Living Car Free - Cycling in a heat wave

There seems to be a lots of information about winter cycling on BF. But not much in the way of surviving the summer.

Last week we had temps near 90F and I felt pretty exhausted at the end of a 7 mile trip from work. This week, temps are mid-90s with heat indexes near 105F. So I figured I needed a strategy to avoid heat stroke.

- as I was leaving work today at 5:00pm, I soaked my t-shirt in cold water and wrung enough out so it wouldn't drip too much. With a mild breeze, I didn't feel the same heat shock that you get when leaving air conditioning to outside hot air. Halfway through the trip, I stopped and resoaked my back. The shirt was pretty much dry when I got home though.

- I decided to do as much coasting as I could. I always think the worst thing you can do is to stop cycling, but going slowly still keeps you a little cooler.

- I drank more water.

Does anyone have any tricks? I especially like the wet T-shirt. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing that tomorrow when it will get closer to 100F.


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Wet t-shirt is always good, I also have some bandana things that have some sort of beads in them that you soak in water and put in the fridge to lay around you neck, works pretty well. Coast a lot and take routes with lots of downhills and shade trees.

Aaron:)

best trick is simply get in better shape and acclimated to heat

when I first started riding as a messenger I was a pathetic out of shape fat person and heat killed me, now its no big deal at all........its gotta be over 90 and humid just for me to get a good sweat going, heck I even like the heat now

Does anyone have any tricks?

1. Start out at the crack of dawn.
2. Ride West up into the mountains.
3. By noon, be 3000' above the Front Range where it is 10-15 degrees cooler.
4. Ride along Peak-to-Peak Highway.
5. Late afternoon head back down with a nice fast descent.

The AC hurts you in this case. See if you can turn it up so there isn't such a difference from the outside. A friend who learned biking in the Peace Corp in a very hot climate said ride just fast enough to generate a breeze. Its more efficient than walking and cooler. I find it difficult to slow it down that much, but apparently in some countries they have a different pace from the US. At stoplights in DC often the shady spot is a car length or two back from the intersection, I use it. Other bikers pull up from the shade right up to the crosswalk to see if they can jump the light. I prefer to stop in the shade. I don't buy the "coast a lot" strategy, I prefer just to take it slower if the heat is getting to me. On the other hand, the heat doesn't get to me as much as some people. I did my first and only century ride on a very hot august day and didn't think the heat was a factor. I drank a lot that day. I'm one of those dripping sweat hogs. As soon as I stop pedaling the sweat beads up on my arms and everywhere and starts sprinkling down. To avoid grossing people out at my destination I take it VERY slow the last mile. When I care. If there is a shower or swimming hole at my destination I don't care. So, the strategy is get yourself used to it, take it slow, look for shade, drink before you become thirsty. Sometimes water fountains in stores have chilled water. You can fill your bottle and pour it over you. Some food stores have walk in coolers. If you're really suffering the manager might let you hang out in the beer cooler for a few minutes.

I raced in Dallas for many years: assuming you have to ride when you do, keep up the hydration and electrolytes, avoid alcohol completely during the summer, and know what the signs of heat stroke are. Spend the least amount of time out in the heat as possible. If racing on a hot Sunday, DO NOT spend hours out in the heat on Friday or Sunday....the heat just drains your energy.

I grew up in Texas, and noticed that best friend and racing teamate could not tolerate summer races longer than 2 or 3 hours, perhaps because he had just moved to Dallas from the Northeast. Your heat tolerance will improve with time, but be very careful, people die from the heat every summer

I ride at night only.

I'll never acclimate to the heat.

In the summer, the heat here in Austin is the #1 issue for me. I think heat acclimation is something you have to rebuild every year. Due to all the time I've been spending outside in my garden this year, right now I'm good for 15 miles on the bike in 100 F heat before I start to wilt. Some specific things I do when cycling in the heat are

1 - I wear a broad brim, vented Tilley polypropylene hat instead of a helmet. Yes, I know I'll get a head injury and be a burden to society, sorry 'bout that.

2 - Sleeveless shirts are about 10 degrees F cooler than shirts with any kind of sleeves. Yes, I know I'll get skin cancer and be a burden to society, sorry 'bout that, too.

