Road Cycling - Where do you draw the line with heat?

I went outside today to take the dog for a quick walk before my ride... I live in a downtown location and across the street, the sign for the Main Street Bank read 102 degrees... I elected to wait until closer to sundown to get my ride in... or maybe the trainer. I was wonder where everyone draws the line and finally says... it's too hot. I've lived in Georgia my whole life... and I am still not used to this heat!

I like to ride in the heat but I keep the ride short usually under 2 hours cause I go through my water pretty quickly.

Ditto - when I lived in So.Cal., I drew the line based on water availability and smog level.

Here in Oregon, the question isn't about heat, it's about rain.

55/Rad

Living in the deep south, I seldom let the heat stop me. I just slow down & carry more fluids.

I really love warm weather, but I have limits! IT depends on humidity, too. If it's 32 or 33C, it's fine as long as it's not really humid. Then it's unbearable. Also, there's the air quality. Sometimes in the summer it can be kind of smoggy. The hottest I went was 34 or 35 and i went late in the day,but it was still really hot and not very enjoyable. When it's like that you have to go at 6 or 7 am or forget it.

Living in dryer So Cal...I can stand it up to about 94/95...Really does not interfere with our recreational rides..Just normally go to the coast and it is pleasant...Go inland,that could be another matter. Lo 90's in dry heat. Not bad..I can do that. Just take more water.

Wabbit got it wight! The humidity is the determining factor a lot of times. But I still ride in all kinds of weather. Last year I was out when the "humiture" was 105. At that heat and humidity level, I go through one bottle of gatorade about every 30 minutes. I carry enough extra powder for two refills for each of two bottles, giving me a max of three hours, but I have yet to go that long in the high heat. Usually 90 minutes or so.

today, for example, it is just unbearable... nearly 90% humidity... so the heat index is way up there... thank god for air conditioning!

Well, wife and I went for a ride in Summit County and after 6 miles out turned around because it was snowing!

For me it mostly depends on the route. You can forget any hilly ride over 90. If I'm crusin along the shore on the flats it dosen't matter how hot it gets. If I get over heated I jump in the ocean.

I went out for 30 miles after work today. It was 90 when I left at about 4:30. I didn't notice the temp when I got back home (weatherbug) but I don't think that it dropped any. My route has plenty of shade along the trail. There are many spots with sunshine as well, but it didn't seem to matter overall.

I've ridden in some pretty hot and humid weather. I know I've ridden in 100 degree heat. I just drink more water..... I really like hot weather for riding. As long as I keep moving I never feel to hot.

I went outside today to take the dog for a quick walk before my ride... I live in a downtown location and across the street, the sign for the Main Street Bank read 102 degrees... I elected to wait until closer to sundown to get my ride in... or maybe the trainer. I was wonder where everyone draws the line and finally says... it's too hot. I've lived in Georgia my whole life... and I am still not used to this heat!

I draw the line when I finish taking a cold shower and break a sweat from drying myself off.

I hate hot, humid weather. I lived in the DC area for many years and never acclimatised myself to Washington summers. Out in the Bay area it seldom gets into the upper 90's and it's never humid. Usually we'll ride over to the coast on hot days, 'cause its at least 10 degrees cooler near the ocean.

I still ride no matter what. But I experience cramps once in awhile obviously due to dehydration. So at that point, I head home.

Be aware of warning signs of heat exhaustiion: dizziness, light-headedness, loss of sweating, confusion. Once you become dehydrated, you CANNOT recover the same day; you must return home immediately, rest and rehydrate!

Any heat index over 95 and I put up the mountain bike. I'll ride the road bike anytime, though. I just drink a lot more and slow down some.

Living in the South, you can't let high heat slow you down anymore then you already are, or else you rarely get to ride and the world would not have Lance Armstrong.

Humidity is definately a factor. But as long as I do my rides in the early morning or in the afternoon it doesn't seem to be that bad. But I definately take plenty of fluids.

YEs, the ride is another thing. If it's really warm and humid, then I don't go on long rides, and hill climbing rides are not a good idea.

I live in Texas and it is 90 degrees or hotter all the time. I can ride in 90, 95, or over 100. It don't brother me, but if it gets below 60 degrees I get cold.

Agree with WAR85, I can't stand anything even remotely cold. Nerve damage from my motorcycle accident has made that even worse. If it's in the lower 60sF or colder I'll ride with a leather mitten on my left hand to compensate.

As a child of the subtropics heat/humidity is a fact of life. I played football in it, I can ride in it. I just sweat alot. Most of my rides begin and end at my front door and after racking the bike I make a straight line for my pool.

Heat is better than cold.

i hate the heat, as well. my hot weather rides (90+) tend to be more easy gear, high rpm spinning on a shady route and i head home when the water runs low. i don't overexert myself, don't sprints or intervals, and lay off the big ring grinding.

Living in the South, you can't let high heat slow you down anymore then you already are, or else you rarely get to ride and the world would not have Lance Armstrong.

Ditto for me. We just make sure there are places to stop and refill the water bottles and if it is a long ride there are stores along the way for gatoraide etc etc.

Philli...

High humidity (90%+) is a pain in the backside, but if I didn't ride in it I'd basically have to quit riding for six months of the year -- so I just ride in high heat and/or humidity regardless. I just make a point of drinking excessive amounts of water (at least 5-10 litres/day regardless of the weather conditions). I've ridden in as much as 47 degrees C and survived. Last September, for example, when I rode the Wonders of Glorious Mee in Brisbane, the 6am start saw a temperature of 32 degrees C.

The biggest problem the heat provides around here is the lack of a decent night's sleep. I can go for months at a time without more than 5 hours sleep on any given night. We had one day here last year when it was 33 degrees C and 90% humidity at 3.30am. :eek: When it's like that, attempting sleep is just a pointless exercise.

Agree with WAR85, I can't stand anything even remotely cold. Nerve damage from my motorcycle accident has made that even worse. If it's in the lower 60sF or colder I'll ride with a leather mitten on my left hand to compensate.

As a child of the subtropics heat/humidity is a fact of life. I played football in it, I can ride in it. I just sweat alot. Most of my rides begin and end at my front door and after racking the bike I make a straight line for my pool.

Heat is better than cold.

Same here. I ran cross-country in the heat, played football in the heat(with pads). One time in High School a few years back we practiced in 112 degrees. It was a record in my tomn. Keep in mind in my area of Texas(close to Houston) it is very humid. It's not the dry heat of West Texas. I don't know why, but I love the heat and hate the cold.

I don't know why, but I love the heat and hate the cold.

It's a functional self-delusion to make life down south more bearable.

I was raised about 140 miles south of Houston and lived most of my life south of I-10. If I didn't like heat more than cold, it would have been a lot less fun. :beer:

Here in the Phoenix metro area, you don't see too many riders out on the road when the temperatures are over 100, and riding when it hits 110 is just plain stupid! Summer group rides strat when the sun comes up.