The sun is coming here, and my pale skin is starting to tan just a little bit.
With sunglasses reflecting the sun, the nose is perfect target for a lot of UVs.
And indeed, you see lots of cyclists (even pros) having a big red nose at the end of the summer.
Whenever possible, I prefer covering my body than using sunscreen, but for the face it’s not ideal.
I was wondering if anyone has used a cycling cap for the sun protection, and how effective it is.
To protect the nose from the sun, you’d need at least a baseball cap. I always thought cycling caps are just for people who want to look cool? If you’re bald, they certainly do protect your head from sunburn. As for the face I don’t think you’d get much benefit from a cycling cap - only in certain conditions and riding in certain directions eg if the sun is low on the horizon and you ride into the setting/rising sun… But the sun is most aggressive during the day where a cycling cap does not really give too much shade anyway. So better off using 50+ sunscrean or the stuff surfers use.
Right, I also noticed it was more of a fashion item.
But with the sun being high and the head low on the bike, I was just wondering if it was possible to be cool and protected
I do use the mineral sunscreen the surfers use when I don’t have other choice. Because is does not cross the skin barrier. And it last forever, which is good.
But it such a pain to remove that I was looking for another option.
Cycling caps can be one of the most useful pieces of kit…offers warmth when it is cold, UV protection when it is warm, sweat absorption, the brim can help block rain.
my statement was meant more tongue in cheek. I get quite hot fast so I’d rather use a sweat band than a whole cap. I do realize there are benefits to them but most people I see riding one have it flipped up so it looks ‘cool’ thus my statement. There are certainly benefits but pretty sure shade for the nose is not one of them
My daughter came up with the idea a few years ago for a new product called the “nose blanket” because she said her nose was always cold. I may have just found a way for her to cross over into the sports marketplace.
Yup, I could have posted more links, but the image that popped in my head was watching some of that old climbing footage with the leather bound glasses that had the nose cover too. I remember tracking some down some modern cheap ones when I was in middle school, to use for skiing and just looking cool
My original glacier goggles for the European alps in the 1980s were not that evolved from the picture. Made by Bolle I think from memory. But there is still nothing for glacier tongue if you do your alpine mountaineering with your mouth open. All that UV reflected from every direction.
You can also make them pretty easily with climbing tape. I burned the tip of my nose pretty badly despite using sunblock when I backpacking/mountaineering in the yukon. Painful lesson.
I used to ride from work to home at the peak heat time (5PM) with 90-100 F (40c) and 80rh… I normally wet the bandana, my arms and leg covers, and it really made a difference, unfortunately half hour later it was dry already, so had to wet them again. Helped train with reduced oxygen supply like on the mountains, specially needed if you live near the coast. But now that some sunscreens are suspect of causing cancer, I am glad I am used to cover myself this way.
The Saiyayin kee monitor… its the now obsolete garmin varia vision where I can see power zone, speed, etc, very useful to mantain effort level constant when training or competing and I originally got it to work with the garmin radar and be easily alerted of cars coming from my back. On those MTB maraton where so much dust got into the computer I can still see my metrics with this. Unfortunatelly it is not longer supported on newer garmin computer edge 1040.