Well I”m losing the Castelli Aero Bibs, but what about some of the rest of the accessories, for years (ok maybe more than that!), I’ve been relying on Defeet Undershirts and Defeet Aireater socks, but now’s the time to update.
Cycling Socks
First up are cycling socks, particularly for the winter, you want something that is cool and comfortable. Bicycling did a nice overview in 2017, Gearwire and Road.cc summer socks including some good summer and winter socks.
Defeet Aireator. Can you believe that these are still top rated. Wow! Personally I like the shorty ones so 3″ or even 2″. Made with Coolmax, these are summer socks.
Castelli Free 9. Super light Merino is another choice although more like a fall or spring sock. These also fit small, so a get a large to fits a size 9.
Swiftwick Aspire Four. These are 4″ compression socks and work like a second skin and super comfortable if expensive. Competitive Cyclis and Amazon. $18. The main problem is the fit is snug, so for a 8.5, you probably want a large. And it is more like a winter sock.
Giro Merino. These are real Merino wool and are good for the winters. Amazon. $16.
Copo Vivo 200 Meryl Skinlife. This is a summer sock made of microfiber yarn. Seems a little hard to find as it is not at Competitive Cyclist. $20.
Q36.5 Plus. A three season sock just not for the hot summers made of wool-silk blend. Both Bicylcing and Road.cc like it. $30.
Velocio Brenton. ‘these are coolmax socks. One of my favorites. $20.
Base Layers
The right base layer is important to wick sweat away. I’ve used the Defeet Und Shirt (considered the first base layer) for years as well, but let’s see what road.cc, cycling weekly, and bikeradar is recommending:
Pearl Izumi Transfer Sleeveless Base. Light and wicking great for summers.
Castelli Pro Issue Sleeveless. This is a spring/fall
Ekoi Morpho Senza.
