For a summer cycling trip, pack two or three kits and wash one in the sink each evening: in Australian summer heat, a rinsed jersey is often dry by morning. Roll jerseys and knicks instead of folding them, keep the chamois flat, and add arm warmers if the trip takes you somewhere cooler.
In short
- In summer heat, kit washed in the sink is often dry by morning, so two or three kits cover a week.
- Roll jerseys and knicks instead of folding them, and keep the chamois flat.
- Flying to a cooler state? Add arm warmers and one long sleeve layer.
- Keep a full kit in your carry-on bag, and keep kit out of a hot car.
How many cycling kits do you need for a summer trip?
Fewer than you might think, thanks to the heat. A thin jersey and knicks dry fast on a warm evening, so you can rotate a small set instead of carrying one kit for every day. The rule that never changes is the chamois: it goes on clean every ride.
| Trip | Knicks | Jerseys | Socks | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend away, 2 rides | 2 | 2 | 2 pairs | Cap, sunscreen |
| 4 or 5 riding days | 2, washed in rotation | 2 or 3 | 3 pairs | Cap, arm warmers for early starts |
| Christmas road trip, 1 to 2 weeks | 3, washed in rotation | 3 | 4 pairs | Cap, arm warmers, 1 long sleeve layer |
My guess is that most riders over-pack jerseys and under-pack knicks. Turn that around. A third pair of knicks means you never pull on a damp chamois when one pair is slow to dry on a humid night up north.
A matching set keeps things simple, because one roll is one day. The Men's Watermelon Fever 2 Piece Cycling Kit pairs a jersey with three reinforced back pockets and bib knicks with a 9D gel chamois and 45 mm leg grippers. For women, the Women's Watermelon 2 Piece Cycling Kit comes with matching padded shorts or bibs. More designs are in our cycling kits collection.
How do you roll a cycling jersey so it packs small?
Rolling beats folding. The roll is tight, the print does not crease across the chest, and you can pull one out without unpacking the bag.
- Zip the jersey up and lay it face down. The closed zip keeps the front flat.
- Fold each sleeve in across the back. You now have a neat rectangle.
- Roll it firmly from the hem to the collar. The back pockets end up on the outside, so a buff or a gel can ride inside them.
- Roll the day's knicks and socks around it. One bundle per day means a quick grab before a 6 a.m. start.
For knicks, fold the straps down onto the chamois, fold the legs in over the pad and roll loosely from the waist. The pad stays flat in the middle of the roll instead of getting squashed under shoes or a pump.
What kit should you pack when one trip covers two climates?
A summer trip in Australia can start in the heat and end somewhere much cooler. Picture a flight from Brisbane to Hobart, or a road trip from the coast up into the Alps for a few days of climbing. My read is that the cold mornings catch out more riders than the hot afternoons, because nobody expects to shiver in December.
The fix is small. Cycling arm warmers roll up smaller than a pair of socks and come off at the first café stop. The Men's Ride Free Sunset Quick Dry Cycling Arm-Warmers match the Ride Free Sunset jerseys if you like the set to line up. Add one long sleeve cycling jersey for a cool start in the hills, and check the forecast for both ends of the trip before you zip the bag. Our what to wear by temperature guide helps you match layers to the numbers.
How do you pack cycling kit for a flight within Australia?
Put one complete kit in your cabin bag: knicks, jersey, socks, cap and your pedals or shoes if they fit. If the checked bag or bike box turns up a day late, you can still ride on a hired bike. It is the simplest insurance there is.
Keep the rest of the kit rolled near the top of the checked bag, away from tools, chain lube and anything with sharp edges. A mesh laundry bag for used kit lets it breathe instead of sweating in a closed plastic bag on the trip home. If you fly with a bike, the soft rolls make good padding around the frame in the box.
How do you wash cycling kit on the road in hot weather?
Straight after the ride, before the sweat sits in the chamois. Fill the sink with cool water and a little liquid detergent, turn the knicks inside out, and press the pad a few times so the water goes through it. Rinse until the water runs clear, then squeeze it out without wringing.
Roll each piece in a towel and press down hard on the roll. Hung in the shade with some air moving, a jersey on a hot evening is often dry within a few hours, and knicks take longer because of the pad. After a beach ride, rinse out the sand and salt the same day.
Heat is the enemy of good kit. Our care lines say machine wash at 30°C and do not dry clean or iron, and socks such as the Unisex Six Stripe Mid Length Cycling Socks say do not tumble dry. That is why we would not dry kit on a car dashboard or leave a bag of it in a closed car boot on a 35°C day.
What else goes in the bag for a summer road trip?
The sun is the big one. The Cancer Council's Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide is easy to remember on the bike: sleeves or arm cover, sunscreen, a cap or a brim, shade at the stops and good sunglasses. A cycling cap under the helmet keeps sweat out of your eyes, and the Unisex Australia Southern Cross Cycling Cap has a 140GSM top panel and 100GSM mesh side panels.
Socks are worth a thought too. The Six Stripe pair is nylon and elastane, which the product page says dries fast, so a pair washed at night is ready again by morning. Bring two bottles, electrolytes if you use them, and a small bottle of your own liquid detergent. Our older guide to summer cycling in Australia has more on riding through an Australian summer.
Buying new kit for the trip? Every item is made to order, so order well ahead of a Christmas getaway, and check our Christmas delivery guide for this year's order-by dates. Our sizes run small, so check the size chart before you choose.
Summer trip kit
Online Cycling Gear
Unisex Australia Southern Cross National Icon Quick Dry Cycling Cap
$34.99
Shop NowFrequently asked questions
How many cycling kits should I pack for a week in summer?
Two or three, washed in the sink in rotation. In hot weather a jersey is often dry by morning. Pack one kit per day if you cannot wash on the road.
Should I fold or roll cycling clothes?
Roll them. Rolled kit takes less space and creases less. Keep the chamois flat in the middle of the roll.
Can I wash knicks in a hotel or caravan park sink?
Yes. Use cool water and a little liquid detergent, rinse well, press the water out in a towel and hang them in the shade with air moving.
What should I pack if I fly somewhere cooler?
Arm warmers and one long sleeve jersey or base layer. They take little space and cover cool mornings in the hills or down south.
Is it OK to leave cycling kit in a hot car?
We would not. Our care lines say no ironing, and a closed car on a hot day gets far hotter than a 30°C wash, so take the bag inside with you.
Sources
- Online Cycling Gear Australia, Men's Watermelon Fever 2 Piece Cycling Kit
- Online Cycling Gear Australia, Women's Watermelon 2 Piece Cycling Kit
- Online Cycling Gear Australia, Unisex Six Stripe Mid Length Cycling Socks
- Online Cycling Gear Australia, Unisex Australia Southern Cross Cycling Cap
- Cancer Council, Slip Slop Slap Seek Slide
- Online Cycling Gear Australia size chart