Clothing

You don't need specialist clothing for cycling, but avoid any long or loose items that could get caught up in the wheels, chain or other moving parts. Also be sure that any jacket you wear cannot tuck itself under the saddle behind you, pinning you in place.

Also, it is easier to cycle if your shoes have a reasonably stiff sole, as softer more flexible shoes make pedalling a little more difficult, and the pedals will hurt your feet on longer rides. But for a short ride to the shops, school or work, any shoes will do.

If you're planning to ride at night, or during poor weather conditions, it also makes sense to dress in something that will contrast with the general surroundings. Black clothes do not stand out well against tarmac, so that old public safety message of 'wear something light at night' is still good advice. Something with reflective strips will also help your visibility, so many everyday cyclists choose a bib or waistcoat to slip on over normal clothes.

The choice of materials for warmth and weatherproofing used in outdoor clothing is bewildering, so Simply Hike's guide may help you make some sense of it all.

For cycling-specific clothing information, take a look at Evans Cycles guides to men's clothing, women's clothing, rainwear, gloves, sunglasses, base layers, and shoes. Just scroll down the page past the pdf files to find the information.

Halfords also have a guide to cycle clothing.

Wiggle Online Cycle Shop also has guides to some clothing, plus recommendations and reviews for some categories. If there are any recommendations, the link appears at the top of the search results for a category.

Helmets

The debate goes on, and on, and on.

Suffice to say that the jury is still out in the UK, with no legal requirement to wear a helmet here, so it's your choice entirely. If a helmet breaks in an accident, does that mean that particular helmet is rubbish or that it did its job? Difficult to know unless you fancy repeating the experience without a helmet.

This article gives information on what cycle helmets are designed to do (or not do) and how they are tested. It was written by someone who tests all sorts of helmet, not just cycle helmets, and makes interesting reading. Brian Walker's article was published in the June/July 2005 issue of Cycle (CTC's magazine).

Bike for All lists some links if you're interested in the endless debate.

For guides to choosing, buying, and fitting helmets properly go to the following links:

Evans Cycles helmet guide - scroll down the page to find this.

Halfords' helmet guide.

This page includes Evans Cycles, Halfords, Simply Hike, Wiggle Online Cycle Shop, Bike for All buyer's guides to choosing and buying outdoor and cycling clothing/clothes including helmets (with helmet-tester, Brian Walker, article), waterproofs, fabrics.