Socks

Tempting as it may be, going sockless isn’t actually a great option unless you have particularly hardy feet or particularly plush shoes. Yes, triathletes do it, but they’ve generally just jumped out of a pool/lake/sea and are still wet, they don’t want to waste time in transition putting socks on and, also, tri bike shoes are designed for bare feet and as such are generally a bit more comfortable than their road-specific cousins.

Instead, find yourself a lightweight, mesh set of socks that help to move moisture away from your feet to keep you dry and comfortable, and ideally some with an antibacterial treatment to stop them from smelling, too.

Arm coolers/screens

Designed to cover a bit more of you up in the sun and protect you from UV rays, arm screens can be useful for anyone highly susceptible to sun burn. Again, make sure they’re good at wicking moisture away from the skin, and as breathable as possible without sacrificing their UV-stopping qualities. Arm coolers often have some kind of IceFil-like treatment that purports to cool down the material when you start to sweat, and are definitely worth a go if you really struggle.

Helmets

Like bike riders, all helmets are not created equal and the rule of thumb with helmets is that the greater the number of vents, the greater the cooling power. Some have come up with cunning systems that claim to improve heat dissipation from the head, but ultimately there’s nothing quite like that feeling of the wind in your hair to keep the temperature down.