Your buyer's guide to cycling caps

Caps are made from synthetic or natural fabrics. The traditional cycling cap, still known by its French name ‘casquette’, predates the modern helmet by many decades and is usually made from 100% cotton. The Van Rysel RoadR 500 cap follows the classic design with its four panels and a peak that can be worn close over the eyes or popped up – but it comes in contemporary colours that give it a modern twist, including khaki/fluor green and cardinal pink/navy/coral pink.

The Van Rysel RoadR 520 Ultralight cap is made from a technical super-light polyamide and elastane mix designed to dry very quickly, making it effective even when sweating.
The Van Rysel Aquafreeze Helmet Liner uses polypropylene and polyester to keep water from penetrating its hydrophobic surface, keeping your head warm in foul weather.
Like the Aquafreeze, the Van Rysel 500 seamless helmet liner and the Van Rysel 500 seamless headband are made from technical fibres – in this case, a thin, stretchy fleece.

For deep winter, fleece is excellent for added thermal comfort thanks to its fine pile that traps a layer of warm air next to the skin. Additionally, the Van Rysel 500 seamless helmet liner and seamless headband, which make great use of fleece, can be pulled down over your forehead and ears for extra coverage.

Pull on the Van Rysel Aquafreeze Helmet liner if you’re heading out in really nasty conditions in winter, early spring or late autumn.

For autumn or spring, the Van Rysel RoadR 520 Ultralight cap supplies extra thermal comfort when it’s not cold enough to cover your ears. Because it wicks efficiently, there’s no danger of overheating when you’re putting in strenuous efforts.

The Van Rysel RoadR 500 cotton cap is a simple but highly versatile kit that can mostly be worn all year round.

Cycling caps are close-fitting and made from thin fabrics so they can be worn under helmets. Cotton doesn’t stretch, but the road 500 cap has an elasticated rear that keeps it snug, while the synthetic caps hug the head thanks to fabrics such as polyamide and elastane.

Fashion
The cotton cycling cap has become a retro fashion statement in recent years. It can be worn in many ways – including turned backwards to protect the neck from sunburn – but for an ultimate style guide, look at the cyclists of the Sixties, such as Tom Simpson, for inspiration.