How we recommend
We recommend gear by category and use, not by brand, and do not quote prices. We may earn a commission on purchases at no cost to you.
Get training
This page explains what governing bodies, standards bodies and road authorities publish. It is not a substitute for cycle training from a qualified instructor, for a qualified bike mechanic, or for medical advice.
Racing clothing: the UCI rules
The articles below are as reproduced in the Japan Cycling Federation's copy of the UCI clarification guide (uploaded March 2026; its exact edition date is unconfirmed). They apply in UCI road, track and cyclo-cross events; downhill, four-cross, enduro, BMX, trials and indoor cycling have their own clothing rules, which we did not read. We also did not research national federations' clothing rules for club racing, so for a non-UCI event the organiser's own rulebook decides.
| Item | UCI rule | Article and date |
|---|---|---|
| Jersey | Must have sleeves; sleeveless jerseys are forbidden | 1.3.026 (modified 1 January 2020) |
| Shorts | Must come above the knee; may be joined to the jersey as a one-piece skinsuit | 1.3.026 |
| Pockets | Front pockets banned except one used only for a radio | Management Committee, from 1 July 2026 |
| Rain jacket | Transparent, in the team jersey colour, or showing the team name or logo front and back | 1.3.030 |
| Socks and overshoes | No higher than halfway between the middle of the outer ankle bone and the middle of the fibula head | 1.3.033 bis (introduced 15 October 2018) |
| Shoes | No part above the ankle | Guide on 1.3.033 |
| Gloves | Not built into a jersey or skinsuit; no mittens on the track | Guide on 1.3.026 and 1.3.033 |
| Glasses and other accessories | May not modify the rider's shape; non-essential added elements forbidden | 1.3.033 |
The guide adds limits aimed at aerodynamic tricks: no "wings" under the arms or extension between helmet and jersey, no substances applied to the body for an aerodynamic gain (protective oils against cold or rain are tolerated), no self-supporting or rigid parts in clothing when it is not worn, and fabric roughness that varies by no more than 1 mm in profile. The June 2026 Management Committee also revised the table of sanctions for non-compliant equipment from 1 July 2026, adding penalties for items riders wear.
Everyday riding: Highway Code Rule 59
For riding on the road in Great Britain, Rule 59 (page updated 22 October 2025) is the only official clothing text we found, and it is advice, worded "should" and citing no law. It suggests light-coloured or fluorescent clothing in daylight and poor light, reflective clothing or accessories such as a belt or arm or ankle bands in the dark, and avoiding clothes that could tangle in the chain or a wheel or hide the lights. Northern Ireland's Rule 59 says the same.
Shoes, pedals and reflectors
Pedals are part of the bike, and the lighting rules reach them. In Great Britain, Rule 60 says a cycle made after 1 October 1985 must have amber pedal reflectors when ridden at night (24 January 1996 in Northern Ireland). In the US, the CPSC's rule for bicycles as sold (16 CFR Part 1512) generally requires recessed colourless or amber reflectors on both sides of each pedal. We did not research how either rule treats particular pedal designs, so we make no claim about them. Choosing and setting up shoes, cleats and pedals is part of bike fitting, which this site leaves to a qualified fitter.
What the medical literature names
Several conditions linked to the riding position are named in the medical literature. Thompson and Rivara (American Family Physician, 2001) describe saddle sores, numbness or tingling from saddle pressure, and handlebar neuropathy, a compression of nerves in the hand from long pressure on the bars. Rooney, Sarriegui and Heron (BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, 2020) found the knee the most common site of overuse injury in road cyclists. We found no source that tests whether any garment, pad or glove prevents these, so we make no such claim. A suspected condition needs a medical professional. Bike fitting is a separate role: Cycling Industry News reported in May 2016 the launch of the International Bike Fitting Institute, a non-profit accreditation scheme for fitters. See mechanics and bike fitting.
Our picks by category
Cycling jerseys
For riding on the road or racing. For UCI road, track and cyclo-cross events a jersey must have sleeves, and from 1 July 2026 pockets go at the rear apart from one front radio pocket. For everyday riding, Rule 59 advises light or fluorescent colours in poor light.
Best for: Road and gravel riders, and anyone racing
Bib shorts
For road riders on longer rides and racers. UCI shorts must end above the knee and may be combined with the jersey as a skinsuit. Saddle sores and saddle pressure symptoms are named in the medical literature; we found no source showing that any short prevents them, and a persistent problem is one for a medical professional and a qualified bike fitter.
Best for: Riders spending longer in the saddle
Cycling rain jackets
For road riders in changeable weather. In UCI racing a rain jacket must be transparent, in the team colour, or carry the team name or logo front and back. For everyday riding, Rule 59's advice on not hiding the lights applies to anything worn over them. We make no claim about how waterproof any jacket is.
Best for: Riders who keep going in the wet
Cycling gloves
For riders who want hand cover on the bars. The UCI forbids gloves built into a jersey or skinsuit and mittens on the track. Handlebar neuropathy is named in the medical literature; we found no source that tests gloves against it.
Best for: Road riders and track racers
Cycling shoes
For riders on road and mountain bikes who want a shoe made for pedalling. In UCI racing no part of the shoe may rise above the ankle. Setting shoes up on the bike is left to a qualified fitter; this site gives no procedure.
Best for: Road riders moving to dedicated shoes
Pedals
Clipless and flat pedals, for road and mountain bike riders. In Great Britain a cycle made after 1 October 1985 must have amber pedal reflectors at night (Rule 60), and US federal rules generally require pedal reflectors on bicycles as sold. Fitting pedals is a job for a qualified mechanic.
Best for: Riders changing from the pedals the bike came with
Cycling glasses
Glasses for riding. The UCI lists glasses among accessories that may not modify a rider's shape. Thompson and Rivara (2001) name debris in the eye among cycling injuries; we found no source testing glasses against it, so we make no protective claim.
Best for: Road riders and racers
Sources
- UCI, Clarification Guide of the UCI Technical Regulation, Articles 1.3.001 to 1.3.034 (bilingual copy hosted by the Japan Cycling Federation, uploaded March 2026; edition date unverified)
- UCI, Management Committee meeting (2 to 4 June 2026)
- GOV.UK, The Highway Code, rules for cyclists 59 to 82 (updated 22 October 2025)
- nidirect, rules for cyclists 59 to 82 (Northern Ireland)
- US CPSC, bicycle requirements business guidance (16 CFR Part 1512)
- Thompson and Rivara, Bicycle-related injuries, American Family Physician (2001)
- Rooney, Sarriegui and Heron, BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine (2020), injuries and illness in road cycling
- Cycling Industry News, International Bike Fitting Institute launch (30 May 2016)