Читать книгу Cycling in the Cotswolds. 21 half and full-day cycle routes, and a 4-day 200km Tour of the Cotswolds онлайн

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Shades

These are extremely useful – even on a rainy day. As well as reducing glare from bright or low sun, they also keep flying insects, mud and driving rain out of your eyes. Some cyclists wear clear shades on every ride.

Cycling shoes/clip-in pedals

Stiff cycling shoes are useful, but adding SPD plates to ‘clip in’ is best left until you’re sure it’s worth the money and the time getting used to them

It’s worthwhile wearing cycle shoes. They may look like normal trainers or leisure shoes, but they have stiffened soles that prevent foot pain and long-term problems associated with the concentrated pressure of cycling.

As your cycling progresses and you tackle longer and harder routes, clip-in pedals may become worthwhile. These positively lock your feet to the pedals, requiring a heel-twist to unlock. Besides keeping feet secure on rough ground, they allow you to pull up on the pedals as well as pushing down.

Most cycle shoes feature attachment points for the shoe cleats, which are supplied with the pedals, so clip-in pedals can be added later. However, the ‘locked-in’ feeling can be unnerving if you are not used to it, so only make this progression when you are confident.