Commuting - Tips for Commutting in the HEAT

Temps tomorrow look to exceed 90 and I'm a big guy that gets hot easily. The ride to work in the morning is no problem, but coming home will be a grind.

I know the basics regarding plenty of fluids (hydrate, hydrate, hydrate) but what other things can I do to make life easier?

In the past I have put my Camel Pak bladder in the freezer for an hour or so before I ride. It gets the water mostly frozen. I am relatively new to the commutting thing so I don't have the fancy (and cool, lightweight, breathable material) bike shirts.

Tips anyone?

You don't need no fancy bike shirt - go on over to Target or Walmart and you'll find polyester shirts that work just fine...I prefer the sleeveless myself. Other than that, just take it easy - it ain't no race.

Don't forget your keys at work thereby doubling your commute. I learned this Friday.

Coolmax do-rag under the helmet has been helpful to me this season. As for the "you don't need fancy <bike specific bit of clothing>" comments... well, you don't, if you don't need all the features (specifically the way bike jerseys are cut and cuffed, plus the pockets in the back are the key distinguishing features).

A friend of mine has some sweat band he wears under his helmet...he says it works great keeping the sweat out of his eyes and off his glasses. I am looking for cheap alternatives that work. Target polyester eh? I'll have to check that out. Tomorrow it's all cotton Ts.....

I would suggest against sleeveless shirts. Use loose fitting bright colored long sleeves.

There's a reason the Arabs wear something that resembles a bed sheet, they're good in the heat.

Just keep riding and you'll get used to the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter. If you complain about the weather you'll only feel worse. It's 99 % mental anyway.

Oh, lose some weight (if that's an issue) and you'll be cooler.

Chipcom is right about the shirts. I just bought some Target C-9 shirts and shorts. 14 for the shorts and 10 for the shirt.

Cool in a breeze. I really like how they stay dry feeling all the time.

Stay hydrated, and the rest is acclimation. I live in a place where the summers are typically in the nineties, it's extremely humid, and generally breezeless. I drink plenty of water, don't act like I'm Floyd Landis, wear my poly/cotton mechanics uniform to-and-from work, and I'm fine. Also, if it's extremely hot and it starts raining on your way home, don't be a numbskull and wip out some masochistic gore-tex jacket and pants, just relax and enjoy the shower.

id like to get a reflective shirt thats tech wick cause i would be a glow in the dark biker

A friend of mine has some sweat band he wears under his helmet...he says it works great keeping the sweat out of his eyes and off his glasses. I am looking for cheap alternatives that work.
I have a DoWrap from Performance that works great--smooth all around the head. I have tried some other wraps and have not been happy because of seams being a bit too big to wear comfortably under a helmet.

Bay Bruin,

In our area you're dealing with a pretty dry heat. Keep moving and keep hydrated, and it won't be so bad. The breeze that you create helps to keep you cool. An extra half-ice/half water bottle for dumping on your head helps at the traffic lights in the sun.

Good luck!

Check out this thread for more ideas ...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=203350

You don't need a shirt. Just some sunscreen. And something to drink.

Choose a route with trees and grass. Apart from the shade, the moisture evaportation from the leaves cools the air.

what helps me most is hydration ( I drink a bunch of water all day before I leave work), and I take Ice water with me on the bike, plus I go slow. go slow. Don't try to get a workout in the heat.

Its probably only a 5% or so change, but wearing white (or atleast avoiding wearing black) especially on your back should help with the direct solar heat. The worse the humidity is the less this probably matters .

Tips on commuting in the heat:

1)Dunk shirt in bathroom before you leave work
2)Dunk shirt/body in lade/faucet on the way home
3)find somebody who happens to be watering the lawn on your commute home if you're lucky
4)Have an extra water bottle with ice water in it that you can doss yourself before the big hill.
5)Mentally get used to it!

Jay

Its probably only a 5% or so change, but wearing white (or atleast avoiding wearing black) especially on your back should help with the direct solar heat. The worse the humidity is the less this probably matters .

Heh, good call, that's why I always buy white helmets. White jerseys get nasty too easily but light colors are the way to go.

Gotta second the 'go slow' bit. And as you approach your work place or home slow down even more so that you won't soak yourself with sweat the moment you stop moving.

