The Importance of a Cycling Cap
A cycling cap is an integral part of your helmet and a useful piece of kit for all weathers.cycling cap It helps prevent sun glare or rain falling into your eyes. It wicks away sweat and helps your head stay cool, even when it’s hot. It can also help you spot other riders. And a good cap can look stylish too. But the most important thing a cycling cap can do is prevent chafing of your ears and skull underneath your helmet.
In the past, before modern helmets were widely available, many riders wore a peaked cap (or “casquette”).cycling cap These caps are made of cotton and can be worn with the peak up or down, depending on the weather and what style you like. They’re a great way to show your bike-loving spirit, and they can add to the aesthetic of a ride, particularly when paired with a classic helmet.
But once modern cycle helmets became commonplace, the cap fell out of favor with most cyclists. Until recently, when it was re-introduced by fashion designers to add to their collections, New York messengers as a fashion statement, and amateurs who wanted to feel like the pros in their jerseys.
The first purpose-designed, polystyrene-lined bicycle helmet was developed in 1975 by the US company Bell. This was followed a year later by the much safer and more comfortable, rounded, polycarbonate-shelled, European-standard racing helmet by Louis Garneau.
Today, the best cycling helmets offer a host of sophisticated features to attenuate impacts and improve performance. These include a multi-directional impact system, which moves the liner around your brain during and after an accident. This is designed to reduce the rotational forces applied to your brain, which are the most dangerous type of injuries. Other innovations include softer foam and lighter materials.
These new designs, coupled with better fitting, more durable straps have made helmets far more reliable and comfortable, especially for long rides. They’re also lighter and less bulky than ever before, which makes them easier to pack into your bag or carry on your commute.
The fastest and most secure way to fasten a cycling cap is with a d-ring, a system borrowed from motorcycle helmets that uses stainless steel rings fed through the strap and doubled back to grip and tighten. These are easy to adjust and highly effective, but some riders find them fussy to fasten and require two hands. Another popular option is a Velcro strap that’s fastened with one hand, and some manufacturers make their straps with a loop on the side that makes this easy.