Feel low/lethargic/knackered. a bite from Sat am’s ride is sceptic on my leg and various others are raised/reddened.

Obviously in this heat you don’t want to wear too many ‘layers’ however I’m sick of being bitten. Any recommendations from fellow sufferers?

I’m not sure I can wear regular roadie leggings? As I will be wearing shorts over them- too warm with shorts?

Runners leggings?

Binners, feel free to post a pic of woman in suspenders next to Benny Hill 8)

Have you tried repellent? Jungle Formula is good..

Deet?

Something from the Skins range would be about the thinnest/lightest I’ve seen but in the current heat even they would make you sweat like the proverbial.

edit: And taking an anti-histamine BEFORE you go out can reduce the reaction of any bites you get.

Tried Deet (the evil stuff?)

I still get bitten- Sure its horsefly or something else too (the ones that wont leave you alone).

Avon Skin-So-Soft is what the SAS use (allegedly). Never had a bite while wearing it. No nasty chemicals, and smell is minimal.
If I forget to put it on, consider me bug lunch.

I spent 5 weeks in India and never got bitten once, the others I travelled with were covered in bites, we all had various deets, mine was the strongest. I know you said you tried deet, bit what strength was it? Go for the strongest you can get, not the pish they sell in boots etc etc…

There you go mate.The white ones are definitely more you

Horse fly/clegs can bite through a cotton T shirt so thin leggings aren’t gonna give them any trouble.

As geologist says, there are many different strengths & most high street brands are 50% deet or less.

Highlander Repel is available in a 100% version or, if you’re feeling brave, most equine stores will do an evil one too.

Eat garlic, lots of garlic. Bugs hate the stuff, especially when you start to sweat it out.
Works on people too 😀

Curiously I hardly ever got bitten when I was a veggie (for about a decade) but since eating meat again I get bitten all the time. Maybe a drastic approach to bite avoidance.

I guess it depends on what you ride through. I ride through alot of overgrown bushes and brambles so am used to getting scatched to buggery on my wrists and ankles, so anything like Lycra will just get torn to shreds on the first ride. In winter I do use cheap runners leggings, which are a bit more resiliant than lycra style material, but will be too warm in current conditions. What about knee and shin pads? Wont provide full coverage but might improve things.

Post ride I treat my scratches and any bites with some Savlon spray stuff that is like a liquid plaster. It stings like buggery for a few minutes after you spray it on, but is good to provide a protective antiseptic layer that lasts a few days which might help prevent bites from becoming septic.

Deet etc- what happens if you scrape/scratch your legs whilst wearing it? Its nasty stuff as it is.

The alternative is knee length rugby-type socks. In Glentress last Summer I noticed a fair few blokes wearing similar but thinner?

hora ride faster so they cannot catch you 😀

i’m a bit sceptical that a bite from saturday could be SEPTIC already…
but anyway, it’ll be the brie. we told you that.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smidge-That-Midge-Insect-Repellent/dp/B00413715E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373878504&sr=8-1&keywords=smidge+that+midge

Recommended by the tour guide in Avimore and it works really well and smells nice.

You saw how red it was around the plaster. Not forgiven you yet for destracting me from bike shopping 😉

I can’t remember the stength of deet I used in India , I think it was about 85%, I was trekking through the forests , and the Himalayan foothills, So got scratched to death, the deet didn’t cause a problem in the scratches and cuts.

There’s nothing in deet that will affect cuts and bites. Do try Smidge though. It’s working for me and I’m one ofthose they prey on.

+1 for pre-ride antihistamine

You must be like catnip for critters. I hardly ever get bitten – must be my internal bitterness.

Not forgiven you yet for destracting me from bike shopping

not our fault you got to the shop 5 minutes before closing!

It only takes 5mins to do most stuff..

however I’m sick of being bitten. Any recommendations?

Pedal faster & don’t stop!

Pedal faster & don’t stop!

Chain shredded on first climb Sunday am. I started at 7am- They were taking turns divebombing me.

Then mid-descent my FRONT tyre pinchflatted.

WHY DID IT HAPPEN BOTH times next to a trickle/stream etc in wooded areas? 😆

avon skin so soft works for me

Active ingredient in Skin So Soft is citronella, dunno if youve ever tried this and it works for you.