Light

I'm 6'4, 235lbs, 59, with an average ride of 14-15 miles at a 14mph pace on a hybrid bike 5-6 times a week for the last 4 months. I've always been a 'heavy sweater' with any physical activity, but I'm frankly dripping buckets after 20 minutes, to the point I'm starting to wonder if this is healthy or I'm over exerting as I watch sweat dripping from my helmet, running down my glasses, dripping on my legs, bike frame, etc. Of course when I finish it's 20x worse as I cool down. Living in the heat & humidity of Houston sure isn't helping. Sweat is a good thing of course, but is excessive sweat like this something I should be concerned about?

TrojanHorse

Make sure you stay hydrated ALL THE TIME.

Look into a Halo (or similar) headband. That solved my sweaty sunglasses problem completely.

And of course, Houston.

If you're really clever you can weigh yourself before and after exercise to see if you're taking on enough fluids. You will lose a little fluid weight but it shouldn't be excessive.

Short Cut

Welcome to the forum, Light. I'm not qualified to give you an answer. However I question has there been a change in the amount of sweat recently? If so have the conditions also changed? Wish I could be more helpful, but it sounds like a question for your doctor.

Rollfast

Sweat is keeping you from overheating. So it's a bit nasty socially...

Got panniers/sabblebags? Keep a small towel or two and a shirt change or a little more if it gets to be a bit much and you need to stay out a while.

And keep drinking that water. You are a trouper, keep it up!

Judi

If you are suddenly sweating A LOT more than you have in previous summers with similar weather and similar exercise, it's time for a checkup.

Willbird

Some people are salty sweaters too, they need more electrolytes than normal sweaters :-). Having it run off in buckets might be better than having it evaporate leaving salt behind that all dissolves when you cool down, dripping into your eyes and burning like %#геА

Haff

I sweat like a lawn sprinkler at the hint of exertion. I have for the last 20 years. Hell, I had a PT appointment yesterday and the PT even asked me if I was feeling ok due to the amount of sweat I was putting on his equipment.

Anyway, If its hot and humid where you are then you will sweat a lot. Its normal and needed to keep your body from overheating and doing damage to itself. You just have to make sure you put the fluid and electrolytes back quick enough to not cause problems. This means drinking during rides, before rides, after rides, pretty much always. As for the electrolytes, there are a ton of good ways to do that, just keep in mind it is not just sodium. You need several others in order to avoid cramping, GI issues, etc. I personally like the brand "salt stick". they make good stuff. My wife likes to add nuun tablets to her water. There are many other choices out there.

Oh, and I second the Halo line of head gear for keeping sweat off your face. Just make sure the one you get has the rubber sealing edge, not just fabric.

scrming

I'm right there with you.... I always joke that I can just THINK about a hot room and I will start sweating! Great think about being a heavy sweater is I can basically ride on even the hottest days here in Michigan! I have no problem going out and doing a nice long ride on 100 degree day.... it's all about hydration and replacing those electrolytes!

Null66

Same here! I leave a trail on a hot day!

I seem to sweat less after defined training program...

i dehydrate easily, and that causes gout flare ups...��


Mary, needs far more salt then I. She gets salt streaks on her clothes. She gets weak if not replaced...

JerrySTL

I sweat a lot also. The last time I had to walk a bike up a hill wasn't because of it being too steep. Rather I was sweating so much that I was getting blinded by the sweat in my eyes. That's when I started wearing do-rags. The HeadSweats Shorty is my favorite. They come in enough colors that you might even be able to match your helmet. Amazon, Performance, and many others sell them.

As others have mentioned. Drink a lot while riding. Don't get dehydrated. If riding over 2 hours, make sure to use a sports drink that has sodium and other electrolytes in it.

Mithrandir

My trainer says that sweat is generally a good thing. When you sweat easily, that means your body is attuned to your exercise; it knows it's time to exercise and turns on the waterworks.

