Commuting - Sweat reflex with hair trigger

Anyone have any tips to turn of an overactive sweat reflex? I get drenched during a 3 miles morning ride across the bride to my office. Any tips?

Supposedly you can get nerves severed in your armpits (among other places) but that strikes me as overkill. :)

If you truly have hyperhydrosis, you don't have to go as radical as severing anything. A dermatologist can actually just Botox 'em and turn down the response. I sweat like Steve Ballmer, and I've considered having it done, but it's never interfered with anything (so far.)

I find I sweat less is I wear full coverings. I wear a quickdry shirt, usually jean shorts, compression leg covers, and arm sleeves. The covers and sleeves are black lycra type material. I sweat profusely but strangely sweat less with those things on. This is in South Texas heat, mind you. I wear a Walz moisture wicking cap. Honestly my head is the hottest thing on my body, the rest of my body is fine.

If you want some links to the covers and sleeves, let me know.

Now you know why I love riding my bike in the cool autumn weather.........

Avoid cotton, it just absorbs the sweat and ends up looking & feeling gross. Even in the summer I'll wear a wicking undershirt (bought cheap at a Rebok outlet store) under a polyester t-shirt (soccer training shirts are ideal for me & you can score great deals from some of the online retailers if you're patient & not fussy about colours) along with compressions shorts under my bike shorts.

I still sweat like a horse but the fabrics move the perspiration away from your skin, which helps you feel cooler and they dry completely @ the office before the ride home.

you need a smaller bride.

:)

you need a smaller bride.

:)

I was going to make a joke along those lines, but you beat me to it. Dern you! :D

In all seriousness, though, I share your affliction and sweat A LOT. When it's cool enough (like now), I wear cotton sometimes. In warmer temps, though, I certainly stick to (pun absolutely not intended) wicking shirts/performance fabrics. I have a few I got for cheap on Lands End, and one that was a gift w/ my favorite NFL team logo on it. You can get em at Target, etc., too, for not too much ($10/shirt or so). They really do help to keep you drier and cooler.

Are you new to riding? The amount you sweat is related to conditioning. I use to come to work drenched, but now I don't even really notice it. I also sweat more at the beginning of summer, but as I adjust to the heat, I am less sweaty. It also helps to wear wicking clothes. Also, if riding a fast pace, the wind will keep you reasonably dry, especially if your clothes are non-absorbant.

I sweat a lot, and I'm also comfortable at a lower temp than most people are. I enjoy hiking in the snow, only wear glove liners kayaking in the winter, and feel sick from heaters in cars. Cycling can be a sweat fest for me. But it's been less of one lately. Some of this is probably that I've been pushing myself hard to get in really good cycling shape, which has changed my body's idea of exactly what hard work means. I've also lost some weight. And I've rediscovered the miracle of wool ... I can ride up a hill in a good merino base layer and not know that I've been sweating - you don't feel or smell it. :D

I feel your pain. I sweat a lot too. While performance fabrics help, I find the worst thing is ~once I stop~ which is when the faucet really goes on, esp. my head/face. I actually do NOT have significant problems with my pits, but I that might be helped because I wear an anti-perspirant, rather than just a deodorant.

The cooler temps are helping, certainly, and the amount I push can also impact the quantity and duration of the sweat-fest, but even if I ride relatively slowly, wearing wicking t-shirts and cycling shorts, I will begin to feel the sweat as soon as I stop.

The only thing I have to offer is can you schedule your riding to give you 10 minutes (or however long you need) to cool down before you enter your office? I used my Metro ride for that purpose before I decided to bite the bullet and ride the entire distance home to work (well, not really -- I actually drive a portion of it... weird, I know). Now I just have to do my best to cool down in the loading dock/garage area, the freight elevator, and hope that I'm not to drippy by the time I hit the office proper.

I feel your pain. I sweat a lot too. While performance fabrics help, I find the worst thing is ~once I stop~ which is when the faucet really goes on, esp. my head/face.

The only thing I have to offer is can you schedule your riding to give you 10 minutes (or however long you need) to cool down before you enter your office?
I'm the same and arrive early enough to give myself 15 minutes to cool down and dry off before getting dressed.

I sweat less and less the more I ride, but generally I sweat more than other people. I just get used to it, try not to overdress, wear breathable clothing and, like I said, its better with time.

Are you new to riding? The amount you sweat is related to conditioning.

Not entirely. Some of us are just really sweaty, no matter what.
I was (before my surgery) in decent enough shape to ride back to back weekends of 300k brevets with a 120mi commuting week in between. I still sweat like a Sasquatch on a 3 mile round trip to the grocery store.

You perspire to cool the body down. Therefore if you don't get hot, you don't perspire. How not to get hot? [1] wear a singlet with massive armholes and low at front to allow air flow [2] wear short shorts with wide legs with no underwear to allow air flow [3] if using a backpack use one which sit off the back to allow air flow [4] slow your speed [5] ride earlier in the morning when it is cooler.

Ease yjr pace for the last 5 mins of your commute, the reduced effort and continued airflow will help the sweat to evaporate.