Tag: best apparel for touring

WHAT TO PACK FOR A CYCLING TOUR.
Packing for a Cycling Tour – How to Prepare for Your World Adventures with Terry Attire

Ah, the packing dilemma. What to throw in the suitcase? It’s a tough enough decision without the additional dynamic of cycling clothes.

Fortunately, every now and then our customers will share photos from their cycling trips throughout the world. They often let us know which Terry items they wore and how they performed, which is wonderful feedback for us. I have added their insights to my own experiences from international cycling trips to bring you some “top tips” on what to pack and how to prepare for a cycling tour, along with some photos to get you in the mood for an adventure!

Jayne and Terry visit Vietnam

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I’ve discovered through trial and error that it’s best to break the packing down into these categories:
- Cycling
- Sight seeing/Evening
- On the Plane
Cath as a Terry model! In the “wilds” of Vermont.

One of the coolest aspects about Terry attire is how easily it packs for trips. Lightweight, wrinkle free and fun to wear whether cycling, sightseeing, hiking, or strolling. That versatility lets you pack surprisingly light. It’s amazing how many roles a few well chosen Terry pieces can perform.

Lisa in the Eiffel Tower Soleil Kokorin Castle Potsdam Germany

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Jeannette rocks Terry in Croatia

Let’s keep that suitcase at under 40 pounds. First, we’ll assume you’re renting the bike and you’re heading into summertime temperatures. (If you’re bringing your own bike, toss the majority of bike clothes in the bike case, but keep your helmet, one pair bike shorts and jersey, shoes and pedals with you in a daypack – just in case.)

What to Pack for a Tour: Cycling Clothes

Naturally, comfort on the bike will make or break the tour, so that’s our first consideration. Here are the basics if you’re traveling to an area 60 degrees and above:
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- Helmet
- Cap (to protect scalp from blistering sun rays),
- Sunglasses (I prefer the convenience of the reader sunglasses made by Tifosi for easy map checking, while my husband prefers a lightweight pair of foldable readers.)
- Gloves
- Cycling shoes (consider bringing your pedals if your cycling shoes have cleats)
- 2 pair bike socks
- 2 pair bike shorts
- 2 sports bras
- 2 Jerseys
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Arm warmers
- Vest
- Waterbottles
- Sunscreen – usually easy to find locally, but if you have a favorite brand, pack it!
The arm warmer and vest combo are ideal in locations with cool mornings. Both items are easy to stuff into rear jersey pockets or the saddle bag as the day heats up. This way you can layer up and combine for a wide range of conditions with the fewest pieces.

Optional extras:
- Midsize saddle bag (Tour companies supply saddle bags with the tools needed to repair a flat, but I prefer something a bit larger which can take some additional clothing as I shed layers.)
- Handkerchief (perfect for wiping off sunglasses, i-phone, or to wipe your hands before grabbing that snack, or pat down a sweaty face following a long climb.)
Sightseeing in Croatia wearing Terry Sun Goddess

What to Pack for a Cycling Tour: Sight seeing and Evening:

Depending on what you have planned, these items can do double duty and take you from day to night.
- One pair Shorts
- Metro or Mixie skirt
- Terry halter
- Swim suit
- Transit dress
- 2 short sleeve blouses
- Soleil long sleeve
- Lightweight outer wear such as a jacket, poncho, wrap, or shawl
- Cap or hat
- Sneakers (choose one comfortable pair that can do it all – run, hike, or stroll down the sidewalks),
- Lightweight dressy sandals
- Toiletries
- Pajamas and Kimono (covers as well as a bath robe, only more elegant and light weight!)
- Small bottle laundry detergent, clothes line and clothes pins. (Yes, wash those shorts and jerseys out nightly and hang it all up on the balcony or in your room. Terry items dry quickly overnight!)
Jayne and Terry together at An Bang Beach in the waves of the South China Sea

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What to Pack for a Cycling Tour: On the Plane
- Carry-on sized knapsack or daypack – Ideal to bring on the plane with some of the items you never seem to have time to read, pen and paper, hair and tooth brush, wash cloth (feels so good to wash your face in the midst of a long journey overseas,) and the aforementioned cycling shoes, helmet, and pedals.
- I also add a change of clothes, bike shorts, and jersey — just in case I’m separated from my suitcase along the journey.
- And snacks: peanut butter crackers, apples and good chocolate are necessities in my world.
Of course, these are my own preferences. Feel free to use this list as a starting point for whatever you feel is a must-have for your own cycling adventures.

Beth sports Terry in Moab, Utah

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Bon voyage!

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December 7, 2018
TERRY CYCLING GEAR: TROPICAL TEST

Putting Terry Cycling Gear to the Test in Tahiti

Cindy rocks the Terry Breakaway Mesh in Moulin Rouge, on Bora Bora

Terry customer and brand ambassador, Cindy Wienkers, took a selection of Terry cycling gear on her trip to French Polynesia, where she put it through its paces in demanding conditions: high heat and humidity, with varied terrain and daily rides, often of quite high mileage.

