you is a must in the hot weather. 

2 – Find A Water Tap And Get Soaked
While it may not be the most comfortable way to travel, you really won't mind being a little wet when the temperature climbs over 85 degress Cycling with a wet shirt is like instant air conditioning. When it’s really hot, you can stop at any water source you can find (streams are great, or water taps at places like cemeteries and gas stations) and soak your shirt in the water. Try soaking a bandana that you should have with you as a help in sunburn protection around your neck. It’s a little chilly putting the wet shirt back on, but it feels so good and keeps you really nice and cool for about 1/2 an hour. The bonus is that you also wash a bit of sweat out of your shirt, so it’s not so grungy after a long, hot day of riding.

3 – Pick Your Time Of Day
Start early, it really is the best time of day for getting physical and the coolness of the early morning can help you keep a positive attitude as miles fly by under your bike tires. Have a lunchtime siesta and finish your ride in the evening, after the sun starts to set. Riding through the midday heat is the surest way to fry your brain and body during a bike tour. If the temperatures are set to rise above 30°C, (that’s 86 degrees for you Fahrenheit people). Then you can start riding at first light and plan for a lunch break in about 2-3 hours.

4 – Carry Shade With You
A tarp comes in handy on hot days, of course, you want to rest in the shade when at all possible, but what if there isn’t any? Carry a tarp and you can create instant shade, just about anywhere. You can string your tarp between telephone poles and power pylons in sparsely populated areas, making the perfect spot to wait out the heat of the day. When you set up camp, a tarp can also protect your tent from UV damage. So any way you look at it, that tarp can go a long way to making your day better and a little cooler.

5 – Cover Up With Clothing
Look at people who live constantly in a hot climate and you’ll see they almost always cover up with long sleeves and trousers. Why? It’s the best way to protect your body. Wear longer clothing and you also use less sunscreen. As you know from articles hitting the news, some if not all sunscreens do not really measure up to what they say they will do. Aside from the cost and the fact it leaves a film on your skin, people sweat too much for the sunscreen to do its job properly and they never remember to re-apply it often enough during the day. Whether your biking, hiking or running, a good quality shirt that helps keep you dry and wicks away moisture is a good choice.  A high visibility top makes just good sense when your biking so that others can see you coming. The Proviz line of high visible clothing like the Proviz Reflect360 Men's High Visibility Running Jacket
The reflective detailing is designed to help you stand out when on the roads during hours of darkness or poor light.

By using long-sleeved shirts that cover your arms and 3/4 length trousers, you only have to worry about the sunscreen on your faces and small sections of our arms and legs. As long as you get lightweight clothing, it’s not as hot as you might imagine. Remember, cotton clothing is the best-recommended fabric for helping you stay cooler during the hot summer months.

6 – Use A Hydration Pack
A hydration pack is the kind of thing you’d expect to carry on a mountain hike, but it can be handy for bike riders, especially on hot days too, to keep your water or drink of your choice, nice and cold. The Camelbak MULE NV is our choice to carry. It has a narrow-gauge design and is stable for all-terrain action in any weather condition. The CamelBak M.U.L.E. NV Hydration Pack provides plenty of gear storage and water capacity to let you enjoy the riding the trails all day long

We hope the above tips and suggestions will help you to maintain your cycling adventures during the hot summer months.  And before we go, we want to remind you that to keep on track with where you're going this Summer, Fall, and yes even the Winter, on your extended bike rides, why not take along a Cycling Computer, like the Garmin Garmin Explorer 820  The Edge Explore 820 also keeps you connected to the rest of the world with smart notifications, live tracking, social media sharing and automatic uploads to Garmin Connect.  

So now that you have the tips, tricks, and tools to help you beat the summer heat, go ahead and put the pedal (Bike Pedal) to the trail and have some summer fun!