3 - I sip on electrolyte drinks starting from the time I pull out the driveway, at a rate of about a quart per hour, regardless of my thirst level. Thirst is an absolutely unreliable indicator of hydration, by the time you are actually thirsty you're probably in hydration trouble.

4 - I recognize that for me the first symptom of heat stress is that I get kind of stupid about things, like going through intersections too casually or not being real alert to road hazards. I don't know how else to describe it but anyone who's experienced it will know what I'm talking about. I watch this as closely as I can.

Wetting your shirt and drinking lots of fluids are probably the best things you can do. 7 miles shouldn't be that big of a deal if you're well hydrated to begin with, though. Make sure you're well hydrated going into your trip, not just on it.

4 - I recognize that for me the first symptom of heat stress is that I get kind of stupid about things, like going through intersections too casually or not being real alert to road hazards. I don't know how else to describe it but anyone who's experienced it will know what I'm talking about. I watch this as closely as I can.
So that's what it is? But stupid doesn't recognize itself until after the fact unless it is some immediate thing. Once on a hot summer ride I had a mechanical difficulty so I'd be late for the barbecue. I couldn't remember the host's phone number even though I had called them hundreds of times. Of course the breakdown occurred along a busy road with no shade trees. It happened at the hottest nastiest part of the route, I was probably riding as fast as I could to get that section done with.

I've wondered why they don't make summer bike helmets with broad brims. We're not all racers, some of us would appreciate the shade more than the aerodynamics.

...stupid doesn't recognize itself...
What a great way to phrase it.

Platy, I can't agree with sleevless shirts, I find that long sleeves that block he sun are much more comfortable, at least here in Phoenix. I'm sure Austin is more humid and that could be the difference. Yesterday was 105 F and I ran about seven miles worth of errands. Triple digit temps for the forseeable future, Yee Ha!

T-shirts would be a nightmare for me in the heat. Get some wicking fabric jersey's. Make certain you are hydrated properly. At work, I usually have a few glasses of water between 3:00pm and when I head home. My ride home is 11.3 miles. I usually have 2 water bottles. 1 for drinking and one to splash on me. My drinking bottle is emptied when I get in, in the AM. I fill it up to about 1/3 and put it in the freezer in the office refrig. I top it off with water cooler water just as I am leaving, and stays cold/cool all the way home. The other bottle is used relatively rarely when I get stuck in traffic. If I am at a long light and start to feel overheated, I'll pour some water over my head thru the helmet....cools you down fast.

This has been working for me for the past four years...I commute 195 to 205 days per year for the last 4 years here in the heat/humidity of Ft Myers/Cape Coral, FL.

Platy, I can't agree with sleevless shirts, I find that long sleeves that block he sun are much more comfortable, at least here in Phoenix. I'm sure Austin is more humid and that could be the difference. Yesterday was 105 F and I ran about seven miles worth of errands. Triple digit temps for the forseeable future, Yee Ha!

+1
My favorite summer jersey is this:

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1003729_-1_24500_20000_25002

It is a gauze-like material that lets the air circulate through, but blocks the sun so you don't need sunblock on the arms.

How are your shirts drying in 90+ temps mine always become naturally wet?

I fill a bottle with ice and water put in rack trunk with ice pack so when the bottle empties that is in my cage I have ice cold water. When really hot it will give me brain freeze but it is so worth it.

Platy, I can't agree with sleevless shirts, I find that long sleeves that block he sun are much more comfortable, at least here in Phoenix. I'm sure Austin is more humid and that could be the difference. Yesterday was 105 F and I ran about seven miles worth of errands. Triple digit temps for the forseeable future, Yee Ha!
Welcome to the LCF forum, Trashcan! Phoenix is definitely the next heat class up from Austin.

How are your shirts drying in 90+ temps mine always become naturally wet?
scattered, I suspect your location (Bayou City) says it all. Nobody stays dry in the summer close to the Gulf.

Lots of good tips here.

Another thing that helps me is knowing a lot of alternate routes. On hot sunny days, I choose routes that are shadier and breezier.

I also try to avoid stop lights. Standing still in the middle of a black asphalt intersection is the hottest part of summer, IMO.

