If you’ve been an eagle-eyed spectator at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, you may have noticed something familiar when it came to Team GB’s swim team.
When our athletes lined up by the pool before the races, they were wearing a well-known brand of motorcycle, Gerbing. The swim team had agreed with the heated equipment supplier for 40 custom-made jackets to keep the team warm and warm while they waited in the starting blocks.
But what does that have to do with cycling? Well, it turns out there is quite a bit of crossover going on. While there aren’t too many similarities between the average biker and a professional athlete (I’d shudder to think what a sports nutritionist would think of my eating plan), we both want to work 100% when we’re “in” the Zone ‘.
And while heated motorcycle clothing undoubtedly makes riding in colder weather more comfortable, the effect it has on our bodies can also make your time in the saddle safer. Here’s why.
Can riding in heated motorcycle clothing make winter cycling safer?
First, let’s clarify what heated motorcycle clothing is. These are cycling clothing that uses an internal heating element to warm the rider on the go, either via an independent battery pack or via a wiring harness that connects directly to your motorcycle battery.
The spectrum ranges from heated gloves, jackets and pants to heated inner shoes. And wearing it makes driving safer for several reasons.
When you’re cold, your body works overtime to warm you up. Shivering can burn 400 calories an hour, which can lead to fatigue in the long run and prevent you from actually focusing on the task at hand (e.g. riding a bike).
In fact, several scientific studies have shown that reaction times are directly influenced and worsened by wind chill and cold. Even if you think you can take it during your winter driving, chances are that you are putting yourself in danger.
And the colder we get, the more we tend to crouch down and hold on to the little warmth that remains. This can lead to us missing those little glances that protect us, such as shoulder checks. That doesn’t make us bad drivers, but nobody works at full speed when they’re freezing.
Stay calm
Our Olympic swimmers used heated equipment to stay warm and relaxed between competitions to avoid the risk of injury and to ensure they could push their bodies to the limit when the starter pistol went off. It works similarly in the saddle.
Heated equipment keeps us and our muscles warm and relaxed, so we can react quickly while riding while maintaining full control of our bike.
Think back to a time when your hands got so cold you couldn’t feel your fingers and you will remember how difficult even the simplest of tasks was, like opening your jacket when you got home . Now imagine trying an emergency stop under the same conditions.
But are there other options? The most popular alternative to staying warm in the saddle is a combination of base layers and middle layers below.
The downside of this approach is twofold; First, the cost of technical underwear and down jackets can be as high as investing in heated equipment, and second, the extra bulk can reduce your flexibility in the saddle, which inadvertently leads to the same problems as cold temperatures can bring.
Heated equipment seems to be the safest and most sensible solution again.
Time to Invest in Heated Equipment?
With all of this in mind, and winter ahead, it may be time to invest in something heated motorcycle equipment. And just like these Olympic swimmers, we are big fans of Gerbing for his motorcycle range, which you can discover on his site website today.
Not only will it make life in the saddle more comfortable, it could make you safer too.
Comments are closed.