Cycling sun sleeves: check coverage in the riding position

Why riders need to think about UV

SunSmart says cyclists are often outside for long periods and get UV reflected off the road as well as straight from above. On a ride of a few hours, it says good sun protection is needed even when UV levels are low.

Slower rides can mean more sun, not less. A gentle day on a rail trail or a bike path can keep you out longer than a quick road ride, often with long open stretches between towns and little shade. Pack for the hours you will be out, not the kilometres.

The breeze on a bike can fool you. Moving air makes a warm day feel mild, but the UV is the same at 25 km/h as it is standing still. Cancer Council points out that UV can be high on cool, overcast days, and you cannot see or feel it. Check the UV Index before you go. If it is 3 or above, cover up.

What sleeves add to your kit

An IceRays sleeve is a thin stretch tube from the upper arm to the wrist. On the bike, that is the forearm skin pointing at the sun from the bars. UPF is the clothing version of SPF, and a UPF 50+ fabric blocks 98%+ of UV that lands on it.

ARPANSA rated a black sample of IceRays fabric UPF 50+ in 2015 (test details (PDF, opens in a new tab)). The rating is for that dry black sample. Sweat-soaked or overstretched sleeves, and the other colours, were not part of it.

SunSmart suggests riders choose clothing that covers as much skin as possible, with a tight weave rather than mesh. Sleeves turn a short-sleeved jersey or shirt into arm cover, and they come off at the cafe stop. They cover your arms only, so the rest of you still needs looking after.

Check them in the riding position

Standing up is not a fair test. Sit on your bike, leaning against a wall or on a trainer, with your hands where they normally go. Then check:

• When you lean forward, is there a bare gap between your jersey sleeve and the top of the arm sleeve?
• Does the cuff meet your gloves, or is there skin showing at the wrist?
• Does the fabric bunch at the elbow when your arms are bent?
• Can you brake and change gears without the cuff catching?

The sleeve should feel snug, never tight. Knitted fabric pulled thin protects less, which is why ARPANSA's clothing guidance warns against overstretching. Roll the sleeve down to the cuff, put your hand through, unroll it up the arm and smooth out any twists. One size fits all adults.

Then wear them on a short loop near home before a big day out. Twenty minutes on the bike will tell you more than a mirror. If a sleeve creeps down or the cuff rubs, adjust it at home rather than at the side of the road.

Commuting and the ride to the cafe

Not every ride is a training ride. Commuters cover the same streets twice a day, and the trip home on a summer afternoon often falls inside the sun protection times. A pair of sleeves can live in the pannier or backpack with your lock and lights, so they go on at the bike rack and come off at the office.

On a group ride, the stops matter as much as the riding. Half an hour at a cafe table in full sun is still sun on your arms. If the sleeves come off with your gloves and helmet, put them back on before you sit outside, or grab a table in the shade.

Grips, gloves and sunscreen

Sunscreen on your hands can make the grips slippery. SunSmart's tip is to pick a dry-touch or active formula that will not leave the handlebars greasy, and to put it on at least 20 minutes before you head out.

SunSmart also says the tops of your hands and the back of your neck are often forgotten, and that leaning forward leaves the backs of your legs exposed. Reapply at least every two hours, and more often if you are sweating. Keep a small tube in your back pocket or bag and top up at the cafe or a drink stop, never while riding.

Fingerless gloves leave the backs of your hands partly bare. IceRays hand covers sit over the backs of the hands, with the palm left open for the grips. Check they sit comfortably with your grips before a long ride.

Hot days and sweat

Moving air over damp fabric can feel fresh as the sweat dries. That is comfort and nothing more; no lower skin temperature is promised. Our page on whether cooling sleeves work goes through it honestly.

Wet fabric protects less, Cancer Council notes, so on a long, hot ride a dry spare pair is worth carrying in a back pocket. SunSmart's suggestion is to ride early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when UV is lower, and to rest in the shade with plenty of water.

Safety first on the bike

A sleeve is a layer of clothing, nothing more. It is no substitute for your helmet, and it gives no protection in a fall. Make sure the cuffs never catch on brake levers or gear shifters.

For your face, SunSmart suggests a helmet peak or visor to shade the face, neck and ears, and a broad-brimmed hat to put on at rest stops. Cycling glasses with a wrap-around shape that meet AS/NZS 1067, the Australian Standard, help with UV and glare, and keep out wind, grit and bugs.

Colours for the road, spares and value

There are six colours: Light Blue, White, Light Grey, Beige, Charcoal and Black. Many riders simply match their club kit. On UV, the same fabric in a darker shade usually absorbs more than a pale one, says Cancer Council, and our 2015 result is for black only. More in does sleeve colour matter?

Each pair is two sleeves. Daily riders and commuters do well with two pairs, one in the wash and one in the saddle bag. Follow the care label, and do not leave sweaty sleeves balled up in a jersey pocket overnight.

A 4-pack costs AUD 120 in Australia, which is $30 a pair and $31.80 under four single pairs, and USD 100 in the US. Mixed colours are fine, so a bunch of riders can split one.

Watch: putting on a sleeve

Questions and answers