It’s all well and good me talking about cycling shirts, how good they are, and whether you even need them, but you might have a few pressing questions. “Where can I buy them from? Can I get them in the normal clothes stores?”
The simple answer is that you can’t just walk into any clothes store and grab yourself a cycling shirt, but they are widely available. Most towns have at least one specialist cycling store, and they’ll sell all manner of bike-related products, including the bicycles themselves, but also protective equipment such as helmets; security locks to secure your bike if you have to leave it anywhere; and various spare parts such as tires, break cables etc. Many will also sell the specialist cycling shirts.
I have found that many of the products sold in the cycling stores tend to be rather expensive, so it is always advised to shop around (as with buying anything these days!)
The internet is a great place to find cycling jerseys and you’ll be pretty spoilt for choice. You can check out the manufacturers themselves, for example Giordana, Bellwether, Castelli or Polaris. Or dig around the online sports stores. Many have a cycling section where you can get all the gear you need for casual or more intense cycling.
Amazon seems to sell pretty much everything these days, and cycling shirts are there on the goods list also. They have a decent selection so a quick perusal of their site might give you some ideas, even if you decide to simply note down the ones you are interested in and then go down town to see if you can find them in the stores – always a good ploy as you can try them on there and then.
There is also the option of checking out the specialist running and jogging stores in your town, especially if you are a casual rider looking for a tee-shirt to go riding in. It’s probably still best to opt for a tee-shirt with moisture wicking ability for your comfort. And that’s why I suggest running shops, as they’ll stock a variety. Go for something ‘loud’ and garish so you’ll be seen on the road by others.
If you can’t find a local cycling specialist store or one that sells wicking shirts for runners, how about looking for an outdoors or hiking supplies store. They’ll often have wicking tops that should keep you dry and comfortable when out riding.
Hopefully you’ll find some decent cycling shirts nearby and start to benefit from what they have to offer, rather than relying on standard cotton tee-shirts, which will get waterlogged on hard rides and cause all sorts of havoc with your body’s thermostat!
