Cap under a helmet

j_mcd

I'm quite a sweaty cyclist when hills (or even slight inclines) are involved and what with Sundays bike ride coming up I'm considering a hat to wear under my helmet.

They all witter on about wicking away sweat and stopping it running into your eyes (or down the glasses which is more annoying) but surely my bare head is the best at wicking away the moisture?

Anyway, what's the feeling on this, will it just be even hotter and more sweaty or do people do it and find it helps?

GiantDance

I always were a cap under the helmet as one of our 4 eyed friends I find it keeps the sun at bay if not wearing cycling shades or rain out. If I get to hot I put the cap in my pocket.

Horses for courses really.

tgotb

I'm a pretty warm/sweaty cyclist, and find a cap makes my head quite a bit hotter; I only wear one if it's raining.

I only wear cycling glasses, not "proper" ones, but I also find they steam up more readily with a cap, I assume it's because the peak reduces airflow over the lenses.

Why not try it and see how it works for you? They're pretty easy to fold up and stuff into a pocket.

j_mcd

As odd as it sounds, I'm quite pocket-phobic! Would must rather not have anything in them at all.

Slightly exacerbated by my charadee jersey not being half as good a fit (bit too baggy) as the tops I usually ride in.

imatfaal

I wear in the rain - but have to take it off when it gets too hot. If I wear when too hot I get home and the cap is sodden with sweat that should have been evaporating off my marco pantani style chrome dome. As above poster - horse for courses; you gotta try it out. Agree with pockets sentiment - but only for heavy stuff; caps fit in nicely and you will stop noticing in seconds

spasypaddy

i nearly always ride in a cap, even when it was 40 degrees in israel i was wearing it.

navt

Only in winter. Seems to me you have a ventilation problem and might need to re-visit your choice of helmet.

pblakeney

I wear one when it is raining to keep the rain out of my eyes.
I find glasses as useful as a windscreen without wipers.

I also wear one when it is hot to protect my scalp from the rays and the sweat tends to gather in the peak and drip off instead of going running into my eyes. I won't wear one in the heat outside of 11:00-15:00.

Time to get the flamers going......
I recommend a Rapha one, in a sale. I have cheaper versions but they perform as you thought and just retain sweat. A waste of money.

godders1

I wear a cotton cap in most weathers but if overheating is a concern then you could try one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mavic-roadie-cap-2013/rp-prod90613

I handled one in a shop a few weeks back and it felt very light, I imagine it's a bit cooler than the cheapie cotton jobs.

magibob

When it's really hot, I wear a thin Buff under my helmet which I wet through first.

It feels about the same temperature overall as not wearing one, but it stops the sweat dripping in my eyes and keeps the sun off of my neck.

Andy

pblakeney

Oh!
I forgot to mention. Peak forward for climbing (sweat protection), peak backwards for descending (neck protection).
If the hills aren't big enough to warrant a stop at the top then wear as you like.

I mostly wear mine forward here (rain), but backwards in Mallorca (neck).

macleod113

I always wear a bandana for sweat absorbtion and often wear a cap also for rain prevention. i've never had an issue with overheating and never had cause to remove the cap mid ride.

do it if you want to, its your bonce

rick_chasey

Who wouldn't want to emulate the irrepressible Leif Hoste??

fat_tail

I get quite sweaty and my helmet was getting stinky. got myself a better ventilated helmet, no difference. got myself a couple of Walz cycling caps and now wouldn't consider going out on the bike without one. the cap absorbs the sweat and my helmet stays relatively fresh. go for it.

surrey_commuter

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19668933#p19668933]J_MCD[/url] wrote:

As odd as it sounds, I'm quite pocket-phobic! Would must rather not have anything in them at all.

Slightly exacerbated by my charadee jersey not being half as good a fit (bit too baggy) as the tops I usually ride in.

My charadee has given me a Muddyfox one that looks nice but I really don't like it. I am thinking I will wear my favourite top.

j_mcd

Surrey Commuter wrote:

My charadee has given me a Muddyfox one that looks nice but I really don't like it. I am thinking I will wear my favourite top.

Ditto, I feel a little guilty that I won't be advertising their charity (as they are quite small) and the fact that their top has "For Dad" (the reason why I'm doing it for charity in the first place) written on the back but I think I'd be best off in something comfy that I like wearing.

Figure I can put on their top when I've finished for any photos that might be taken.

surrey_commuter

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19669493#p19669493]J_MCD[/url] wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

My charadee has given me a Muddyfox one that looks nice but I really don't like it. I am thinking I will wear my favourite top.

Ditto, I feel a little guilty that I won't be advertising their charity (as they are quite small) and the fact that their top has "For Dad" (the reason why I'm doing it for charity in the first place) written on the back but I think I'd be best off in something comfy that I like wearing.

Figure I can put on their top when I've finished for any photos that might be taken.