She and her husband, Kevin, joined a Santana tour of the Polynesian islands, an absolute dream destination. They raced, toured and relaxed by tandem, sailboat, cart and barge, enjoying the wonderful hospitality of the native islanders, along with many other local delights.

Cindy planned her wardrobe carefully for this trip. As she explains:

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What cycling gear did I pack?

Yoga in the bungalow on Moorea

I packed only my Terry Bicycles apparel to wear on the trip. I knew it would be hot and humid and I don’t do well in the heat. It was the first time I decided to forget about dressing like my captain and go for comfort. And let me tell you, I am so glad I did.

Many tandem couples dress alike when biking. I find the unisex jerseys to not be comfortable at all. Over a year ago I was introduced to the Terry Bicycles line of women’s apparel. The fit and fabrics are amazing. I am an avid seamstress, and I appreciate the feel and appearance of really nice fabrics. Everyone has a different body build of course, so each person has their own favorite Terry pieces. I especially love the Soleil, Breakaway, and Sun Goddess tops. I love the SPF factor, the higher neckline on Soleil that keeps bugs from getting down my shirt (I am allergic to bee stings,) and the unique fabrics/styles.

I have several tops that I wear not only for biking but also for working out at the gym. Many of the 3 pocket jersey styles also have a hole for my headphone cord – great when working out if you are not wireless.

Oh so hot, our boat in the background, tender arriving – Breakaway Mesh in Vendée Jade

Bike Tops for all occasions

I brought various tops along on the trip. The sleeveless because I knew I would be melting (and I wore them every day), the Soleil tank because it is super comfy with a high neck, the short sleeve Soleil which is more of a ¾ length in case I needed some sun protection, and I even brought a couple light colored long sleeve Soleil in case I needed total sun protection on my arms. All of the Terry tops I brought could also be worn for casual wear. I wished I would have had my Sun Goddess tops with me, but I didn’t order them until I returned from the trip, knowing summer would be arriving soon in Green Bay.

Cycling Bottoms galore

The bottoms I packed were the new Chill 7 elastic-free leg short, which I think is great, the Metro Skort, and the Fixie Skort (which I also wore for casual wear, but wouldn’t wear this one for a long cycling day), and Mixie Skort & Liner. Also one pair of knickers, the Breakaway, because they are a light weight and comfy fabric. I never wore the knickers though, as it was just too hot.

Another reason for packing the knicker was in case I started having a recurring knee issue. My brace is more comfortable with fabric between it and my skin.

How did my Terry cycling gear perform on tour?

Besides being comfortable, all of the Terry items I brought along for the trip washed up easily and line dried quickly in our ship’s cabin.

Ready to roll on Taha’a – Breakaway Mesh, Moulin Rouge & Metro Skort

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I had ordered the Metro Skort two piece with removable liner in both medium and large. I preferred the fit of the large, as it sat lower on my hips. The combo worked well, but I did find the waist band on the skirt stretched out and nearly fell off my hips after a pretty long and hot day of riding: hot, muggy and pushing the miles to keep the schedule. On the tandem as the stoker I sometimes have a lot more movement in my saddle than on my single, especially when pushing a little elevation. I sit on my skirt so any forward and back movement along with extreme heat could have caused the band to relax from the tugging on it. Once back home, the Metro skort did return to its original size after washing and line drying. Other ladies on the tour loved the Metro Skort!

The knit charcoal gray Mixie Skirt fit well. I wore it for casual wear, and had it on for the road race (first day of the tour! 55 kilometers, hard, non-stop riding). Not sure if the chamois in the Mixie Liner is different from others, but I could have used more padding for that long ride. It’s probably better suited for shorter rides, commuting etc.

After riding in the heat and humidity, my favorite bottoms for hot weather are now the new Chill 7 short, and the Fixie Skort.

Cycling Gear from Bike to Gym to Store

I justify all of the biking tops I own because I wear them Monday-Friday at the gym. The pockets and cord/headphone access hole are great. They are also great as I can toss on a clean one afterwards, to wear for errands.

Contributed by Cindy Wienkers

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July 5, 2018
TERRY AROUND THE WORLD.

Meet Mary Bowker. She is 5 months and 4000 miles into an extended world bike tour, starting in her hometown of Bend, Oregon. Her next destination is Turkey to ride the Silk Road to China and she plans to do it all in our Terry Touring Shorts. If her pictures don’t give you wanderlust, we don’t know what will!

Mary’s third time crossing the Transvolcanic Belt in Mexico.

It’s all downhill to Tuxtepec in Oaxaca, Mexico!

You can follow her on her journey here: www.freetwowheel.com

March 31, 2015