Fifty Plus (50+) - Toasted on Saturday (100+ deg.)

My wife and I, both qualifying members of this forum in our early 60's, started at 0930 on a 65 mile group ride. We're on our tandem with a bunch of singles and by the 30 mile point were in these sparse rolling, shadeless hills where the temps must have exceed 100F. Anything over 3-4% was a no-go, but we made it into the lunch stop at the 40 mile point. Water, lunch, rest and I figured we had a shot at finishing although dreading one, unknown hill to come. Slight downhill, cruising at 20 mph no problem. Hit a flat stretch of newly-paved, black-as-hades blacktop and I was finished; I can't imaging the air temperature rising from the road surface. There is a lesson here someplace. Probably relates to old age, stupidity or a combination thereof. BTW, took a cab back to the start and picked up wife and tandem at a yogurt place. Everyone: use common sense. I didn't!

Summer is here so BE CAREFUL out there. Today, the inland areas of So Cal are supposed to hit 100+ and there isn't any shade. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate with minerals and lower your exertion levels (and expectations) to compensate for the heat.

Riding with high temperatures, especially when combined with high humidity is very stressful, especially if you are not acclimated to it. Be careful out there. Take it easy and replenish your fluids and electrolytes much more than normal. Things can go bad in a hurry in the heat if you push too hard and don't drink enough.

Riding with high temperatures, especially when combined with high humidity is very stressful, especially if you are not acclimated to it.


When I worked in France- We had a couple of race meetings (Karting) where the humidity was way high- In fact we had a whole summer of it. I got onto Salt tablets (And I do now know the health risks) and these worked wonders. Didn't matter how high the temp was- it was the Humidity that was the killer. One salt tablet every 4 hours and we could work in the heat of the day and this was often in excess of 100F. All the other teams were practicing in the evenings when it was cooler.

I now use isotonic drinks or a powder that that gives an energy drink that is full of electrolytes and essential salts. And on the food side- Salted nuts or a Marmite sandwich work aswell. And on the long rides that I now occasionally do- It is one 500ml of water and a 500ml of energy drink every hour as a minimum.

And Summer has finally hit the UK- Britain will be wilting next week with the temps in the mid 70's.

I don't ride well in heat, get dizzy easily. Today I rode by the coast but even there it was very warm, I'm guessing around 85+.

I don't want to drive to the coast 4 days a week to ride, but it looks like I either cut back on my riding or do the coast. It's about 25 miles one way to get there.

Where I live it will top 100 easily. I can't ride early because I have to walk the dogs early before the heat starts. Can't ride in the evening when it starts cooling down, have to walk the dogs again.
What does everyone else do when the temperature starts rising?

In Texas we had 100+ for over a week now. My after work rides are limited to 10 miles, as it is just to hot/humid/windy to take much longer. I relate to the black top roads, as I ride on them as well and the added heat rising from them is a killer.

On the weekends (like this morning) I get up early and hit the road and get 25 in before it gets much more than 90..... The simple rule that works best is to drink before you get thirsty, and eat (gel, bar...etc) before you need it.

Living in the desert Southwest (Tucson) have experienced 100+ degrees for 90 days one summer.
Our solution (before we retired) was to ride our tandem just before sunup, get in 20 miles. Come home, change clothes and jump on commuter bike to head for work.
Warmest going home commute was 117 degrees with 2% humidity. No fun!
Have also ridden tandem in 98 degrees with matching humidity in Maryland . . . that was brutal.
Ride early; hydrate; if very low humidity wet your cycling cap and bandana.
Humans can, and do, adapt!

An hour ago it was 110* (3:15 pm PDT). This was a rest day for us so we walked the dogs early.

With this kind of heat I like to get on the road by 6-6:30, while the humidity is up and the air feels fresh.

Rode in the Valley yesterday (Red, we went to Steady Eddy's!) and it was pretty hot. Not quite miserable, per se, but pretty damn hot. Yeah, riding in open farm land is not so much fun with the sun beating down on your head, so today, back home (and approx the same temps), I just decided to stand under the garden hose until I was thoroughly soaked, then went on my ride. I picked a route that I knew had faucets that I could turn on, and kept soaking myself as I went. Other than riding in what felt like a big, wet diaper, my core temp remained stable and the ride was actually enjoyable. Evaporative cooling is your friend.

