General Cycling Discussion - Evaporation

Will someone please be kind enough to explain to me about evaporation?

I'm relatively new to biking, been doing it seriuosly for about 8 months. I'm still in the process of getting all the equipment I need (at this point I need mostly clothing). I live in Scottsdale, AZ and at this time of the year the temps are generally in the 40's and 50's when I ride mid morning. I wear a sweat suit with a light jacket over it. I ride between 20 to 40 miles per ride at about 14 - 15 MPH.

When I come in from a ride I'm drenched, underwear, sweatsuit, jacket, everything. I feel like I've just taken a shower, but know that's what I really need.

I know what I'm currently wearing is not the correct attire to be biking in. What is the correct attire? I do not mean Bibs and a shirt, I'm referring to material and why.

Thank you.

You need clothes that wick better. Your sweatsuit is soaking up your persperation and your jacket is holding the moisture in. For bicycling, anything cotton pretty much sucks regardless of weather. Try wearing more technical wicking fabrics from the skin out. My bet is that you'll be more comfortable.

You can get decent wicking shirts almost anywhere now.
I've seen UnderArmour at Walmart. Get a t shirt made of a
wicking material, throw something over it. take the something off when you get hot. Campor always has stuff on sale.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=226&memberId=12500226&productId=39145585

The fabrics you are looking for go by many different brand names. They work by letting the moisture out. Here are just a few:

http://www.bicycleapparel.com/fabrics.html

At the temps you mention (40s-50s), I like a tight against the skin wicking material (both top & bottom). Anything you wear over this should breathe (release moisture & heat as vapor, not condense it as liquid) really well. Keeping your skin as dry as possible seems to keep you cooler at higher temperatures (50s) & warmer at lower temps (40s or 30s). Tight-against-the-skin has the added advantage of not flapping when you unlayer. Whoa :eek: I've just described the classic cycling jersey & shorts :)

Thank you, one and all.

Still have a few questions though, What do you by "wicking material"? Is this a type of clothing or a special material? Is there something special I should be looking for in either the garment material content or in the manufactures product description?

Thanks.

My Zyflex (about 1/2 the cost of UnderArmour) is 82% polyester 18% lycra

Norton,

Thank you.

There are a lot of polyester fabrics which do not absorb water into the fibres, but allow it to evapourate, or even transport the water away from the skin. This is wicking.
For cold weather riding you need to think in layers. The inner layer wicks water away from the skin. The outer layer stops the wind from chilling you, but lets enough water vapour through to keep you comfortable. The mid layer is just for insulation and can be light fleece or even wool. Modern polyester or nylon microfibre windproof jackets are good. Waterproofs like Goretex are not breathable enough so use them only in the rain.
On your legs, wear some kind of close fitting stretchy leggings over your bike shorts.
Start the ride a bit cold and dont over-dress.You dont need expensive stuff or even cycle specific clothing in winter. No-name brand hiking and running gear is good enough.

Michael,

Thank you.

go to the bike ranch in scottsdale, i think they will be very happy to answer and show some good stuff.
good luck

Dharleyd,

Thanks, that a great suggestion. I was up there a few months ago to check on a bike rack. It's about 15 minutes from the house.

Ideally, you're cool under your clothes. You don't want to be wet at all, if you can help it. When you buy the proper gear, as suggested above, try to wear layers that are easy to remove and/or allows you to ventilate as needed.

Stay cool :)

Opie,

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

Wool can also be a good choice, if you dislike synthetics. Basically, as RG pointed out, cotton is not good at displacing moisture.

You should be able to go to most sport/athlethic stores and find Under Armour jerseys. I have one and it works very well, it is thin and able to breathe in the hot weather. You want to make sure you don't wear anything extremly loose, you are like a human parachute in the wind and you'll just be peddling hard, yet not getting anywhere, fast at least. The shorts work in the same manner where again they are tight and sweat is able to drip right off them. Most LBS have jerseys as well, that work the same way most Under Armour jerseys work. Some of them are loose while others are tight.