If possible, plan a route that takes you through tree-shaded streets. I also find certain intersections can be much 'hotter' than others (no air flow and dark blacktop), and 2 minutes of waiting for a light change w/o a breeze can be really unpleasant. So I try to avoid those intersections.

Also, I apologize if this is too obvious, remember to use your gears!!!!
I have recently come to realize that several of my friends, who have bike commuted regularly for YEARS, are intimidated by shifting and never do it. I watched one in a triathalon, did great up to the cycling part when everyone passed her as she span at around 95 rpm going maybe 10 mph tops.

Heat just isn't an issue for me on a bicycle. It's a lot hotter in a car, until after 5 minutes, and the AC starts to cool things some. The combination of sweat and the breeze from the ride keeps me plenty cool on a bicycle.

My commute is short, so I ride in my work clothes. On the way to work, I take it slow, as others have suggested. Especially the last half mile. The strange thing is, I seem to sweat more in the mornings than on the way home in the afternoon, when I ride faster and it's generally 15-20 degrees hotter. Of course around here, it's not just the heat, but the humidity that's the problem. Humidity was 680 percent today.

Commuted for many years in Tucson, AZ famous for sunshine, 'warm' weather and low humidity (Yes, 117 degrees @ 2% humidity and I commuted). Had as many as 100 days of 100+ degrees in summer.
Loose and light colored shirt; wet bandana and wrap it around your neck; use a cycling cap under white helmet and wet that hat down. And you can re-wet things with spare water bottle as needed.
Keep a ridin'!

Know what your high temp limit is and skip that day. If your bus system has racks on the bus consider biking to work and bussing back.

For me, it's not the riding, it's the stopping. I can feel cool as a cuke on my route but the minute I stop --whoa nelly -- it's like my pores are squirting the sweat out. I try to compensate by getting to work a little early and letting the sweat-fest peter out before I have to go in, but it doesnt' exactly work. Even though my office has AC, I'm still spraying it out.

the average lately has been in the 90's. what works for me:
1.) plenty of water
2.) walmart shirt... not starter but the other kind (i think they are the best in the world and they cost 6 bucks)
3.) i bring second riding outfit for ride home.. riding shorts and shirt and socks... it is much nicer if your clothes do not stink and are damp before you even start (hte extra pair of bike shorts and one of the shirts i mentioned weigh next to NOTHING.) this REALLY helps me avoid saddle sores also.
4.) I don't ride any slower at all... the breeze from my normal speed (about 16mph or so on average) and the wind it creates is what cools me off.
5.) I have a bald head so sweat in the eyes was a major problem. I experimented with a few different headbands but the traditional tennis headbands do NOT work. they are too fat and simply uncomfortable under the helmet. I finally broke down and bought a couple of the $10 each headbands from my LBS. They are worth every penny. they are very skinny so it is not uncomfortable at all under the helmet and they do an amazing job keeping sweat out of my eyes and off of my face completely.
6.) you should always ride on the road in the direction of traffic for safety if nothing else (this is my opinion please do not argue with it) anyways, a big benifit of doing this is that you will get a nice breeze from the passing cars... trust me, when it is HOT, it makes a difference.
7.) I spent way more on my helmet than i wanted to... like 150 bucks. To my great surprise it too was worth every penny. it has twice as much ventilation as the average helmet and that makes a HUGE difference!!!!!!!!

there you have it. this is what works for me. I wish you the best of luck!

mike

i got concerned about excessive sun on my neck and ears so i picked up a $10 'legionairre' style hat at the surplus/camping store. it has a detachable neck-flap w/ velcro attachments, so I put the opposite side velcro on my helmet ... works pretty well, both as a sun shade and a prophylactic ...

(it ensures that nobody will talk to me, let alone have sex with me!)

Coolmax do-rag under the helmet has been helpful to me this season. As for the "you don't need fancy <bike specific bit of clothing>" comments... well, you don't, if you don't need all the features (specifically the way bike jerseys are cut and cuffed, plus the pockets in the back are the key distinguishing features).

