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We all love cycling on a nice day, but you have to be careful that sun exposure does not cause premature aging or even skin cancer. Sorry to put a damper on your pleasure. The good news is that protecting yourself is pretty simple.
Now, you may be thinking of something like, "Give some rest, road.cc! It was snowing last week. I will sunbathe as much as possible.
Okay, but if your skin is good after a long winter, it is more likely to get burned and many people go abroad to hike at this time of year – Majorca for example, Italy or the Canary Islands – where temperatures are warmer and you are likely to expose more skin. Protecting your skin is not just something to consider in the heart of summer. Lots of people are burned at this time of the year.
Western culture loves tanning and in cycling we have our own variety. The tan of your favorite cyclist includes legs as close as possible to the creosote color between the lines of the shorts and socks and the equally dark arms of the wrists to the ends of the sleeves of the jersey. Then there is the tanned face with pale areas where sunglasses and helmet straps have been.
It's not so common, but in the old days, you could have a tanned circle on the back of your hands that also showed the gap left by your runway gloves.
Many people like to tan their cyclist. The (ideally satirical) rules of Velominati even state that: "Tanning lines must be cultivated and kept razor-sharp."
That's fine, but overexposure to the sun can lead to skin problems later in life, including skin cancer that can kill, as well as premature aging.
According to the British Association of Dermatologists, "the dark pigment that gives the skin its natural color is called melanin. Melanin is produced in the skin by pigment cells called melanocytes. Once our skin has been exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce more melanin to absorb more ultraviolet light. The skin becomes darker. A tan is actually a sign that the skin has been damaged and is trying to protect itself. "
So that was told to us.
"More than 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK and, although the disease may also affect non-sun-exposed body parts, it is thought that a significant exposure to the sun is responsible for the vast majority of cases, "said the British Association of Dermatologists. "In more than four out of five cases, skin cancer is a preventable disease."
You may notice that the great-uncle Albert biking for two hours a day all his life without even thinking of protecting himself from the sun, and he lived up to 150 years. Cool, but many cyclists have serious problems and you can take steps to help you not be one of them.
As a cyclist, you regularly spend long hours outdoors, and the fresh air that blows through your skin means that you may not realize the intensity of the sun. Plus, sweating can sometimes erase the sunscreen you've applied. What can you do to take care of yourself?
"People often make the mistake of thinking that the sun in the UK is not powerful enough to cause damage," said Lisa Bickerstaffe, spokeswoman for the British Skin Foundation. "This is not true, never underestimate it and always follow solar safety procedures."
First of all, no one suggests that you reduce your cycling time.
"Cycling is a great way to stay physically active, which can reduce the risk of breast and bowel cancer," says Emma Shields of Cancer Research UK. "Plus, it can help you maintain a healthy weight, which also reduces the risk of cancer."
Go out and have fun, but take steps to reduce the risk of skin lesions.
"During the UK summer, the sun's rays are the strongest between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm If possible, do not forget to go for a ride before 11am or after 3pm, when the sun is less powerful," says Emma Shields . "When you stop to take a break, consider looking for cool shade to avoid too much sun. The best way to protect yourself when the sun is strong is to combine shade, clothing and sunscreen. "
Clothing
Without going mountain biking in a forest, you can not stay true to the sun all the time you ride, so it is essential to wear clothing to cover yourself.
"Go for tight-fitting clothes; try to hold the fabric to make sure you can not see through the fabric, "says Emma Shields.
You may remember that Chris Froome, four times winner of the Tour de France, was seriously burned back wearing a jersey a few years ago. Youch! This is certainly a danger, especially with lightweight fabrics designed to be very breathable.
Manufacturers sometimes attribute an UPF rating to their summer clothes. UPF stands for "ultraviolet protection factor". A UPF protection rating of 50 means that only 1 / 50th (2%) of ultraviolet (UV) light can pass through the tissue.
Castelli, for example, offers UPF 50+ Light Arm sleeves (£ 30) and leg sleeves (£ 45).
"We can only officially evaluate these UPF 50+ heaters, but in our lab tests they actually blocked 99.8% of the harmful UV rays," says Castelli.
The Rapha Lightweight cuffs (£ 35) are rated UPF 50.
Endura assigns a UPF rating to many summer clothes. He says his Translite short-sleeved underwear (£ 27.99) offers, for example, …
… his Pro SL Lite jersey (£ 74.99) is 25 UPF …
… and Pro SL Bib Shorts (£ 119.99) provide 50 FUPs.
Pearl Izumi also assigns UPF rankings to many summer wear. The body of the Sugar Sugar jersey (currently reduced to £ 19.99 on the UK brand website), for example, is rated UPF 24+.
The DHB Blok Short Sleeve Jersey (currently priced at £ 27 on www.wiggle.co.uk) is UPF 30+ rated, while the main body of its Aeron (£ 50) short has UPF 40+.
