THE SUMMER CYCLING ESSENTIALS

It's sunny, it's warm, the days are getting longer and it's time to get the bike out of the garage! But to make sure your outings are enjoyable, it's important to be well-equipped to keep cool under the summer sun! From bags and mini-pumps to water bottles and bottle cages, here are the essentials for summer cycling.

Here, we'll be talking mainly about rides lasting a few hours, or even a day. If you'd like to know more about multi-day trips, then our article on how to prepare for a cycling holidays will be more useful to you!

Obligatory equipment for your summer outings

It's essential to be well-equipped for your summer outings, and that means equipping your bike. First of all, we recommend that you equip your bike with the basics that will accompany you on all your outings:

+ Universal Phone Holder : for safe, direct access to information on your ride directly on your smartphone.

+ Z Road Pack : to store a few tools under your saddle in case of a puncture or other mechanical problem.

+ Zéfal Switch Mini : a versatile bike mini-pump that works effectively on most tires and can be attached to your bottle cage.

+ Classic Bike Bell : to make yourself heard by other road users, particularly useful for city stretches.

If you're stopping for a few minutes to eat or several hours to visit, you'll need a bike lock. Here's a guide on how to choose yours!

Summer often rhymes with sun and heat, so you're going to lose a lot of water, and it's important to hydrate regularly, whether you're out for 1 hour or the entire day. In order to do this, you'll need to carry a certain amount of water on your bike, and here are a few products to help you do just that:

+ Arctica Pro 75 : a large-capacity insulated water bottle that keeps your drink at the right temperature.

+ Pulse B2 : a dual-material bottle holder that provides both the rigidity needed to reduce vibration and excellent support for your bottle. For those who are short on space (ebikes users for exemple), the side-entry Pulse Z2 will be the perfect fit!

+ Z Adventure Cage : a bottle holder that allows you to carry an extra thermos flask or stainless steel water bottle on your bike.

How to properly prepare for your outing in advance?

To travel with peace of mind, a simple preparation of your equipment is necessary before your outing. Make sure to clean your bike thoroughly, especially if you have taken it on dirty paths before. In that case, you can find our tips on how to clean your bike properly.

The best approach is to clean your bike after a ride, as dust is omnipresent in the summer. Also, remember to degrease your mechanical parts using a suitable degreaser like our Bike Degreaser. Then, you can lubricate these mechanical parts again. The better you maintain these parts, the more reliable and less noisy your bike will be. For this, we have a range of lubricants available.

These lubricants can be oil-based or wax-based, depending on the weather and your equipment (different lubricant for electric bikes). Don't forget to check if your repair equipment is still operational (patches, glue, tire levers, etc.).

Next, check the pressure and condition of your tires. It is important to ride with properly inflated tires (neither underinflated nor overinflated!). Give them a little pump if needed and take a look at the tire wear. If it's starting to show signs of wear, it may be time to replace it. A deformed, smooth, or cracked tire is a worn-out tire! You can also determine this by examining the tire tread, which is the area directly in contact with the ground and therefore wears out the fastest. Finally, you can test your brakes, gear shifts, and derailleur, readjust your saddle, and you're good to go!

Now you're ready to enjoy summer rides on roads and trails with your fully equipped and well-maintained bike!