Platy, I can't agree with sleevless shirts, I find that long sleeves that block he sun are much more comfortable, at least here in Phoenix. I'm sure Austin is more humid and that could be the difference. Yesterday was 105 F and I ran about seven miles worth of errands. Triple digit temps for the forseeable future, Yee Ha!
A friend likes long sleeve light colored shirts and white gloves to keep the sun off.

Sunscreen keeps the burn away from exposed skin.

Another build on summer cycling issues is the sudden storm. I rarely leave home without some sort of rain gear, no matter what the weather forecast is. In this part of the country, we get a lot of intense storms during the summer. For example, today we were sweltering in 96 F temps and at 4:00 a system rolled through dumping a ton of rain. The temperature dropped to 70F quite quickly.

bandana on your head, makes it feel 15 degrees cooler

A friend likes long sleeve light colored shirts and white gloves to keep the sun off.

Sunscreen keeps the burn away from exposed skin.

I work outside on roof tops...even in the summer. I always wear long sleeved shirts, usually cotton, yes it gets wet, but that also helps cool you. I tried the synthetics but they itched and stunk. I haven't tried wool, mainly because I haven't found any affordable lightweights, also not sure how effective they would be when the temps are topping over 100.

Aaron:)

+1
My favorite summer jersey is this:

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1003729_-1_24500_20000_25002

It is a gauze-like material that lets the air circulate through, but blocks the sun so you don't need sunblock on the arms.

Agreed.

On the motorcycle forum, they drench these same wicking long sleave shirts at a gas station or at rest stops. After that, they put on those hot leather jackets but it's a lot cooler with the wet long shirt underneath.

Does anyone have any tricks? I especially like the wet T-shirt. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing that tomorrow when it will get closer to 100F.


-

Bionx

http://www.greenspeed.us/bionx_motor_bike_kit.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svX0ZmkKaOg

Wet t-shirt is always good, I also have some bandana things that have some sort of beads in them that you soak in water and put in the fridge to lay around you neck, works pretty well. Coast a lot and take routes with lots of downhills and shade trees.

Aaron:)

A wet T-shirt is better with a chick in it.. :lol::innocent::thumb: Sorry I couldn't resist.. :D

I am not a big fan of the heat and I live close to Palm Springs so we do get heat. But 90 degrees doesn’t qualify as that hot to me. Still I wear a simple wicking jersey, head band, and cycling hat. When riding into the sun I can wear it with the bill forward to help block the sun if I don’t need it to block the sun I can wear it backwards. But it helps keep the sun off of the head. They also make a cooling bandana that has a polymer that holds the water in to keep you cooler longer. http://www.coolbandanas.com/coolorder.htm (http://www.coolbandanas.com/coolorder.htm)

But I still ride mostly before 11am and after 5pm.

Last Summer I did a 50 mile round trip to Huntington Beach, CA with my cousins. We did the same ride twice before. But this time it was 100+ degrees and crazy head wind. I thought I was gonna pass out. And we started at 1pm. Real smart.

Lesson(s) learned:

1) eat before you ride
2) start earlier
3) drink plenty of water the day before/day of
4) whatever else I forgot

You gotta love Summertime in Southern California. :D

A wet T-shirt is better with a chick in it.. :lol::innocent::thumb: Sorry I couldn't resist.. :D
Be serious.
A wet T-shirt is better with a chick out of it.

Drink lots of water, especially before the ride and in the beginning. Take it easy. Wear sunblock.

Here's a good page about cycling in heat (http://www.bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/SummerCycling.htm).

Drink lots of water, especially before the ride and in the beginning. Take it easy. Wear sunblock.

Here's a good page about cycling in heat (http://www.bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/SummerCycling.htm).
The author of this piece confesses to riding a 30-year old American Eagle during the heat of summer. Coincidence?

Drink lots of water, especially before the ride and in the beginning. Take it easy. Wear sunblock.

Here's a good page about cycling in heat (http://www.bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/SummerCycling.htm).

