Urban cycling in Spring: How to dress properly with a touch of style

When it comes to cycling clothing, paradoxically, winter is a season easier to deal with than spring. This is because in winter it is enough to wear thermal clothing, while spring, being more unpredictable, can hide some pitfalls.
Whatever the distance of the urban cycling route, it is good to dress properly even in spring. The appropriate clothing will help protect you from the climate changes that can occur during the day, and overall stay dry! Let’s see what are the key garments to wear in your urban commutes in spring, without sacrificing style!

Base layer shirt

As for winter, even for urban cycling in spring, the first key cloth is the base layer shirt. Being in contact with the skin, it has the function of regulating body temperature and expelling sweating, so as to leave us dry and warm! Being quite tight, garments are suitable to be worn under any garment, behaving like a real second skin! For medium-short urban journeys, it is not necessary to buy professional cycling clothes!

Thermal outdoor garments will also be fine. In the main sports shops, you can find different types and materials, synthetic fabrics – more common in sports – or natural. On warm spring days, you can safely wear short-sleeved synthetic fabrics shirts or tank tops. But it is not excluded that if the temperatures are particularly low it is better to opt for long-sleeved shirts, especially for those sensitive to cold. The downside is that these garments tend to absorb the person’s odor, resulting in a not-very-pleasant result. In fact, synthetic fibers are smooth, and as such allow bacteria to adhere more easily, causing bad odors.

A valid alternative to synthetic garments is those made of natural fibers, which are able to offer freshness and regulate body temperature while tending to absorb sweat more. In particular, merino wool is ideal for low-energy impact activities, such as commuting by bike. Merino wool gives warmth but is light, breathable, and has a high resistance to wear. Thanks to its flake structure, merino wool ensures that bacteria from bad odors do not get trapped in our garments!

Mid-layer: wear what you like!

A mid-layer is the layer of clothing between the base layer and the insulation or shell layer (outer layer). They can be sweaters, long-sleeve shirts, hoodies, and blouses… You can wear practically everything you like over the base layer, depending on the weather conditions and activity. If the day seems a bit uncertain and pretty cold, a good sweater is what it takes to stay warm. If the temperature is mild and sunny, you can decide to wear a light long sleeve shirt or a blouse!

The main purpose of a mid-layer is to reduce heat loss by trapping the body heat within the fabric instead of letting it escape. Of course, comfort is an important key factor. Wearing comfortable clothes is essential to not feel discomfort while riding!

Outer layer: windproof and waterproof jacket

Thermal, insulating, waterproof, or water repellent, the cycling jacket is the first must-have garment to fight the bad weather that you will naturally encounter during the journey. A good quality jacket will help you not to let the wind or rain penetrate, preventing them from coming into contact with clothing, and then with the body. Wearing a jacket in your urban cycling movements will allow you to stay warm and dry!

Professional cycling jackets are the best in terms of comfort and efficiency. They have an optimal fit and are equipped with reflective bands and pockets in the right places. It’s obvious, however, that this kind of biker jacket is not really suitable for your daily or work outfits. The good news is that you can easily find pretty cool jackets for urban cycling online or in sports stores! They will do their work and furthermore, being quite casual will allow you a fashionable look.

Trousers: what to wear?

Also in this case, for medium-short trips, you will not have to go around with classic cycling pants or shorts! The good news is that you can wear any type of trousers that will make you feel comfortable. So no problem with wearing your jeans on a bike! As long as you can move freely, of course. The most suitable model? Stretch, cigarette style, and medium waist, even better if it is specific jeans for cycling.

The best compromise between performance and comfort is the classic dark travel pants. They are light enough to wear even in summer, dry quickly, and do not show the inevitable dirt that you will collect along the way. In general, it would be better to avoid particularly long and wide trousers at the bottom end. This type of trousers could get caught in the bicycle parts causing the risk of falling. Or, for obvious reasons, it is not advisable to wear light trousers on a bicycle that could be very easily damaged.

Shoes and shoe covers

To cover medium-short journeys by bike you can pedal very well even with a normal pair of sneakers. The important thing is to choose a pair of shoes with a good grip that gives you the feeling of pedaling well! Look for something light that doesn’t limit movement while pedaling.

Generally, city bikes mount flat pedals without cleats, unlike road bikes or mtb. It is undeniable, however, that wearing clipless shoes helps to better exploit the pedaling circles. Of course, classic cycling shoes are not really suitable for office wear or everyday wear! But don’t worry because on the market you can find rather casual clipless shoes for urban cycling to be worn every day. Some look like normal sneakers, but underneath they hide the clipless pedal system!

The last piece of advice that we think is worth following is to bring with you a pair of waterproof shoe covers specifically designed for commuting. In case of a sudden spring downpour, they will help you to avoid getting your feet wet and keep them warm.

What do you think is the essential garment that cannot be missing from your urban cyclist outfit? Tell us by writing an email to customercare@nokobike.com.