# Sleeves or no sleeves for Heat?



## luvdabeach2001 (Nov 11, 2011)

I have heard loose fitting long sleeve clothing is cooler when the temperatures rise. I typically wear short sleeves when riding in heat, well So Cal heat anything above 90° we head to the coast to ride the road bikes. 

What do you all do in places it gets hot? What about hot and humid?


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

IMO sleeves or not doesn't make much difference other than protecting from the sun, the key is to use moisture wicking clothing. They breathe well and keep you dry(ish) when you get the sweat going, avoid cotton.

Long sleeves make me sweat more.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

^^ Me too. I actually don't own any long sleeves, as it is I hate wearing knee protection.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Maybe if something was made specifically for that. Like this shirt in a long sleeve. It's very light, lose and it has a lot of holes in it for air to pass. This is what I wear when it's hot. Or at night I put it over a base shirt. I have always thought of designing a long sleeve shirt to be worn in the summer and you could use fabrics that reflect light.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

This is the first summer I haven't done any DH. For DH I always wore 3/4 sleeves jersey plus armour. Riding through shaded trails was comfortable. Heat wasn't an issue

This season, I've been riding mainly trails and some road so I've been experimenting with riding wear. I like wearing breathable synthetics and jersey's with sleeves.

Last weekend for the first time I wore a sleeveless yoga tanktop. The good news is, despite sun block, I got a bit of a tan, which was nice instead of my usual farmer's tan  

Heatwise it felt the same as wearing a loose top with sleeves. The only drawback to sleeveless was I got some scratches on my arms when I brushed some raspberry bushes along the trail


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## jk13 (May 21, 2012)

When I bought my helmet it was pay for shipping or pay for a jersey to get free shipping, so I got a Fly long sleeve. Wore it this week 80*+ and was no warmer or cooler than I would have been in a short sleeve. Like mentioned, any breathable moisture wicking material will help, I can definitely feel any slight breeze through it, but my arms don't really overheat in any jersey, my core does.
White one.


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## RockyJo1 (Jul 23, 2012)

Wife-beater I run hot.


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## matuchi (Jun 9, 2008)

RockyJo1 said:


> Wife-beater I run hot.


Me too - and you get a lot of air flow through the arm holes.


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## RockyJo1 (Jul 23, 2012)

matuchi said:


> Me too - and you get a lot of air flow through the arm holes.
> 
> View attachment 1083587


Plus no sleeves saves money.


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## movingmountain (Jun 6, 2004)

No sleeves


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## Loch (Apr 29, 2011)

Short rides I go sleeveless. For long rides, I use sun sleeves. They are supposed to have a cooling effect. I think they do, especially if you can keep them wet (HOT/DRY climates). I hate applying greasy sunscreen.

https://www.rei.com/media/product/878275


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## luvdabeach2001 (Nov 11, 2011)

Does any one make padded sun sleeves, "cooling", similar to the PI's with the pads of the Troy Lee Speed Elbow Sleeves?


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## unaware (Sep 22, 2012)

I do find that a loose fitting breathable long sleeve jersey can be cooler than a conventional jersey. Mostly because there's skin being heated by the direct sunlight. Sleeveless jerseys are great but can also fry your arms. Additionally there's tons of insects out here so you ride into them and get covered completely. The sun sleeves work well if they are wet and have some minimal warming properties that you can use in the winter as well.


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

I don't find moto/DH style jerseys to be any hotter than my short sleeved riding clothes while out riding in summer afternoons, at least for the inland SoCal area.

When it's humid, just carry towels or make it brief and head indoors. If it's just regular dry heat, I've no problems. I just make sure I don't let myself get used to indoor temps that are drastically different than outdoor temps.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

luvdabeach2001 said:


> What do you all do in places it gets hot? What about hot and humid?


No sleeves if I am out of the sun. Sleeves if I am in the sun all day - especially multiple days in a row. The sleeves are for the sun. They don't help with the heat.


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## siata94 (Jan 27, 2013)

always long sleeves, biking or otherwise. My fav is Stoic Breathe 90 when it's bright out.


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## dave785 (Apr 30, 2016)

always sleeves. Not for the heat, but for the poison oak, the bees, and other trail mementos I pick up along the way. I'm in SoCal too and ride a lot in the Pasadena area where I live.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

i wear sleeves on sunny days when i wear short sleeves. i feel weird when people look at my tan lines on the arms. the sleeves don't really prevent the tans but they do reduce the effects of the burn. one will still have the lines, but a bit faint compared to none at all.

but instead of just wearing the sleeves, i'd just wear dri fit long sleeve shirts.


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## RSAmerica (Aug 24, 2012)

I always wear long sleeve, I ride in the woods with lots of sticker bushes. They also block the sun and give you a place to wipe you nose. I wear Troy Lee & Seven Motocross jerseys their are designed for hot weather. Long sleeve cycling jerseys are for cool weather.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bigkat273 (Jan 16, 2008)

Always short sleeves. If it's cold/rainy I've got my arm warmers and /or a packable shell. 
I always bunch up long sleeves anyway so what's the point. I might as well get more airflow.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

I wear long sleeves as much as possible , great for the Vegas heat


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

"low humidity" rides where I live are probably what you desert folks would still consider high. High humidity here means you're practically swimming. long sleeves are a great idea if you want to bathe in even more of your own sweat.

Plus, with our forest cover, sun sleeves don't really make any sense, anyway. Those make more sense if you're out riding on farm roads with no tree cover.


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## SamL3227 (May 30, 2004)

Long white/light sleeves and wool undershirt.

For hot and dry layers is the ticket for me. Keeps me from being so swampy and more fabric to hold the moist and cool it off.

That is without a backpack btw. The turtleshell is just no good in the heat. Fannypack and 2 layers is better than one layer and backpack.

White is right when the sun is bright.


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## narcispy (Jun 9, 2012)

I don't own any sleevless shirts. All of my jerseys are either short or long sleeve.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

loose fitting WHITE long sleeve can be cooler

there is a reason desert dwellers wear white, long loose full body robes


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