Today I noticed that when climbing a long steep hill without shade that at 120 F it might be a heat stress problem. I was working my muscles but not generating much breeze. I notice that we talk about temperature but the humidity makes a difference. My sister lives in the desert and works outside. She says the dry heat isn't so bad as the Florida humid heat. A friend was just telling me that he pays more attention to something called the "dew point" to judge how comfortable it is to ride.

Today I noticed that when climbing a long steep hill without shade that at 120 F it might be a heat stress problem. I was working my muscles but not generating much breeze. I notice that we talk about temperature but the humidity makes a difference. My sister lives in the desert and works outside. She says the dry heat isn't so bad as the Florida humid heat. A friend was just telling me that he pays more attention to something called the "dew point" to judge how comfortable it is to ride.

That leads to the "feels like" temps and Heat Index. I watch those very closely when I work in humid environments...like most of the time. It really wears on you and many people aren't even aware they exist. The talking heads on the weather reports tell you to stay in an air conditioned room and drink water...where is one of those on my roof?:rolleyes: BTW many people say to stay away from cotton, I have found that cotton weave is more comfortable than knit cotton (ie; T shirts). Also linen is a great hot weather fabric. We had a heat index of around 103 today, but riding wasn't an issue, just took it slow easy and was well hydrated.:thumb: being acclimated to it doesn't hurt either.

Aaron:)

It's getting a bit toastier here today. 14 miles total, max temp 104 F. I'm taking significant breaks under shade trees now. My cost now for cold drinks along the way is lots more than what I'd pay for gasoline.

It's getting a bit toastier here today. 14 miles total, max temp 104 F. I'm taking significant breaks under shade trees now. My cost now for cold drinks along the way is lots more than what I'd pay for gasoline.

Hit McDonalds up $1 any size drink and they usually have powerade.

Another build on summer cycling issues is the sudden storm. I rarely leave home without some sort of rain gear, no matter what the weather forecast is.

Not me. Personally, nothing feels better than sudden rain on a sticky hot day.

I am not a big fan of the heat and I live close to Palm Springs so we do get heat. But 90 degrees doesn’t qualify as that hot to me. Still I wear a simple wicking jersey, head band, and cycling hat. When riding into the sun I can wear it with the bill forward to help block the sun if I don’t need it to block the sun I can wear it backwards. But it helps keep the sun off of the head. They also make a cooling bandana that has a polymer that holds the water in to keep you cooler longer.

Dry heat is different from wet heat. The cooling bandana probably won't help much back east where it's more humid. But I bet it worls well where you live in the desert.

I like wicking Tshirts in both types of heat. They keep you cooler in dry heat, and dry off quicker in humid heat.

Hit McDonalds up $1 any size drink and they usually have powerade.
Save the $1 for investment purposes. :roflmao2:

Water is free, as well as ice at any fast food joint. Bring your own cup,
or if a cyclist is an extreme Simple Life acolyte a used one out of the trash will work fine.

Plenty of water,slow down(it's not a race)something wet around your neck will cool your body temps down.Lots of blood going through the neck.

I ride at night only.

I'll never acclimate to the heat.

+1 My night riding triples during the summer.

The quickie marts around here have these tubular bandanas with vermiculite or expanding gel in them.
One of those soaked in water and across the back of your neck when it's really blistering is nice.

+...
The quickie marts around here ...

Where is here? Somewhere with internet access I suppose?

The author of this piece confesses to riding a 30-year old American Eagle during the heat of summer. Coincidence?

I thought everyone owned one. ;)

Just drink a lot of water.

We've finally gotten up to 100 out here in Fort Worth (before the heat index) and honestly it hasn't felt that bad. Part of it is that I'm not pushing the speed. I rode my (36-year-old) Varsity Tourist today, and in that configuration it's just not a fast bike. It's perfect for this weather.

Water is free, as well as ice at any fast food joint.
For me at least in serious heat water alone really isnt enough, more than an hour on the road and I start to get real light headed. I really try to be frugal as possible with my spending and hate stepping foot in mcdonalds that food harms you really but a $1 with refills is a deal I can chug thier largest size just about in one gulp on a very hot and humid summer day then refill my bottles with my free refills. Valero had a halfy hour between 11a-4p for a while you got some ridicoulous 60oz I think for around a dollar. I have made the mistake of eating fast food while running errands. I can eat pretty much like normal when riding and it not effect me. But fast food makes me toss my cookies mcdonalds and jack in the box both have had this effect on me. Though I have become rather gracefull in tossing my cookies while riding my bike not even missing a pedal stroke.

