Thinking ahead is a wise practice.

Yes, I know, it\’s still August. It still feels like a combination of blast furnace and sauna where I live. So why am I thinking about cold-weather events now?

Thinking ahead! Fall will come eventually, even if it doesn\’t seem like it today. Cycling enthusiasts aren\’t likely to consider hibernation, so let\’s give some thought to cold-weather events.

Will you have an outdoor cycling event on a day uncomfortably cool for  bare legs; but don\’t want to bother with leg warmers (or is it a race and, for all I know, leg warmers are against race rules?) Do you need a way to pre-heat  your legs, so you don\’t have to blast out of the gate with cold muscles?

Maybe embrocation will help. What type to use? That depends on how cold the day is. There are warm and hot varieties.

The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling discusses analgesics on pages 193-194. It mentions that a common ingredient in these products is methyl salicylate, and to be carful with it if you\’re sensitive to aspirin; the two are chemically related.

Some riders use analgesic products after a hard ride, to soothe sore muscles. I can\’t say how well they work, never having tried them myself. I haven\’t tried embrocation products, either. Despite the nuisance of having to wash them out, I think I\’ll stick with leg warmers.