What does everyone else do when the temperature starts rising?

Sweat a lot

We have had two weeks of 100+ temps. I usually try to get in a ride in the morning before it goes over 90. That only works when I working afternoons. Last week I worked mornings and the afternoon was spent indoors.

I got heat stroke running in 90+ temps years ago. I didn't drink enough and went longer than I should have. I know better now but even so... I finished both water / Gatorade bottles with a few miles left to go last week. Cut it a little close. Be careful out there.

Rode in the Valley yesterday (Red, we went to Steady Eddy's!) and it was pretty hot. Not quite miserable, per se, but pretty damn hot. Yeah, riding in open farm land is not so much fun with the sun beating down on your head, so today, back home (and approx the same temps), I just decided to stand under the garden hose until I was thoroughly soaked, then went on my ride. I picked a route that I knew had faucets that I could turn on, and kept soaking myself as I went. Other than riding in what felt like a big, wet diaper, my core temp remained stable and the ride was actually enjoyable. Evaporative cooling is your friend.

Darn, you should've called! Valleygirl from SoCal and I could've used a stop at the cafe'; she was wanting a soda and I was wanting someone to bring my legs back. )c:

I'll be on the road tomorrow around 6 a.m. Stay cool, Norman.

I should be out at 6:00 am tomorrow. The temp will be aout 58F - light jacket - and will rise to about 87F by 3 pm or so.

I look forward to a great ride in the am!!

I was out this am at 6 am for a short ride prior to driving to the summer gospelfest to sing. It was nice and cool, saw 3 deer.

I've always handled the heat well, but not so much this year. I struggled with it on a 300k last week, and even more on a 200k the week before that. Today, I settled for 52 miles early.

One thing making the heat harder to take around here this year is that we haven't really had much of it before now to get us acclimated. Usually by this time of year we have had a few stretches of several really hot days. I'm still relearning how to deal with it.

One disadvantage to scheduled club rides is the inability to adapt to conditions. The ride was scheduled for 0930 with no way to reschedule. 0600 would have made much more sense. Of course, if I'd had any sense I wouldn't have driven over 90 miles to get baked. Best to stay close to home so we can ride early when it's hot.

6:15 am
58F
Headed out!

Noon - 81F, back home!

I don't ride well in heat, get dizzy easily. Today I rode by the coast but even there it was very warm, I'm guessing around 85+.

I don't want to drive to the coast 4 days a week to ride, but it looks like I either cut back on my riding or do the coast. It's about 25 miles one way to get there.

Where I live it will top 100 easily. I can't ride early because I have to walk the dogs early before the heat starts. Can't ride in the evening when it starts cooling down, have to walk the dogs again.
What does everyone else do when the temperature starts rising?

I slow WAY DOWN, make much more frequent stops, drink much moe, try to choose routes with more shade. Early mornings sometimes work for me, but I know what you mean with the dogs

Sweat a lot

and drink a lot.

Today we lucked out, it is only 77 degrees with LOTS of cloud cover. I'm sure it raining in the mountains near us.

I'm hoping it will be like this tomorrow so I can ride. I might end up at the zoo, taking pictures, if it looks like I can't ride.

It was 100 when I finished my 30 mile ride on Sunday. From mid-May thru Sept it is common in Arizona to have temps 90+ when you finish a ride late in the morning. You have to take it easy when temps get near 100. Also, I wear a 100 oz camelbak. In the summer I freeze some water in it so I have cool water for most, if not all, the ride.

Got a later start on my ride then I would have liked. It stayed fairly cool until I turned around and headed home. By noon the temperature had risen to around 100. I drank a LOT of water and munched on my Cliff Bar. By the time I got home, I was pretty warm and sweaty, but I didn't have the problems I have had in the past (dizzy, nausea etc.).

I almost talked myself out of going for a ride today, glad I went!

I just got back from a week of trout fishing in Creede, CO. The fish are glad I left.

But the warmest temperature I saw for a week was 74 degrees F. Time to start getting ready for Hotter-N-Hell, which is what it has been here in CenTx.