THE ART OF LAYERING
In colaboration with IBAI FRADEJAS
We know thate the matrial we choose, sell and use, has a key importance in the performance.
When practicing cycling the body temperature gets higher, the cooling mechanism we possess in our bodies is the sweating, this is the evaporation of the water through the skin, this is known as sweat, by doing this our clothes get wet and make them feel uncomfortable and sometimes if you sweat a lot its worse than getting them wet by rain, our objective is to stay dry at every moment.
Knowing this, we should choose a clothing that can keep us dry from the sweat, a clothing that can keep us warm so we can go against low temperatures and to prevent getting stopped because of the rain.
It’s here where the idea of layering or theory of three layers appears, this idea defends the idea that 3 layers of clothing is enough, this will create a microclimate to protect our body from the sweat and the bad weather, this by preventing the uncomfortable feeling.
First Layer
It’s the layer that makes contact with the skin, the undershirts, their function is to block the sweat from touching the skin, avoiding the feeling of humidity and therefore that our body cools down.
Due to this we use different materials:
- Synthetic fibers, for quick drying.
-
Natural fibers (Merino wool), which has a more pleasant touch, blocking the humidity better than most of the synthetic fabrics and accumulate fewer bad odors.
Some garments have carbon fiber thread, which prevents the accumulation of bacteria and it is also a good thermic regulator.
We recommend using tight clothing so the wind doesn’t go through them and our body, but be careful don’t get clothes that are so tight that it makes it hard for you to move.
Second layer
The second layer is used to insulate us thermally. This type of clothing do not heat us directly, their mission is to retain the warmth that our body generates even when we are wet, favoring us by blocking the sweat at the same time.
- The synthetic fibers (polyester) have in their favor that they are less absorbent facilitating better perspiration, in addition to drying more quickly.
- Natural fibers (Merino wool), have the advantage that they retain more heat.
Inside the second layer we can find: jersey, shorts, cap, hat, headband, panties, gloves, socks...
Third layer
The function of this third layer is to protect us from three important factors:
- The rain and humidity exterior, keeping us dry.
- The wind, protecting us from the cold it produces.
- Our sweat, allowing its evacuation because the other layers haven’t probably done this.
This layer, in addition, must be resistant since being the outermost can be in contact with branches, rocks.
For this type of clothing we can find the following clothes:
- Raincoat Aquazero.
- Vests Pro Team y Aquazero.
- Wind braker Aquazero, they are jackets with a special fabric that protects us from de wind. Avoiding the cooling by convection that we would suffer to go only with the second layer. They are prepared to avoid a light rain, but more water will pass through the tissue.
- Maillote, culotte, booties... Aquazero. Are a clothing that performing functions of layer 2 and 3, carrying inside a layer of plush fabric that maintains the heat of our body and an external treatment that prevents wind and light rain from penetrating, have a high capacity for perspiration.
Nowadays the idea that the layering follows is to own clothes with different characteristics and each one with different functions so that they can be used in its full potential depending on the situation and when it’s needed.
For example, in a sunny day we will use a first layer for summer with a thin maillot. On cooler days but with no wind we should wear a second layer such as a maillot aero pro + an undershirt. If it’s the opposite and the temperature is sunny with a little bit rainy or windy we just need to add a third layer on top of the others, this layer can be filled by a vest or a windbreaker, in case the rain stopped we just need to take it off and put it inside the pocket of the maillot. If the weather aspects becomes very bad we should wear the three layers having in mind the thickness of the clothing and we should know how to play with these aspects and choose wisely before going out.
By this means what will help us choose the equipment we wear or take out will be our experience.
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