If you look for them, there are many other options classified UPF. The best way to know the protection offered is to go to a brand's website and type "UPF" in the search bar.
Check out our selection of 18 of the best summer jerseys.
When planning to cover yourself, do not forget your head and neck, especially if you are bald or your hair is shaved. Aside from the health consequences, you will not really want to get to work on Monday morning with burnt skin stains that match the pattern of your helmet vents. This is not a good look at it. You can wear something like a Buff under your cover to protect yourself from the sun or opt for a hat.
Giro, for example, offers the lightweight SPF Ultralight hood with an SPF protection rating of 30, as well as the SPF Ultralight Skullcap edged version (£ 19.99). SPF means "sun protection factor". If you burn for 10 minutes without touching it, while wearing something with a sun protection factor of 30, you should be protected from sunburn for 30 x 10 minutes, or 300 minutes.
Read our review of the Giro SPF Ultralight cap here.
It's more of a mountain bike style, but a helmet with visor / visor will also help.
Check out our headphone reviews here.
Finally, be sure to wear sunglasses. Anyway, you will still use glasses on the bike to protect your eyes from the wind, insects and all that rises from the road. They will also prevent damage from the sun's UV rays. Repeated exposure to the sun can lead to cataracts (about 20% of cases are due to prolonged UV exposure), macular degeneration and pterygium (tissue growth on the white part of the eye surface), among other problems.
Read our glasses reviews here.
Discover our selection of 22 of the best cycling sunglasses.
Solar cream
What about sunscreen? Most of us use it at least occasionally when it protects against UV rays.
"Even when there is no sun, protect your skin with SPF because UVA rays can penetrate the clouds all year long," said British Skin Foundation spokeswoman Lisa Bickerstaffe.
UVAs act on the elastin of the skin and cause the appearance of wrinkles, skin-induced skin aging and skin cancer. UVB, on the other hand, is the most responsible form of UV irradiation for sunburn and has strong links to malignant melanoma and the risk of basal cell carcinoma – types of skin cancer. A sunscreen with a high SPF will help block UVB rays and prevent skin from burning, reducing the risk of skin cancer.
Emma Shields of UK Cancer Research adds: "Many people think that sunscreen is foolproof, but it should only be used as a last line of defense in places where you can not cover yourself with clothes.
"Sunscreens with an SPF 15 should provide sufficient protection, when used correctly, wherever you are in the world. Sunscreens with a higher SPF do not offer extra protection and can cause people to think that they can stay in the sun longer. The most important thing is to remember to apply it generously and regularly, especially if you sweat. And even sunscreen "once a day" has to be reapplied regularly. "
This means that if you go longer, you must take sunscreen with you. If you do not feel like carrying a bottle, look for sunscreen bags. They weigh only a few grams and take up very little space in a pocket or saddle bag. Insert a few with your multi-tool and spare tube in case of emergency.
Lisa Bickerstaffe, from the British Skin Foundation, advises the FPS slightly: "When you choose a sunscreen, look for a high protection SPF (SPF greater than or equal to 30) to protect against UVB, as well as the logo of the UVA circle and / or four or five stars UVA. protect against UVA. "
Stars UVA? It is a system that indicates the percentage of UVA rays absorbed by the sunscreen relative to UVB – that is, the ratio of the UVA protection level to the level of protection against UVB. A product can have anything, without five star stars.
Remember that if you choose a sunscreen with a low SPF, it can remain a high number of stars, not because it offers significant protection against UVA, but because the levels of protection against UVA and UVB are pretty much the same.
"Make sure to apply sunscreen about 20 to 30 minutes before going out and remember to reapply every two hours, preferably more often if you sweat a lot," says Lisa Bickerstaffe of the British Skin Foundation . "Make sure you use enough cream to get the factor listed on the bottle.
"Be sure to apply sunscreen on often-forgotten places, such as the tip of the nose, ears, hair and scalp. Do not forget the legs either. Sometimes the back of the legs can be neglected. "
A local road.cc dermatologist told us that calves are particularly problematic for cyclists because they always seem to catch the sun.
"People with fair skin or more easily burned skin, those with red or blond hair or many moles or freckles are at a higher risk of skin cancer than others and need to be particularly cautious Says Emma Shields of Cancer Research UK. . "You are the best judge of how your skin reacts to the sun and the more easily you catch sunburn, the more you should be careful."
In short
What can we remove from all this? Here is the most important tip to protect yourself from the sun:
• Cover yourself with clothing as a first line of defense.
• Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before your departure, even in good weather.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours.
• Sit in the shade at one of the coffee stops.
Each year, on the first sunny day of spring, thousands of cyclists (including us) learn with difficulty that the sun can burn you even on a hot day in April … so we offer this feature every year.
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