Additionally, living in a humid climate makes sweat more apparent. Most people aren't aware of just how much they actually sweat on a bike because the bulk of it evaporates into the air when riding along. But if you suddenly go and work out indoors, cyclists are often shocked at how much they're sweating, because now you don't have the cool outdoor air to evaporate it all. Humidity has the same effect; the air is already saturated with water, and thus it doesn't evaporate as easily, and that makes you feel like you're sweating more. I always feel a lot more sweaty on humid days, but my scale indicates that my sweat loss isn't any different on humid days compared to dry days.

Bottom line: Don't "sweat" it. You're probably fine.

mi.tom

Add one more to the "heavy sweater club" or I say I am a professional sweater. I also can't say anything except what people have already said. Hydrate. I also ride a hybrid and carry a couple of smaller towels in my bag on the rack. and a change of shirt left in the vehicle if I drive to go ride. I used to carry a whole change of clothes when I commuted. But back to sweat, I would think that if you are like I am and grew up and nothing has changed my Dr. said something along the lines of so you sweat a lot, don't worry. This was after doing stress test, blood work etc.

Light

Thanks 4 all your replies .... Really been helpful! I'll check out the halo headgear, seems like it may be a winner, the tennis-type headbands I have are too thick under the helmet.

Also going to mount a second holder for electrolyte drink, lately been riding longer journeys with an empty water bottle when done.

Null66

Grateful for the halo reccomendations... Just bought their cap as I need sun protection.

zandoval 

Here in Bastrop Tx at 102 degrees a 14 mile ride requires 2qt water before the ride and 2qt during ride and I'll still loose a copula pounds in weight after the ride. If you add it up thats more than a gallon of water moving in and out of my body over a single short ride.

I have a 2qt water jug that I drink out of and fill it at least twice a day even if not riding. When riding I'll mix in 1/4 tsp Salt Substitute to every 2qts...

I stay away from sport drinks with mystery lites and artificial sweeteners...

Also... Most of the ranchers and other working people around here do the same...

Needles

In the high desert one thing people who move here have to learn is that they are still sweating like crazy, even if they are not wet. After a kickboxing bag workout, I look like someone hosed me down. That's indoors, with swamp coolers. I can ride for hours outside and only my hair and chest are wet. Just stay hydrated, above all else. As Hunter S. Thompson's doc once told him, "Sweating is good. If you stop sweating, you're in trouble."

ColaJacket

The only way that I would think that excessive sweating would be a problem, would be if it is causing you to be dehydrated.

What does your urine look like after a ride?

Here's one of many Urine Hydration Charts:



It might not be too unusual to be in 4/5 after a ride, but if you are constantly in this range, you need to do more hydration before a ride. If you're in the 1-3 chart, you're doing a good job. If you're at 6-8, then you may need to reconsider cycling or how you're doing your hydration before and during a ride.

GH

Light

Great chart, thanks for sharing Cola! Im a #2 or 3 ..... putting my mind to ease

Haff

I had something like a #8 once... that was some scary stuff to see coming out. I knew I was dehydrated, but I had no idea how bad. Since then I have been a lot careful and stayed hydrated!

winston63 

This is so true for me! On most of my rides I'm not aware that I'm sweating much at all. That is, until I stop and then I'm dripping buckets when the evaporative wind is no longer there.

As others have said, keep replenishing the liquid and electrolytes and you'll be fine.

IBOHUNT

Nothing better than a white encrusted jersey ...

Ask me how I know

Willbird

I have actually had darker than #8 a few times after drinking heavily,then sleeping it off, is there extra points if the urine fizzes ?? Because it did.

mi.tom

That is is just the left over.... Yeah I think I have ridden the day after with something like that. That was a stop everywhere to hydrate and go real slow ride. To be young and STUPID.

IBOHUNT

Like this morning when I went and rode for 1:50, drank (2) 21oz podium bottles and still lost 2 lbs.

Short Cut

This seems like an appropriate place to mention this. If y'all have an issue with underarm sweat there is a product out there that actually works to prevent underarm sweat. It's a roll on that you apply before bedtime.

https://www.amazon.com/Certain-Dri-Cl...4756374&sr=8-3