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

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

I’ve been a big fan of electrolyte tablets since they first started appearing on the market. They aren’t messy, like mixes can be, they slip into your bag or pocket and stay dry and intact in their tube, and it’s easy to share with a friend when you’re on the road.

There aren’t too many companies out there making effervescent electrolyte replacement tablets and I was excited to try a new product called ZYM Catapult from a Chicago-based company, BE Innovations. They’ve had a tablet on the market called Endurance for a while now. Catapult is a little different - it delivers a nice dose of caffeine from guarana and a jolt of vitamins B12 and C. The B12 is supposed to prevent the caffeine jitters but it also keeps energy levels high (remember your grandma getting B12 shots?)

I took a tube of Catapult to the Northern Illinois MS150 this weekend to give it a try. We rode 100 miles the first day and I was a little concerned about bottle after bottle of caffeinated go-juice. It really can make you wired if you’re not a big caffeine drinker, along with making you look desperately for the next porta-potty, so I mixed it up, drinking a non-caffeinated drink every other bottle. But I shouldn’t have worried - I never felt too caffeinated during the day.

The results were great! I felt strong and fresh-legged most of the 100 miles we rode that first day, until we hit headwinds that made even our team leader struggle. I’ve found that electrolyte replacement can make a huge difference in how quickly you recover after exercise, so finishing off the ride with a final bottle of Catapult helped get me ready for the next day of riding (well, that, and a huge plate of pasta). I really appreciated the B12 boost - it’s good stuff.

ZYM Catapult comes in a nice berry flavor and it’s a bit sweeter than the other effervescent tablets I’ve tried. None of them have actual sugar - they are all basically calorie free, using sorbitol to sweeten. The sweetness helps mask the salty taste of the electrolytes, but it’s not cloyingly sweet like some premixed drinks are. Each tablet makes 16 to 20 ounces of drink, just perfect for most cycling water bottles.

One tip I’d pass on to you: sports nutrition has gotten more complicated as drinks, gels, bars, and chews get more refined to target specific needs. You need to pay attention to what and how much you are getting as you mix them all, so if your gel has lots of vitamins or sodium, make sure your drink has less. While I was trying out Catapult, I made sure I didn’t overdo my gel, which also has caffeine in it. Not all rides are as supported as the MS150, with porta-potties every 10 miles!

ZYM Catapult: $8 to $10 for a 10 tablet tube, depending on where you buy it. Check out gozym.com for a list of distributors and retailers.