Dry heat is different from wet heat. The cooling bandana probably won't help much back east where it's more humid. But I bet it worls well where you live in the desert.

I like wicking Tshirts in both types of heat. They keep you cooler in dry heat, and dry off quicker in humid heat.

In serious humidity, you don't dry off, and it doesn't matter how well your clothing wicks. Very irritating. However! A wet bandana or a bit of ice tucked under a broad brimmed woven hat will work wonders. Do not remove the hat, it is critical as portable shade. Straw hats work very well as they're woven at an exceedingly loose gauge. This makes them function better for catching any hint of breeze.

BTW many people say to stay away from cotton, I have found that cotton weave is more comfortable than knit cotton (ie; T shirts). Also linen is a great hot weather fabric. We had a heat index of around 103 today, but riding wasn't an issue, just took it slow easy and was well hydrated.:thumb: being acclimated to it doesn't hurt either.

Aaron:)

Wovens definitely help a lot, but they need the right structure. Structurally, a knit fabric has a lot of air pockets so on a still day it works as an insulator. In wind, a knit by itself usually doesn't do well. Pair it with a closely sett woven, and now it's got even more insulating power.

To get the opposite effect, you want a thin or loosely sett woven fabric. Wovens have almost no air pockets, they are warm because at a close sett they don't let much air through. So to get a cool woven, you want the air able to move through the fabric easily. I have a few cotton lawn dresses and skirts that I wear in the hottest weather... the fabric is so thin that it needs two layers to be opaque, and it's a loose sett, so even with two layers it lets in more air than a tee-shirt.

Another trick is to freeze water in your water bottles. You can't fill them all the way if you do this, but it definitely gets you a portable ice-pack or two that will last for about an hour in 90F/90% humidity. A light colored bottle or an insulating bottle will last a bit longer. If you can keep the meltwater out of the bottle, it seems to help the bottle last longer... and I certainly feel better for drinking it.

Having just moved to Korea from the West coast of the States I have been struggling with the hot and humid thing as well. Where I am from its either hot and dry or cold and wet. I do like riding in the warm rain though, as long as I am headed home. I dont like looking like a wet dog when I go to social events. However, a taxi across town here will only set you back about $2.00 (tipping is rude here) and the local busses run relatively late and cost less than $0.50.

Bring your own cup, or if a cyclist is an extreme Simple Life acolyte a used one out of the trash will work fine.

Straw man, straw man. :roflmao2:

Are you by chance made of straw, ILTB?

Where is here? Somewhere with internet access I suppose?

Rural Georgia.

We have what they call "high speed internet" but I don't call it that since it's not fast enough to keep up with a youtube video.

Straw man, straw man. :roflmao2:

Are you by chance made of straw, ILTB?

Bull-oney. This list often has posts and threads devoted to boasting about the inner joy derived from being homeless, jobless, TV-less, fast food-less, and/or material possession-less. I believe there even have been posts from Real People on this list suggesting/recommending rummaging through the dumpsters of grocery stores for food scraps.

For example see thread http://67.201.16.77/showthread.php?t=163801, start at post 395 and read a couple of pages of posts from people who recommend or admire dumpster diving for food.

Believing that there may be some LCF posters who would seek a freshly used cup from the McDonald's trash can to save a nickle (and the Environment!) doesn't seem like such a stretch to me.

An interesting thing happened today at my yearly medical checkup. The doctor looked at my lab test numbers and said they indicated I was "severely dehydrated" (BUN number was 38 = way out of normal range, everything else was in range).

What happened was that two days earlier I'd cycled to the lab to get tested. The trip to the lab was 16.5 miles including a side trip to straighten out some paperwork. It was in 95-101 F heat and about 25% relative humidity. I'd done my usual routine with electrolyte beverages & all to stay hydrated. I'm pretty sure I managed to achieve a worthwhile level of hydration that was able to keep me going, but the point is that even doing as much as you can to hydrate, you may still lose ground when it's really hot & dry.