Skullcap, cotton cap or headband
Skullcap, cotton cap or headband
Unless you have specific summer and winter helmets – with one being highly ventilated and the other offering far less airflow – wearing a helmet with excellent air channelling outside of summer can be a chilly experience.
That’s why a lot of riders like to use either a cotton cap, skullcap or headband under their lid in order to keep the head (and, in the case of a skullcap and headband, ears) warm. Alternatively, if you’re BMC Racing’s Manuel Quinziato, you can go for a fashionable bandana which you almost certainly won’t be able to pull off unless you’re Manuel Quinziato.
As ever, there are a couple of options to choose from. Some have Roubaix-style fabric as a lining to add even more warmth, while others go with a simple single layer of stretchy fabric. A cotton cap will offer lightweight protection, doing enough to keep the wind off your head, while the peak is handy when it’s raining.
Anything too bulky will make putting your helmet on nearly impossible, so make sure that it fits underneath comfortably. It’s far better to buy a skullcap that fits your helmet, than size up the helmet to fit the cap. And far cheaper.
While we’re talking headwear, a buff can also be a good investment for autumn (at least at the back-end of the season and in to winter) to provide a bit of extra protection for your neck.