Lotta money for a pocket and a fit geared towards skinny folks. I got pockets in my cargo shorts and my sleeveless poly tee keeps me just as cool and dry as any bike jersey. So the only real distinguishing feature is the 'look' - if you want to dress like a bike racer, a jersey and spandex shorts are your huckleberry. I'm not a racer and have no desire to look like one. :D

Doo rags are a good suggestion, but I've gone to the coolmax cycling caps, that cute lil bill comes in handy if the rain starts falling. I think they make a doo rag with a bill too...but I like the cap cuz I can just flip it backwards to keep the sun off some of my neck. :)

I would suggest against sleeveless shirts. Use loose fitting bright colored long sleeves.

There's a reason the Arabs wear something that resembles a bed sheet, they're good in the heat.

explain.

I hear that the Arabs wear their long johns to protect from sun and sand storms. Also the heat built up over the day helps them stay warm during the cold nights.

My commute is short, so I ride in my work clothes. On the way to work, I take it slow, as others have suggested. Especially the last half mile. The strange thing is, I seem to sweat more in the mornings than on the way home in the afternoon, when I ride faster and it's generally 15-20 degrees hotter. Of course around here, it's not just the heat, but the humidity that's the problem. Humidity was 680 percent today.

Hi, my commute is short as well maybe 2.5miles one way and i ride with my work clothes. Right now in the Bay area, the weather's just so warm they said it's in the 100's. my problem is my nape gets burned by the hot sun even if i put sunscreen. Now i wear lightly colored long sleeve shirts so i wont absorb too much heat. maybe i should wear clothes with colar just to cover my neck while riding. i usually ride hard going back home but today maybe not, i'll take the drive slow advice.

I would suggest against sleeveless shirts. Use loose fitting bright colored long sleeves.

There's a reason the Arabs wear something that resembles a bed sheet, they're good in the heat.

They are also walking @ about 3 mph in the sand.... Whereas we are cruising around @ 5x the speed. I think bikers have a easier battle trying to keep the wind moving versus reflecting the sun.

Hi, my commute is short as well maybe 2.5miles one way and i ride with my work clothes. Right now in the Bay area, the weather's just so warm they said it's in the 100's. my problem is my nape gets burned by the hot sun even if i put sunscreen. Now i wear lightly colored long sleeve shirts so i wont absorb too much heat. maybe i should wear clothes with colar just to cover my neck while riding. i usually ride hard going back home but today maybe not, i'll take the drive slow advice.

'taking it easy' does not have to equate to going slow. Just stay at a comfortable pace and don't treat your commute as some kind of race. Spin smooth and easy and enjoy the ride. Your gonna find that a nice smooth spin in a lower gear at higher rpms will get you going faster with less effort than mashing & hammering. A cycling cap turned backwards or a bandanna can help keep the sun off your neck.

Just keep riding and you'll get used to the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter. If you complain about the weather you'll only feel worse. It's 99 % mental anyway.

Oh, lose some weight (if that's an issue) and you'll be cooler.


I agree, it is 99% mental. I ride in the high 90's quite a bit here in Albuquerque and the bottom line is you just have to get used to it. I do not think Roody should have made that comment at the end about you being a lard ass though.

For me, it's not the riding, it's the stopping. I can feel cool as a cuke on my route but the minute I stop --whoa nelly -- it's like my pores are squirting the sweat out. I try to compensate by getting to work a little early and letting the sweat-fest peter out before I have to go in, but it doesnt' exactly work. Even though my office has AC, I'm still spraying it out.

Yeah, I'm like that too. I had to sprint to be on time for an exam yesterday morning. It felt fine on the ride, but it took me about 30 minutes in a poorly air-conditioned classroom to stop sweating. Gross. I kept having to peel the exam paper from my arm. I do find that dunking my face in the sink helps some, as does a cold drink once I get to wherever I'm going.

I fill my waterbottle half way with Gatorade or water and put in in a freezer at work leaned up against something so that it'sa at a slight angle. Before going home, I fill the remainder with cold water/Gatorade. That gives me ice water (or ice-Gatorade) thew whole way back.

Agree with Daily Commute (and others) that hydration is key to riding when the temps go up. Having a way to keep your bottle(s) cool is a good idea. It's been pretty hot here in the San Francisco Bay area this week. On Wed I intended to get some extra miles during my commute in to the office but couldn't manage to roll out of bed in time so I had to the longer ride in the afternoon. The temp readings from my computer during the 2.5 hour afternoon ride were between 103 and 105. I've discovered that while I don't like Cytomax very much (it was on sale) hot Cytomax is really bad :(