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Whenever my husband and I were cycling with a group, my pink and his orange helmet made it easy to find each other in the sea of mostly black or white helmets. Our helmets had lived a nice long life and after about six years of use, both were ready to be replaced.
Finding the Right Helmet
After a little research we landed on the Bontrager Specter WaveCel which got a five star rating in the 2022 Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings Guide. At $150, it’s in the mid-range of helmet pricing, but I got lucky and found last year’s model in my size and got it for 50% off. Unfortunately, pink was sold out nationwide and I had to settle for white.
I chose my old helmet because it had a visor to help keep the bright sun out of my eyes. What I didn’t realize until getting caught in a rainstorm a few weeks ago in my new helmet was how important the visor had been at keeping rain out of eyes. Wearing my new helmet, rain beat into my eyes causing me to have to look down, not into the distance where I was headed.
Embracing My New Cycling Cap
Many of my cycling friends wear silly little bike caps under their helmets to absorb sweat and to protect their eyes from the glaring sun and pelting rain. I didn’t want the added insulation of fabric covering my head on a hot day, but thought it wise to purchase a cap for rainy rides.
With rain in the forecast for Sunday’s Reston Century, I carried my newly purchased cap in my jersey pocket and when the rain started, I pulled over and slipped it on under my helmet. The tiny brim did far more than I expected and kept the rain out of my eyes and off of my sunglasses. Once the rain passed, I flipped the bill up until the next showers hit. Yes, I looked like a dweeb with the visor flipped up, but for once I allowed function to surpass fashion. 😉
Questions:
- • What items or gear have you recently purchase to make your favorite sport more enjoyable?
- • Cycling friends, do you wear a cap under your helmet?
- • What are your must-have items for your sport?
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I have not tried one of those caps underneath the helmet. I bet it is really helpful for a rainy ride!
I was really surprised at how well it worked because the bill is so tiny.
“Yes, I looked like a dweeb with the visor flipped up, but for once I allowed function to surpass fashion.” You made me giggle with this. But look, sometimes I look like a dweeb too in the name of function.
HaHa, sometimes we just have to use our common sense. 😉
Hmmmm! I would say the best piece of equipment I’ve bought in recent memory is my hydration vest. I always struggled to carry water because I hate handhelds, and I thought a vest would bounce around too much. But the one I have is super comfortable, doesn’t bounce, and now I have water for my long runs.
One thing I’ve noticed about cyclists is that they are very particular about their gear! I guess you could say that about runners, but cyclists seem even more so.
It’s great that you found a comfortable hydration vest. I never tried using one because I had the same preconception as you.
This cyclist is very particular about the chamois in my bike shorts because if the chamois is cheap it directly reflects how sore my bottom gets. 😉
I always wondered what purpose those little caps served. I thought it was to have something to cover the “helmet hair” when they’d pull over for a rest stop, LOL (See, my mind goes right to the fashion aspect as opposed to the practical function). Oh well, as long as they remember to stash their lipstick in one of their jersey’s pockets…
LOL on hiding helmet hair! 😀 You know that I keep a lipstick in the bag of each of my bikes. Priorities!
Well, sunglasses are definitely a must have for me for walking, for hiking, for running. Hats or visors, too.
Can’t really comment on the bike stuff . . .
I agree on the sunglasses and visors for any outside activities.
Glad you’ve found some great items for you! I didn’t realize helmets costs that much money. But I can see why since it does protect something very important. Shoes are expensive too and a runner also needs a good pair of running shoes.
The good news is that helmets last much longer than running shoes!