I got in on the ballot so this is me doing proper fundraising for a cause I believe in but I think photo in the garden and then wear their top on the commute is my current preferred option

t4tomo

Pearl Izumi lightweight sweatband for me, or a cotton cap, on recent coast to coast alternated between the two. Stops the sweat dripping into your eyes.

luv2ride

I'm a sweaty one too, and have found I can't wear caps when above, say, 15 degrees without sweat dripping off the peak after an hour or so of riding (and that's with a Mavic Summer cap which is mainly breathable WickST fabric). Works wonders before the dripping starts though! Mind you I've also found that on long rides I can get neck ache as the cap peak can interfere with my normal eye line. So I'm not a fan, but they certainly have a place. On days where it goes from very cloudy to blinding sun I like to have one on, just to deal with the sun.

Ben6899

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19670366#p19670366]Luv2ride[/url] wrote:

I'm a sweaty one too, and have found I can't wear caps when above, say, 15 degrees without sweat dripping off the peak after an hour or so of riding (and that's with a Mavic Summer cap which is mainly breathable WickST fabric). Works wonders before the dripping starts though! Mind you I've also found that on long rides I can get neck ache as the cap peak can interfere with my normal eye line. So I'm not a fan, but they certainly have a place. On days where it goes from very cloudy to blinding sun I like to have one on, just to deal with the sun.

This is why the peak is flippable.

Snakebite the 2nd

I have always worn a bandanna under my helmet.
It is thin enough to not intrude on the fit of the helmet, yet thick enough to absorb sweat.

On longer runs I do take it off wring it out and start again, but I have found this to be the best solution for the last 20 years.

The good thing now is that bandannas are back in fashion with the ladies wearing them as hair accessories, so they can be picked up cheap in loads of places.

I had a stash from the 90's that was running out, but like my mum says, "Fashion always comes around again" so I just hung on long enough to get another 20 years supply!

MonkeyMonster

Others here have suffered from my sweating escapades so once the temp reaches -5 i generally always wear a cap now. It gets sweaty but stops its coming down my face having easily overloaded the front helmet foam strip.
If out on a bigger ride i take it off about 2/3 round and be a bit cooler headed (arf) but generally fewer hills/going quite so hard in the last 1/3rd of a ride

iPete

Cap on every ride, no matter how hot. Be warned though, most caps are just billboards for brands.
The Rapha cap is the first I've used that is remotely technical and has taken months of use without the visor losing shape. A shame I don't like the new one-size model.

GiantDance

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671357#p19671357]iPete[/url] wrote:

Cap on every ride, no matter how hot. Be warned though, most caps are just billboards for brands.
The Rapha cap is the first I've used that is remotely technical and has taken months of use without the visor losing shape. A shame I don't like the fit on the new one-size model.

Agree about the new one-size fits all, one wash and it lost its shape and now feels to big. Shame as were great.

MonkeyMonster

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671360#p19671360]GiantDance[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671357#p19671357]iPete[/url] wrote:

Cap on every ride, no matter how hot. Be warned though, most caps are just billboards for brands.
The Rapha cap is the first I've used that is remotely technical and has taken months of use without the visor losing shape. A shame I don't like the fit on the new one-size model.

Agree about the new one-size fits all, one wash and it lost its shape and now feels to big. Shame as were great.

My rapha sky one too is the best of the bunch - the others being prenda's classics

The Rookie

I'm trying to get a consensus here!

I ride very hot and sweaty and if a cap would wick sweat away for better evaporation am willing to give it a shot, I have a pearl Izumi headband (feels like lycra) I use in winter to keep the draft off my ears (which is all I ever need), but it doesn't look like it will wick at all, I don't mind the idea of a cap, but don't want a peak at all (so skull cap)....any suggestions?

mroli

Wear a cap back to front. No peak then.

I am a cap convert. Always wear one for long rides now.

pblakeney

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671360#p19671360]GiantDance[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671357#p19671357]iPete[/url] wrote:

Cap on every ride, no matter how hot. Be warned though, most caps are just billboards for brands.
The Rapha cap is the first I've used that is remotely technical and has taken months of use without the visor losing shape. A shame I don't like the fit on the new one-size model.

Agree about the new one-size fits all, one wash and it lost its shape and now feels to big. Shame as were great.

This is a disappointing revelation. :x
They last a long time but not for ever.

j_mcd

When I originally asked the question it was with the Ride London 100 in mind. I looked at a few caps (and one skull cap) and just thought that extra layers would just add extra heat.

Decided to just go bare headed (and in my case it is very bare headed) under the helmet on the day and didn't regret it in the slightest.

I think, in my case, hats might just be for winter.

Snakebite the 2nd

Just watch out for sunburn!

When I first started riding I ended up with a stripy head after a sunny ride.

pblakeney

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19672224#p19672224]J_MCD[/url] wrote:

When I originally asked the question it was with the Ride London 100 in mind. I looked at a few caps (and one skull cap) and just thought that extra layers would just add extra heat.

Decided to just go bare headed (and in my case it is very bare headed) under the helmet on the day and didn't regret it in the slightest.

I think, in my case, hats might just be for winter.

Will you keep that opinion after a long sunny day in the saddle results in helmet tan lines?