It’s already August, and you’re probably squeezing the last good drops of sunny summer heat out of each day. Maybe you’ve been riding on the local trails or you’ve finally taken the plunge and you’re commuting to work on your bike. But your tootsies get all steamy in regular cycling shoes! Let me introduce you to Keen’s cycling sandals.

I went out and bought a pair when I first heard about them and I’ve worn them more than any other cycling shoe this summer. You can put cycling cleats on them if you like to ride a clipless pedal, but the cleat is recessed enough that you can walk around with no trouble or wear on the cleat (I use Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals/cleats). And the sole is flexible enough that you don’t notice much stiffness when you walk. Of course, this becomes a disadvantage if you decide to wear these out on a road ride with your carbon-soled colleagues, but these are cruising shoes not racing shoes!

You can see from the picture that they look just like regular Keens - no one at my office knows their secret life as my cycling sandals. I’ve worn them so much this summer, I’d put them in the indispensable category. And there’s no feeling in the world like air on your toes when you ride!

Keen Women’s Commuter Bike Sandals $115, available at www.rei.com

Pearl doesn’t call this jersey a pro for nothing. It’s a go everywhere, do everything top for mountain biking, commuting, leisure riding, even road riding. The MicroSensor® Nano fabric is an open grid weave, letting in plenty of air and wicking away the moisture. And pockets galore! The usual three back pockets, a small side pocket and an even smaller lined pocket for electronics that will keep the moisture (sweat) away. The shoulder fabric is reinforced for extra protection from hydration straps and the polo style collar keeps it casual looking enough to pass muster as street wear if you need to do any stopping and shopping along the way.

Pearl Izumi Women’s P.R.O. Versa Jersey, msrp $79.99 www.pearlizumi.com

The S-cut is an old Shebeest favorite - it fits so well, you don’t even notice it’s on. This summer, you’ll find the S-cut in a very fun polka-dot pattern called “Race Red Hot Dots.” Jersey features include minimal elastic on the sleeves and hem (yippee), grippy band on the inside of the hem so it will stay put, and three open pockets across the back. The zipper is long enough (12 inches) to give you some good ventilation. The fabric, Ecowic™, is new for 2008. It’s a recycled technical fabric that’s made up of 50% recycled yarn and 50% Mynx, which provides permanent UV protection.

I got a lot of compliments on this jersey. Everyone seemed to love the cheery polka dot theme! And I teamed it with one of the best cycling skirts I’ve ever tried: the Shebeest Velo Wrap Skirt. The wrapper is a no-nonsense, relaxed fit, basic black, made to ride slightly lower than your waist. But the liner shorts are the real news, featuring Shebeest’s SHELastic™ chamois. None of your wispy minimal “I’ll only be riding a mile” chamois here! The SHELastic™ chamois provides all the cushion you need for a serious commute or longer ride without too much bulk, so you can comfortably get off and walk around if you’re on a chore run. Sashay into the market and you’ll just look cute, not too bike geeky!

Shebeest S-cut Jersey, msrp $64.95 available through Team Estrogen
Shebeest Velo Wrap Skirt, msrp $85.00 available through REI

I love my new Masai Barefoot Technology shoes — my other cute flip flops and summer shoes are getting dusty in my closet since the MBTs are the only ones I have been wearing!

The premise behind the Masai Barefoot Technology is a curved sole that creates instability, sort of like walking on the sandy beach. Your body feels the instability and compensates by using balancing muscles that rarely get a real workout.

At first, when I put the MBT sandals on, I did feel unsteady with the curved sole. I got used to them slowly, only wearing them around the house for an hour or two, but felt my legs working each time. I had to keep my core engaged so I would not fall backwards. It was a little awkward, but it worked and I liked it. Since my core was engaged, my shoulders fell into better alignment.

My first real test was a long day at a swim meet with my kids. I wore them from 7:00am to 2:00pm and was on my feet most of the time. They felt great! The next day my hamstrings, calves and butt were sore — I workout a lot and feel like I’m in really good shape, so I could not believe how sore I was! I’ve had foot pain for the past few years and while I still do after an aggressive game of tennis or a long hike or run, these shoes help me settle back in. I feel they are helping me build those small muscle groups that usually are taken over by my quads!

While the MBT shoes are expensive, they have been the only shoes I have worn all summer so they are getting a lot of use. I guess I would compare it to a good pair of jeans, I don’t mind spending a lot on a pair I love and then I wear them all the time. They aren’t going to stack up to a pair of Jimmy Choo’s in the looks department, but who cares when you’re building gorgeous legs?

MBT Staka Beluga Sandals msrp $240 www.swissmasaius.com

This little combo instantly caught my eye with its cute argyle pattern on the knickers (3/4 length pants) and jersey.

The knicks are made of this stretchy nylon material that moves when you do, so you don’t feel bound up while you’re riding the trails. And pockets galore - 5 pockets including an MP3 pocket! I love removable liners in mountain bike shorts and these knicks have got them, along with a nice chamois that’s not too bulky. The liner is mesh, so you don’t feel like you’re smothering on really warm days. A flat waistband and slim cut helps the knicks look like regular street wear rather than the “sack of potatoes” look some mountain bike knickers give you.

ZOIC’s Ride with Me jersey has 3/4 length sleeves and a medium weight fabric (31% enviro-friendly bamboo!) appropriate for cooler weather rides. There are three pockets across the back, one is a big zippered pocket in the back, so none of your important stuff bounces out, and the other two smaller pockets are hooded to keep items accessible. ZOIC has put little zips at the bottom of the hem on each side, called “waist cleavage” zippers, just to give you a little extra breathing room down there. The bamboo makes the jersey feel really silky - I love that soft stretch bamboo gives fabrics.

With a total of eight pockets at my disposal while wearing this outfit, I was tempted to fill all of them up with “just in case” items and get so loaded down I couldn’t swing my leg over the bike. But I resisted and with my MP3 player going (in just one ear - gotta hear the other guy coming) I was one happy, stylish camper. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the ZOIC argyle socks that coordinate or go for the Breast Cancer Research Fund socks, with 50% of the net profit going to BCRF.

ZOIC Knickers: msrp $60 in four colors, XS-XL
ZOIC Ride with Me Jersey: msrp $50 in three colors XS-XL www.zoic.com