At this time of year we’re eager to jump back on the bike after a long winter and spend as many hour as we can out on the road or trail. But, there are some things you need to remember to think about again now that we’re back in warm weather mode. One of the most imporant is protecting yourself from the sun.

Depending on where you’re riding and at what time of day you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to severe skin damage and after years of riding that can lead to some pretty serious and scary consequences.

And it’s easy to avoid. Here are some tips:

Head - The helmet will help you when you make contact with a tree, but it’s not going to give you much in the way of sun protection for your head. Some people like to wear a bandana under the helmet and that’s not a bad idea, just make sure it’s thin enough that it’s not comprimising the proper fit of your helmet.

Hands - Cycling gloves are a good idea for a whole host of reasons but just one of the their benefits is keeping the sun off your hands. Some companies even sell gloves made from UVA and UVB blocking fabric.

Eyes - Again, an absolute necessity for many reasons but very important also when it comes to protecting your eyes from the damaging effects of the sun. Make sure you’re glasses block both UVA and UVB rays. One is not enough.

Exposed Skin - When you’re outside for a long period of time and sweating to boot, you need to go for a heavy duty sunscreen. None of this namby pamby Banana Boat Bronzer crap. You need something with an SPF of at least 30 and something that’s waterproof will help with the sweat. Make sure you lather in on. I’ve heard dermatologists say that you should think of filling up a shot glass for each person in your household who’s going out in the sun. Get it on all those little spots that you often forget - the tops of your ears, the backs of your knees, around your ankles. Some of the places we often forget have the most sensitive skin and hurt he most when burned. And remember to reapply, reapply, reapply every few hours if you’re out for a long time.