At 6500 feet and higher sunburn sets in quicker than at sea level. During my 40-50 minute morning and afternoon commutes I usually don't worry as the sun is low, the streets are shady and I'm not out that long. In the past, when riding mid-day, or long distances I would wear old, cotton, long-sleeve button down shirts and turn up the collar. But I find these quick-drying, high-vis t-shirts more comfortable, practical and safe. So last weekend when I stopped at Performance Bicycle for some tires, they had these sleeves on sale, advertised as SPF 50. The price was less than the long-sleeve jersey I was considering, and they could be used with any of my short-sleeve jerseys...so I bought a pair.
Today I worked at home until lunch, when the sun was high and the sky was clear. The bike thermometer said 102 in the sun. So I put on the sleeves. They're snug, but not tight. I was worried they'd be hot, but they were the opposite. First of all they kept the sun off my arms without feeling warm. Then as my arm began to slightly perspire, the evaporative cooling effect came into play, just as with the long-sleeve cottom button downs I would use for longer rides in the summer sun.
But what I didn't expect was the breeze entering through the billowing short sleeves and cooling my arm pits and surrounding areas. You don't get that with any dedicated long-sleeve shirt.
