Ribble Cycles on the Tour de France and Cycling Equipment

As the riders tend to their Tour de France wounds, Ribble Cycles admire the gear on show and provide an insight into choosing the best riding equipment on ‘civilian' routes.

Mark Cavendish has been capturing the headlines since the peloton set off in Liege on Sunday July 1st - battling with Peter Sagan and teammate Bradley Wiggins, for the most talked about rider on Le Tour.  In regards to the actual race - Fabian Cancellara remains a favourite to hold on to the yellow jersey.

For as long as Cancellara wears that yellow jerseys, Ribble Cycles are discounting products from Swiss brand Assos®.  It is a tongue-in-cheek way of the cycling experts adding something to the Tour but further to that - Ribble have zoomed in on some of the subtle equipment in use by the pros on the French route.

Everybody focuses on the bikes and just one look at Cavendish's Pinarello is enough to make us all dream of our own bespoke road beast.  Its blacked out paint job gives it an almost panther-like appearance and the frame is straight from the top Pinarello drawer - made from Toray carbon fibre.

Still, Ribble are looking beyond the intelligent frames on the Tour and are studying the more understated pro gear...such as the clothing.  The conditions have been kind during the first few stages of the Tour but no doubt all weather jackets will come out at some point.  Ribble are keen to underline how intricate some of the pro jackets can be and how important it is to choose the right one:

• Protection
• Weight
• Ventilation
• Aero-dynamics

These four factors were picked out as the most important to consider when shopping around for cycling jackets.  Obviously we need a jacket to do what a jersey cannot - keep us completely dry.  But sacrificing your streamlined posture and lightweight ride for this might be unwise if you are competing.  As for ventilation, this is purely for comfort - mugginess is arguably much worse than being soaked through by rain.

Ribble digressed into advice on cycling shorts - explaining how the pros wear the most ergonomic fabrics on the market.  Their whole attire works in conjunction with the shape of the bike to help the rider cut through the wind like a bullet. 

Mountain bike shorts are not suitable for routes like the Tour de France but for casual riding, MTB shorts can be a practical choice.  Waterproof pockets are perfect for carrying essentials through endurance rides on any mountainous terrain.   

Ribble's focus on the fundamentals of cycling is a humbling change from their usual technically advanced stance in the cycling universe.  Ribble specialise in manufacturing bespoke bikes for any customer - meaning we can customise our rides just like the pros...creating civilian versions of the Cavendish Pinarello and making the dream a reality.