Cycling at home is a fun way to jump into the world of cycling without having to go through rough weather and crazy traffic. Indoor cycling is adopted by many people because it is fun, safe, great for fitness and health. Thanks to indoor cycling applications and online classes, you can experience to be in a spinning studio class with expert trainers but from the comfort of your home.
To make sure you can fully enjoy all the benefits spin bikes have to offer, it is really important to know what clothing to wear when using a spin bike. Cycling indoors be it on a bike trainer or on a spin bike, makes you sweat even in the cold winter. Don’t get me wrong that’s a great thing but only if you are wearing appropriate spin bike clothings.
Without proper indoor cycling clothing that can keep you clean, cool, comfortable and safe, cycling indoors can cause chaffing and pain. To ride a spinning bike, you need specific apparel for indoor cycling that are extremely breathable and equipped with the comfort you need for long session spin classes. In order to help you understand what are those indoor cycling clothing that you need, this article will tell you about the mandatory pieces of cycling wear for indoor rides.
How to Dress For Indoor Cycling?
Find a Breathable Padded Indoor Cycling Short
The most important piece of clothing to prepare for indoor cycling is padded shorts. You can select your favourite color as these cycling shorts come in a range of shades and designs. While using a spin bike, aerodynamics is optional, although cycling shorts are designed to support it. Special padding inside the shorts which can be foam, gel, or memory foam can provide the needed cushion for the pelvic bones of the riders. Cycling shorts made of thin fabric have a low moisture-holding capacity and stay supple during sweating. I suggest you look for shorts that come with at least one mesh panel per leg. It really helps keeping you cool and longer on the bike during summer rides. Lastly, if you are a female, opt for women’s cycling shorts and if you are male, opt for men indoor cycling shorts. Their paddings are designed for gender specific anatomy.
Don’t Wear Underwear with Cycling Short
Pro cyclists know this but it’s still worth mentioning in case you are a beginner in the indoor cycling world. When riding an indoor cycling bike and using padded indoor cycling shorts, you don’t need to wear underwear as they will cause discomfort and chaffing. Padded cycling shorts are made to be used without underwear. They stay tight to prevent chaffing and wick-moisture to keep you cool but all this goes away if you use underwear underneath spin bike shorts.
Wear a Sports Bra instead of Jersey
Sport bras are the best choice for women and essential if you are going to ride an indoor bike. A supportive sports bra drains moisture from your skin and wicks it away. There are cyclist who wear only a sports bra for spinning at home for better airflow, but if you don’t feel comfortable in a spin class, you can always wear a loose shirt on top of the bra. But don’t wear cycling jerseys as they can get too hot for indoor rides, especially if you don’t use indoor cycling fans to keep cool.
Wear Comfortable fitting Cycling Shirt
We talked about Sports Bra for women and this section is mainly for men. Wearing a shirt is up to you because some people prefer covering their body while others do not wear it. I suggest you wear a comfortable breathable sport shirt that is not cotton. There are thin, fitting, high-performance shirts that do not hold the sweat and prevent friction from enhancing the cycling ability. Again, I don’t recommend using Jersey for indoor rides as they can get too hot.
Put on Specific Clip-on Cycling Shoes
Clip-on cycling shoes are important if you are riding an indoor bike or road bike, both for safety and efficient pedal stroke. Although this piece of cycling clothing is optional while riding a spin bike, it would be much safer and comfortable to use them. If your spin bike has dual sided pedals to accommodate cycling shoes, I would highly recommend using clipless indoor cycling shoes. They are built with mesh top and stiff soles that will let you ride with full pedal efficiency. There is a getting used to period, but once you are used to wearing cycling shoes, you will love the power efficiency and pedal stroke feel. Just like spin bike seats, there are also gender specific cycling shoes for men and cycling shoes women.
Wear Moisture wicking grippy gloves
Cycling gloves are typically used as protection from a fall or padding from the road vibrations, they can also be useful when cycling indoors. If you sweat heavily, gloves can absorb some of the moisture rolling down your arms and prevent a larger pool of sweat forming under you. Gloves can also protect your metal handlebars from salt corrosion. Gloves can give you a bit of a lift on the front of your bike if you feel yourself leaning forward onto the front of bike and they can also add some padding if you feel numbness in the hands or fingers.
Use Breathable Non-cotton Socks
The next piece of clothing for indoor cycling is the socks that are necessary. Unlike regular socks, sports socks in general will keep your feet cool and moisture controlled while spinning. Indoor Cycling Socks are important because they will prevent painful twists and feet from becoming irritating due to sweating. It’s better to choose short ankle socks for indoor cycling instead of 6 inches long socks. Avoid going for cotton or wool socks as they get wet and discomfortable.
Wear Moisture-wicking Sport Sweatbands
Although it is not mandatory to wear a sports headband, it would help a lot to use moisture wicking headband during indoor cycling classes. Headbands will keep your hair tied on your head, and continuous movements won’t let them block your vision. Moreover, you can keep a cotton spin class towel and a reusable cycling bottle of water near by.
Bottom Line
To fully enjoy an indoor cycling class, you absolutely need the right indoor cycling clothing. Most beginners who give up using spin bikes during the first month is because they don’t wear proper spin bike apparel and don’t have a comfortable spin bike seat. Being on a bike at home or on the road will bring you immense joy, and you will forget what is happening around you. Select your spin cycling clothes wisely to ride safely and in comfort. And if you still feel uncomfortable, follow these tips on how to get rid of spin bike saddle sore.