General Cycling Discussion - out of total burnable days out - do you always wear sunscreen?

even though many of my rides are early in the am before the sun is hot, i am currently re-evaluating my sunscreen-ing schedule for both cycling and non-cycling activities.

the rate of skin cancers is alarming.

does everyone lather up before rides -on all rides?!
there shouldn't be that much area to do with our gear on

This is where I generaly think I am stupid. I have a hard enough time donning all my armour on a given day putting on sunscreen just takes more time.

But then again because of the riding I do fairly often (not right now cause of my damn knee) I don't have much skin showing anyways. :)

In Vancouver we don't get that many sunny days, even in summer so I don't have to worry about it much.

As I sit here with a very red neck....
I forgot yesterday... Duh!!
I do it once a year, and Man, do I pay for it!!

Im just not built for the sunshine!!

I normally use Ombrelle SPF-60, I work outdoors, so I guess Im Im more likely to die from heavy metal poisoning instead of skin cancer!!

I put on sunscreen for every ride when there is even the POSSIBILITY of sun exposure. If I'm riding after 5:00 pm [which is rare], however, I don't bother.

I put on sunscreen every day period.
There's too much evidence about exposure
and skin cancer.

Marty

I have very fair Irish skin and have always burned easily.

Yet for some reason this has never been a problem on the bike. Maybe it's that most of my miles are morning/evening commutes. Maybe it's that most of my vulnerable skin is covered or shaded by helmet, clothes, other body parts, whatever.

I don't get burned riding. Except for my forearms, I hardly even get tanned.

RichC

Sometimes I forget the sunscreen. Right now, with heat indicies near the danger zone, I'm much more worried about heat stress than skin cancer. (currently, we're talking 95+ degree temperatures and heat stress indicies near 105 - that is potentially a much more serious immediate health problem than skin cancer)

I always check the weather report. If the heat stress index is too high, I don't ride.

I make sure my water bottles are full, and I know where the drinking fountains are along my route.

I wear a heart rate monitor. I can tell a LOT about how the heat is affecting me by that. At the first sign of a problem, I go in to "survival" mode.

I put on sunscreen if I think of it, but it's not my #1 priority. ;)

Cheers

I burn, then the skin turns this dirty red color and stay that way until late winter...no pain, no flakes, no peeling.

EXCEPT!!!!!! That BIG, ROUND, BALD SPOT in the middle of my head, it burns and peels and flakes, and burns and peels.....
I think that it is the whiteman showing through this mix breed choctaw.

The skin is different on my head where the hair used to be. Does anyone else have this problem?

My skin burns like paper. I also live in Queensland, the skin cancer capital of the world. Generally if I'm going to complete a ride by 9am, I don't worry about it as a little exposure is actually good for one's skin. If it's going to be any later than that, I'll put it on before I even start. That goes for 'winter' as well as summer.

I'm in the habit of applying a moisturizer on my face which contains an SPF of 35 every day. For the rest of my body, no I don't. It feels heavy and uncomfortable on my skin like a layer of saran wrap that traps heat and sweat.

I apply an coppertone SPF 8 sunscreen about 30 minutes before each ride. And yes, I'm anal about it. I have read that sunscreen can reduce your skin tempature by upto 20 degreese fahrenheit, and I believe it, i always feel cooler when wearing sunscreen.

Originally posted by Joe Gardner
I apply an coppertone SPF 8 sunscreen about 30 minutes before each ride. And yes, I'm anal about it. I have read that sunscreen can reduce your skin tempature by upto 20 degreese fahrenheit, and I believe it, i always feel cooler when wearing sunscreen.

Let me tell you, as someone who has more experience than they should on being sunburned, applying sunscreen can reduce your skin temperature by a lot more than that! It should be remembered that, around here at least, a failure to apply sunscreen on a long ride can be fatal. It really is surprising how much more water one goes through when sunburned. The dehyration risk really rises dramatically in that situation.

I will once again add that around here, every day is totally burnable, even in winter.

And another thing, what does "anal" mean in this context? I hear a lot of people using it, and I don't think it's the word I would use.

Chris, in this context it means assiduous almost to the point of fanaticism. In other words very conscientious about using the sunscreen. In other words being an A'hole about it. In other words: anal. It's a common term here in the north. Saves using a lot of words.

Chris,

I believe that the use of "Anal" is from the person being
anal-retentive. Goes back to Freudian psychiatry about witholding
of "gifts" while potty training.
In this context I believe it means being completely full blown
over the top fanatical about it.
i.e. 50 minutes before going on a ride put on 45spf sunblock,
after a 20 minute soak in period apply 15SPF sunblock and then
5 minutes before actually leaving apply a layer of 8spf tanning oil. EVERYDAY for EVERYRIDE without fail.
thats being really anal about it.
Kind of like obsessive.

Marty

I am really surprised by the response to this!
In this day where uva and uvb rays are so strong, I never go on a ride without sunscreen. It's just something that needs done, like filling bidons or washing your shorts. I mean it only takes 2 minutes!

With as much time a cyclist spends in the sun, don't you think 2 minutes a day is alot better than cutting up tumors and kemo?

Crap, calling someone anal about sunscreen is like calling a smoker healthy. I wish there was a machine to put sunscreen on while I sleep so it will be deep into the skin by the time I go ride.

I wear sunscreen everyday. It is a very rare day when I don't, or forget, but those are mostly heavily cloudy days. I ride everyday after work (6-8 p) and I have a distinct tan. The glove dots have appearred already. Skin cancer is just not something I want to play with... I use Coppertone Sport spf 48. After it absorbs I don't even notice it is on.