5 Tips to Prevent Sweating Under Your Cycling Helmet

I am the guy that tends to sweat a lot when I’m cycling and it’s very frustrating especially when sweat is dripping down my face and gets into my eyes. Also, it can be a little dangerous when your eyes are burning and you constantly want to take the sweat off them.

So I decided to make an article about that and share some tips on reducing sweating and preventing it from getting into your eyes.

1. Try using Mountain bike Helmet

I know it sounds strange but let me explain. Usually, mountain bike helmets have a slightly extended forward section of the helmet, making it more clinging to your forehead, and there is no room for sweat to pass into the eyes. Also, you can notice that it has a rubber ceiling at the front that is supposed to absorb the sweat.

Yes, it is not as aerodynamic as the road bike helmet but it can do the work.

2. Replace Foam Padding

I’ve had my helmet for 4 years now. And I noticed through my rides that foam padding inside the helmet is not very useful and should be replaced as soon as possible. The reason for this is that when it gets soaked with sweat, it begins to let some sweat through and becomes so wet that it cannot be dried all day long, which is very bad especially for people who love to ride multiple times a day.

Therefore I recommend buying some quick-dry material padding and making sure you replace them regularly cause they have a tendency to harm really quickly.

They are also simple for installation and you can replace them whenever you want. In addition to absorbing sweat, it will also make the helmet much more comfortable to wear.  

3. Wear a Bandana or Cycling Cap

A cycling cap and bandana are also very good solutions when it comes to absorbing sweat. I mostly wear them under my cycling helmet and they turn out great, especially the cycling cap. But make sure that they are made of some breathable material such as cotton. Otherwise, you will have a big problem because there will be too much heat on your head. 

They are very comfortable to wear under the helmet, and I prefer them in the wintertime or when it’s a little bit cooler outside. But I have only one issue whit them and that’s when it’s over 28°C (82 °F) outside or something like that. Regardless of how breathable or lightweight they are, it’s just too hot for me.

4. Use a Helmet with Good Ventilation

Choosing the right helmet is a very important factor. Before buying one you want to look at vents and padding inside. Highly ventilated helmets will provide a good airflow which cools your scalp as you cycle. That means most of the sweat will disappear.

However, highly ventilated helmets will not directly prevent sweat from getting into your eyes but surely it will decrease the amount of it.

In the picture, you can see what type of helmet my friend was wearing. He would always sweat like crazy when we went for a ride, until he changed his helmet for one whit more vents. So I will highly recommend avoiding this model whit only a few vents and highly consider buying one whit good airflow.

5. Dress Lightly and Start the Ride whit Less Clothing

Dressing lightly is essential for reducing your overall sweating during the ride. That is why it’s important that you wear the lightest and most breathable cycling kit possible, especially during the heat of the summer. It will pull away most of the sweat from your skin while also letting it breathe. And the pro tip is to always wear bright colors, it will not make much of a difference but it will at least keep you a little cooler.

And another pro tip is to start every ride with less clothing than you usually would. This mainly applies when it is colder outside and when you wear more layers. If you start the ride fully dressed your body will start sweating right away because it’s too hot and you will eventually get wet. That’s why I recommend starting whit a little bit less clothing on you and at that point, so you can gradually get dressed as the ride goes on.

The last thing I have to say is that It’s very important that you combine all these tips and methods together and that way significantly decrease your level of sweating.