Your Gravel Cycling Kit's Comfort Hack
Choose a gravel cycling helmet and sunglasses that let you enjoy — not just endure — your off-road cycling adventures.
Former Ironman World Champion triathlete, current pro gravel rider, and ultra-marathoner Heather Jackson knows something about taking the heat and staying cool. After earning spots on the triathlon podiums under the intense sun and humidity of central California and Kona, Hawaii, her recent gravel riding successes came in the scorching deserts of Arizona and Southern California. “With nearly any triathlon, you need to prepare for a long day in the heat of the day,” says Jackson. “Gravel riding is the same, but add dust.”
In conditions like these, your gravel cycling gear should deliver essential protection while helping you beat the heat.
Former Ironman Champion, Heather Jackson is now a world-class gravel cyclist
Gravel Cycling Helmet
Smart choices in apparel, hydration, shoes, and bikes will make a pounding gravel ride feel easier. So will your helmet choice. In fact, your helmet will make a crucial difference when it comes to comfort. A lightweight, well-ventilated lid with a customizable fit makes a difference, and Rudy Project’s all-new Rebel helmet delivers. In addition to safety features that earned a 5-star rating from the independent helmet-testing lab at Virginia Tech University, its superlight construction allows bigger air vents for near-maximum heat escape and all-day comfort.
But helmet comfort involves more than ventilation. A dialed fit ensures no painful pressure points make you want to dump the lid by the side of the trail 45 minutes into your ride. Rudy Project's new RSR Mirco 11 customizable retention system is sleeker than previous iterations, and it lets you adjust it vertically to fit larger or smaller heads — or squeeze a ponytail between the helmet and the retention strap. Rudy Project’s commitment to fit extends to its new Ergo divider strap junction, which takes the guesswork out of fitting the helmet straps around your ears and makes a secure fit almost guaranteed.
“Crashes happen, so wearing a helmet is non-negotiable. But finding a helmet that you forget you’re wearing is the dream scenario,” says Jackson. “And when you find one that’s ultra-light and fits perfectly, that becomes a piece of gear you want to wear on every ride.”
Gravel Cycling Sunglasses
There will be dust — sometimes lots of it — on your gravel bike escapades. As such, the right pair of sunglasses or sports shields do double duty: protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays and irritating, cornea-scratching dust, dirt, and other debris. Sports shields that combine broad coverage of the eyes with enough heat ventilation to keep them from fogging up will go a long way toward keeping you focused on the dirt roads and trails ahead of you for hours.
Gravel riders should turn to Rudy Project’s Turbolence, Kelion, or Spinshield Air sunglasses for their optics. All three provide wide coverage around the eyes and feature an adjustable nose piece for a snug fit that still allows air to pass through and prevent fogging. The Kelion features adjustable temple tips, and the other sunglasses have no-slip temple arms, all of which sync seamlessly around helmet straps and out of the way of the retention band in the rear of your helmet. And for the ultimate in optical versatility, spec your sports shields with Rudy Project’s ImpactX photochromic lenses. These ultralight, unbreakable optics quickly change from clear in dark or overcast conditions to dark in bright sun, making them the only pair of sports sunglasses you need.
“In addition to gravel racing, I run ultras, and I run through the night in a lot of them,” Jackson says. “To have one pair of sunglasses that I can grab for any sport, any condition, any time, any season — nothing beats it.”
With Rudy Project helmets and performance eyewear, you can go all out, knowing your gear has you covered from the starting gun to the finish line. Click here to explore our complete line of gravel cycling gear.