Will someone please be kind enough to explain to me about evaporation?

I'm relatively new to biking, been doing it seriuosly for about 8 months. I'm still in the process of getting all the equipment I need (at this point I need mostly clothing). I live in Scottsdale, AZ and at this time of the year the temps are generally in the 40's and 50's when I ride mid morning. I wear a sweat suit with a light jacket over it. I ride between 20 to 40 miles per ride at about 14 - 15 MPH.

When I come in from a ride I'm drenched, underwear, sweatsuit, jacket, everything. I feel like I've just taken a shower, but know that's what I really need.

I know what I'm currently wearing is not the correct attire to be biking in. What is the correct attire? I do not mean Bibs and a shirt, I'm referring to material and why.

Thank you.
I also ride in the same area (Tempe, Chandler, Mesa) and during this time of year in the early morning (at 7am it was in 38-40deg range and humid last week) I wear a sythetic long sleve shirt (made for running, but not loose) with a synthetic short sleeve over it. For legs I have on short length bike shorts with Hot Chillis brand tights over them (they are just a brand of synthetic long underwear that doesn't look like long underwear since they are black). This combo works fine down to ~35deg when dry. I don't put on my jacket unless it is raining or below that temp and while the jacket (REI brand) does not breath that well it has enough vents in pits and I can make arm cuffs loose so that I can avoid sweat build up - if say it is 40deg and raining.

I think sweat pants and a jacket in the current temp (esp. this week as morning have warmed up to 51deg) may just be too much warmth that makes you sweat and doesn't breath away moisture (sweats are usually cotton which holds it)

Al

Bop Bop, when you work out you will sweat, no matter what the temperature outside. You just want to control it by getting it away from your skin. That means wick it away from your skin. If the outer layer can evaporate it, good. If you need a windbreaker over what you're wearing, then just provide something to 'sink' the sweat into. Despite what anyone says, membranes like Gore-Tex WILL NOT pass enough vapor to keep you dry - if you wear a windbreaker you will have something getting wet.

the most recognizeable name in wicking fabrics is CoolMax, but there's a zillion competing products out there. Virtually ALL cycling jerseys you can buy are of wicking fabric. Being synthetic, they are hydrophobic, meaning they will not soak up or hold water. Cotton holds LOTS of water, then gets cold and clammy. In cool weather, I like to use polypropylene. You can find polypro long underwear in just about any sporting goods store. Tights, a LS polypro undershirt, a cycling jersey, and a windbreaker with breathable back are a good combination for 40F weather. (YMMV)

Another important tip is to start cold. If you step out of your house and you feel nice and toasty, you are overdressed. Remember you are going to build up heat as you ride so you want to start while feeling a bit chilled. Lots of light weight layers with zippers that open up is better than one heavy layer.

Stuart Black

Thanks everyone. Until I posted this thread I thought these types of issues where for people in really cold weather, boy I could not have been more wrong if I tried.

Tonight the wife and I are going to a Super Walmart near the house, supposedly they have compression wicking shirts on sale for $6.48 per. I have not seen them as of yet, but if they are decent I will be buying a few.

I'm going to wear them under the biking shirts the wife brought me for Christmas. She also gave me a pair of Eastbay long wicking pants. I'm going to put them under a pair of shorts.

I have never heard of the term "Starting Cold", but when you think of it, it makes perfect sense.

Thank you all again.

ACK! Unless money's tight, don't shop at Wal-Mart.

:)

BopBop
Dont use anything under bike shorts, think of the shorts as underwear. Use unpadded leggings over the shorts. Some leggings have a built-in pad but you have to wash these after every use. Its easier just to wash shorts.

I do not normally shop at Walmart, as a matter of fact this is only the second time I've ever been in one, there price on this is at least half of anything I've seen.

Thanks for the shorts idea, I did not think of it.