My #Atlantic2Andes Cycle Touring Clothing

In this post, I am going to give a quick overview of the kit I wore during my #Atlantic2Andes cycle through South America. When planning what kit to use I had to take the following things into consideration:

• Brazil and Paraguay would be hot and potentially humid

• The Andes in Bolivia would be cooler and cold at night

• Rain was a possibility

• All clothes had to be lightweight and compact

With that in mind I turned to brands I have used in the past and trust to be good quality (well for nearly all the kit).

THE CYCLE JERSEY:

For this I used the GORE Alp-X Pro jersey. It proved to be the perfect top for all my cycling below about 2500m when the temperature dropped and the wind picked up. The full-length zip allowed me to add a little wind when the temperatures soared to the mid-thirties (centigrade). There are three open pockets on the back and a small credit card sized pocket. On the back, there is some ventilation which is very handy in the heat though it was on a part of my back I couldn’t apply sunscreen so now I have a big V tan mark down my back.

Check out this product here: ALP-X PRO Jersey

THE CYCLE SHORTS:

Everyone told me I needed to wear bibbed and padded lycra shorts for comfort and this filled me with dread. Spending 30 days in body hugging fabric is not my ideal. But then I was introduced to the ALP-X 2in1 Shorts and all my needs were covered. By adding a pair of normal shorts over the padded, lyrca bottoms I had a pair of shorts that not only kept my bottom blister free but allowed me to rely on just one item of clothing.

The only thing I would add to these shorts is a small pocket for a credit card but that’s me just being picky.

Check out this product here: ALP-X PRO 2in1 Shorts+

THE WARMER TOP:

When I got above about 2500m of altitude the weather became more variable and this called for a top that was more versatile. The Alp-X Pro Windstopper did the job perfectly. The jacket itself is made from GORE’s Windstopper material and gives more protection from the elements. It has a zipped pocket on the back with two additional open pockets but that’s not the clever part. When the sun pops out and the temperature rises there is the option to remove the sleeves, which means this jacket can span more than just the colder moments.

Check out this product here: ALP-X PRO WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell Zip-Off Jersey

THE WATERPROOF TOP:

I have a ONE GORE-TEX Jacket which I love. It is 100% waterproof, compacts down into a pocket and even looks awesome. It comes with a hood and is great as an easily accessible extra layer if the wind is howling. I can’t same anough about this jacket, a must for all my adventures.

Link to product coming

THE SHOES:

I spent ages trying to work out what to wear on my feet. The first decision was not to wear SPD cleats and opt for very basic pedals. The next decision was what shoes would be flexible enough to cover all my walking/cycling needs and be rigid enough to drive the energy through the pedals. The Terrex Agravic turned out to be the perfect option as there are lightweight, comfortable and most importantly waterproof.

Check out this product here: TERREX Agravic Shoes

THE SOCKS:

This was an easy one as I turn to one brand and type of socks for all my adventures and that is the 1000 Mile Ultra Performance Socklet. I used these for my Running the Americas adventure, three peaks run and Outer Hebrides run. The reasons I love these are: they don’t give you blisters, they don’t get holes and you can get away with not washing them for weeks (I’ve tested this)

Check out this product here: 1000 Mile Ultra Performance Socklet with Cupron®

THE GLOVES:

The costs were mounting up so I opted for a pair of Muddy Fox mitts from Sports Direct. They did the job but I did end up with massive blisters on the palms of my hands which wasn’t ideal. In hindsight, I should have forked out a little more money!

Check out this product here: Muddy Fox Cycle Mitts

THE SUNGLASSES:

The sun shone a lot on this trip and when on the salt flats of Uyuni it was fierce. Most cyclists seem to opt for wrap around glasses but I choose to use my Adidas 3Matic glasses. They did the job perfectly and have the bonus of being designed to pull apart which reduces the chance of breaking them while navigating around a small tent. Sadly, I put them in a bag with no case and scratched them to death :(

Check out this product here: Adidas 3matic glasses