SUMMER IN A BOTTLE – WARM UP BALM

• 

Picture the scene. It's a crisp autumn morning, the mist is just starting to burn off above the trees and it's Sunday. You'll be staring at the rain for months to come but for now the hills, the hills are calling...

In a few weeks it'll be time to swaddle yourself in brushed roubaix. Your tan lines will fade like sepia tinted photographs from a bygone age. Before that day, as the sun turns the leaves from green to gold, there's one last chance to feel a breeze across bare skin. But it's cold. You know you should do it, but that first sting is going to hurt. What are you going to do?

The answer, of course, has been known for years. Cyclists down the ages have used the warm caress of embrocation to bring muscles to life.

The colder the weather, the hotter the rub. In wet conditions the hard men of Paris – Roubaix swear by 'Belgian legwarmers', a thick oil that warms and forms a protective layer. Water simply rolls off rather than soaking into fabric and chilling their legs as it evaporates. A fine, dry morning doesn't need anything so heavy. An easily absorbed rub will bring a warming glow that lasts long enough to get your legs working. Even better if it smells good and washes off easily after the ride.

"On those in-between days a bottle of warm up balm is the perfect way to make your legs think it’s summer."

Of course warm up balms don't just provide a pleasant sensation. Cold muscles and tendons are more prone to damage, so it's important to give them a chance to get going. A piece of Blu-Tack straight from the fridge will snap under tension. Gently rolled and warmed between finger and thumb it softens and stretches, which is exactly what happens when you massage a hot rub into your leg muscles. Don't forget to apply some around the back of your ankles – the Achilles tendon is always vulnerable in cold weather. Oh and make sure you apply it after your chamois cream. There are some parts which definitely don't benefit from a toasty tingle...