Summer isn’t all blue skies and blistering temperatures. Mornings can still be chilly, rain regularly falls and the weather can often be, well, downright un-summery.

Arm and knee warmers remain a vital part of any cyclist’s armoury. Both keep the wind off large swathes of skin that would otherwise be exposed, plus they’re easy to stow in a jersey pocket when you’re not wearing them.

Arm and knee warmers can be made from a variety of fabrics, each with their own properties designed to keep out the wind in a variety of conditions.

Fleece-lined Roubaix warmers undoubtedly provide the most warmth but, while ideal for spring/autumn and the cool mornings we are currently experiencing, but will be too much once summer truly kicks in.

Unlined warmers offers an alternative when in milder temperatures, while Chapeau’s arm and knee warmers are made from a polyester fabric, with a hint of elastane, which is lighter still.

Some arm warmers are designed to keep the sun, not wind, off your skin and Rapha’s arm screens, reviewed here, are made from a super-light, high wicking fabric with UPF 50 protection.

Arm and knee warmers can also be water resistant, including those from Sportful’s excellent No-Rain range, and, when paired with a gilet, offer a good alternative to pulling on a rain jacket when riding in the rain.

Look for warmers with elastic bands lined with silicone grippers at the top and bottom to help keep them in place – there is little worse than saggy warmers that constantly need pulling up. Castelli’s Thermoflex arm warmers have some great grippers, and bridge the weather gap between hot and cool nicely. Both arm and knee warmers come in a variety of sizes and when choosing a size your usual jersey size will generally provide the most accurate fit.