If you are the owner of a cycling club and have decided to invest in some custom cycling kits for the people in your club, here are some factors you should take into consideration when purchasing these items.
Colour
It's important not to focus solely on aesthetics when deciding what colours to include in the cycling kits. Ideally, you should also take your club member's safety into consideration too. For example, if you and the other club members often cycle together on busy roads or during periods when visibility is poor (such as early in the morning or late in the evening), then you should opt for bright, fluorescent colours so that you and your fellow club members will be easy for passing motorists to see and avoid hitting.
For instance, a person wearing a bright yellow or vibrant red cycling jersey will stand out far more than someone wearing a black or navy one, if they are cycling in low light or on a foggy day.
In short, choosing brightly coloured kits could significantly reduce the risk of anyone who partakes in your club outings being hit by a vehicle.
Comfort
It is extremely important to ensure that the custom cycling kits you have made will be comfortable for your club members to wear. In this context, 'comfortable' means that the fabric from which the cycling shorts and tops are made should be soft, stretchy and breathable.
The reasons for this are as follows; a soft type of fabric will not chafe the wearer's skin whilst they are cycling, whilst a stretchy material will cling to their body (and thus not get snagged in the components of their bicycle) without restricting their range of motion or affecting their circulation.
They must be breathable, as anyone who participates in a long cycling session will end up getting very warm and perspiring a lot (particularly if this session takes place on a hot day). As such, if the clothing they are wearing is not breathable, they will not only feel uncomfortably hot but could also develop heat stroke. The latter is particularly important to note, as whilst heat stroke can be dangerous in and of itself, it could be particularly problematic for a cyclist who develops it whilst travelling down a busy road on their bike. In this situation, the cyclist could faint whilst they are still on their bike (as heat stroke can lead to loss of consciousness) and subsequently veer into oncoming traffic, causing them to sustain serious injuries.
Share12 April 2019
I've been playing badminton for over ten years, and in the early years I suffered several avoidable injuries due to my inexperience. Improper form or technique can put strain on the shoulder, elbow and hip joints, and after several shoulder injuries I was close to quitting the sport despite the fact I loved playing. I decided to get a badminton coach and worked hard on my technique and improving my general fitness, and I have been playing on my local team ever since. I started this blog to share my tips for minimising the risk of injury with others who are new to the sport. I hope you find my posts useful.
