How to survive hot summer rides — protect your skin, hydrate and pick the right clothing to make the most of summer on the bike

It can get mighty toasty out there, even here in the UK. Here's how to stay protected and comfortable

Liam Mercer

Jul 3 2025

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The summer is well and truly here, and well, it’s mighty hot out. While that certainly makes for an excellent excuse to get out on the bike, the summer’s heat isn’t something to mess with. Get it wrong, and you’re in for a world of hurt, but prepare yourself properly, and you’ll end your ride fit and ready for another day out on the trails.

First step... suncream!

This one’s a no-brainer. The sun’s out, and it’ll be kicking out more UV than any other time of the year. Ride unprotected and you’ll burn, which isn’t only uncomfortable, but it can lead to nasty consequences.

Of course, we recommend 50+SPF sun creams, but anything is an awful lot better than nothing. Just remember to reapply throughout the day, or every four hours or so. Speaking of application, apply well before your ride so you don’t sweat it off as soon as you start pedalling.

There are even mobile apps where you can plug in some of your details, and it’ll tailor suncream reapplication reminders to you.

Pre-hydrate, hydrate, and rehydrate

It’s hot, you’re going to sweat, which means that you’re going to dehydrate very quickly. The absolute best way to combat this is to make sure that you’re well hydrated before you ride, which means drinking plenty the night before and in the morning.

For on-bike hydration, although it’s always super comfortable to ride without a backpack in the summer, consider using one as you’ll be able to carry more fluids. With that, you won’t feel as if you need to ration your water, and you’ll be able to drink more frequently.

Although we recommend electrolyte tabs for year-round riding, they become even more important when it’s hot, so make the investment and chuck a couple into your hydration bladder or bottle. Additionally, keep a bottle in the car or ready when you get home so you can get back to rehydrating post-ride.

Your rehydration journey doesn’t stop there either. Throughout your post-ride day, keep drinking to help yourself recover properly.

Set feeding reminders

Drinking and eating are best done at regular intervals throughout a ride. Doing so avoids any dips in energy or hydration and will help you feel fresher on the bike for a lot longer. However, it’s incredibly easy to forget and only refuel when you’re thirsty or hungry, and often, that’s a little too late.

Many cycling computers allow users to program reminders that’ll pop up after a predetermined amount of time, but if you’re without any kind of cycling device, setting an alarm on your phone will do just fine, it’ll just be a little more faff. Either way, setting reminders and sticking to the routine will pay off throughout the ride.

Consider lighter clothing

Wearing a technical t-shirt and shorts is a given, but not all clothing is created equal. Most offer some kind of moisture-wicking and odor prevention technology, which will pay off in the summer, trust me, but careful choice in fabric can make for a breezier time when the mercury rises.

Many brands have taken their regular shorts and t-shirts and built them with even lighter fabrics. Such choices make for more comfortable clothing that’s less prone to getting sticky when sodden with sweat while allowing more air to flow through. Also, look for perforations that will encourage more wind to get through.

Long-sleeved jerseys, while potentially warmer, provide more protection against the sun's UV rays, too. So they're still well worth considering, especially as brands are producing options with lighter, summer-specific fabrics too.

The same goes for protectives. While burly knee pads will provide plenty of protection, more minimal pads will open up more breathability while still certifying to Level-2 protection in some cases. The same goes for helmets. While I’m not suggesting you minimise your protection in the name of comfort, think a little more carefully about the ride you’re about to do. If you’re planning a big, multi-hour epic out in the hills, a DH-spec full-face helmet will get mighty uncomfortable and surely end that ride early.

That said, if you are frequenting the bike park, stay protected.

Take it easy when you can

It’s very easy to get incredibly excited when the weather’s hot and the trails are dry, but as with any kind of riding, going too hard too soon will cause you to blow up well before you’re done. And that’s even more so in the summer because the heat will deplete your energy stores faster.

As I said before, you’re going to be sweating more, so if you’re pushing yourself a little too hard, you’ll dehydrate far quicker.

Dialling back the effort a smidgeon will help preserve your energy and save it for when you need it the most. Keep the heart rate a little lower, and you’ll be able to ride longer, which rings true for all conditions, but it’ll pay back even more when it’s super hot out.

Keep the car loaded with summer comforts

Regardless of how you ride, whether the car makes for a base for mid-ride breaks or the start/end point of your ride, stock it up with plenty of water and sun cream at the very least. Doing so will either reward you with an easy-to-reach place to replenish your fluids and top up your suncream, or provide the best start to post-ride recovery.

Throw it all into a cool bag or a portable fridge too, both to keep whatever snacks you’ve brought with you fresh, but to keep your drinks cool and refreshing. It’s surprising how far a cold bottle of water goes mid-way, or at the end of your ride.

Author block

Liam Mercer

Since beginning his mountain biking career while working as a resort photographer in Greece in 2014, Liam became a freelance contributor at off.road.cc in 2019. From there, he’s climbed the journalism job ladder from staff writer to deputy technical editor, now finding his place as technical editor.

Partial to the odd enduro race, heart rate-raising efforts on slim-tyred cross-country bikes, hell-for-leather e-MTB blasts or even casual gravel jaunts, there’s not a corner of off-road cycling where Liam fears to tread. With more than 40 bike reviews under his belt and hundreds more on MTB, e-MTB and gravel parts and accessories, Liam’s expertise continues to be cemented and respected by the industry.