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When is it too hot for you to not ride?

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When is it too hot for you to not ride?

Old 07-22-11, 03:51 PM
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When is it too hot for you to not ride?

It is 109 here in DC today with a heat index of 120! I think that is too hot to ride but I still see some folks out there riding away. I love riding but I don't think i am willing to risk heat stroke or death to do it.
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Old 07-22-11, 03:55 PM
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Out in Idaho it gets hot but we don't have to deal with the humidity. 100 isn't that bad, when it is dry heat. I don't usually get hot until I have to stop at a cross street or something, and the breeze stops. That is when it gets bad.

EDIT: I've told myself that I'm not going to allow myself to talk myself out of riding though, so I plan on riding through just about anything.
NOTE: I jsut started a few weeks ago though, so ask me again in a few months.
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Old 07-22-11, 04:01 PM
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It's too hot to ride when the rubber on your tires start to melt.


Caveat: The hotter it gets, the more you need to pay attention to hydration needs. My standard for 'normal' weather is 24 oz/hr. At 100° F, I should probably increase that by 50%.
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Old 07-22-11, 04:02 PM
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It's TOO hot....right now......no way am I riding.
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Old 07-22-11, 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by morph3715
When is it too hot for you to not ride?
I haven't gotten that point yet. Just as I haven't gotten to the point of "When is it too cold for you to not ride".
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Old 07-22-11, 04:23 PM
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The grammarian in me has to point out that it is difficult to find a temperature that is "too hot for me to NOT ride", but I find temps of over 100* "too hot for me to ride."
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Old 07-22-11, 04:28 PM
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Usually a heat wave means the air is dead still - not even so much as a breeze. So a bike ride kind of simulates a little bit of cool wind. It's better than nothing.

Right now it's the same temperature in Seattle and in Anchorage, so this is all theoretical for me. But if it were hot out here, I'd bike to a beach on the lake after work and go for a swim to cool off.
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Old 07-22-11, 04:30 PM
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When I was younger I would ride in the heat. Never really considered the temp when I rode, high or low. But now at almost 64 excuses are easier to come by. Like le Tour is on. Guess I'll ride the trainer. I lost my Yellow Jersy today though

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Old 07-22-11, 04:48 PM
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I rode 30 miles today and it was brutal. 96 deg here in NC with a heat index of 102. The air was very humid and heavy and made breathing difficult. In hindsight it was probably a bit hot to ride today

I have a TT tomorrow night that will be tough too.
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Old 07-22-11, 07:37 PM
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I'll ride in any heat, but I won't ride for exercise in hot temperatures. If it's very hot, I ease off on the speed and do a nice relaxed pace, since that way I stay much cooler than if I were walking.
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Old 07-22-11, 07:48 PM
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it depends on what you are used to. If you are used to riding in 109 degree temps with 90+% humidity then it's probably not a big deal. If you are not used to it then you probably shoudn't do it or if you do make sure you back off on the effort and have plenty of fluids available.
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Old 07-22-11, 07:50 PM
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can you condition your body to stand the humidity? Like using the steam room at gyms?
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Old 07-22-11, 07:55 PM
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In Feburary I would kill for a 100 degree day to ride. If there isn't a tornado or hail, I go for a ride.
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Old 07-22-11, 08:04 PM
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Here in South East Texas, it is HOT all summer long. Our daily temps average 98 to 102 almost every day, with 75+ percent humidity and I dont ever find it too hot to ride. That's not to say I dont wait until mid-evening and go out for a 15 mile spin, five night a week. I enjoy it much more when I can ride in the shade.

The key for me is hydrate, hydrate, and more hydration. I drink 24 oz of water a half hour before I leave for my ride, another 24 oz's right before I head out the door, and a full 24 oz bottle on my fifty minute loop.

I have only been riding for four months, after a 25 year layoff, and since the beginning of summer when the heat fully set in, I am finding the Texas heat not to be as unbearable as it was for the first four years I lived here.

Last edited by Tex Bs; 07-22-11 at 08:07 PM. Reason: add info
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Old 07-23-11, 06:37 AM
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I'm going to try a nice slow ride on the C&O Canal, starting at Point of Rocks; should be shaded and cooler. I got new Schwalbe Marathon Cross tires for the Pig and want to try them out.
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Old 07-23-11, 07:19 AM
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Heat index around 115-120 is where I draw the line. Even though I can handle that heat (we are on our 40th day of 100+ temp so far), when it gets that high riding is just not fun. Same thing with cold, although being a Texan I admit my definition of cold would make a lot you laugh...
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Old 07-23-11, 03:30 PM
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I've ridden in 107 degrees. But at that temperature, it was straight home from work with no extra diversions.

If you ride every day, you'll get somewhat used to it. June is the month I have trouble, since there's usually a week every year when the high increases from 85 to near 100, and it's tough for a couple weeks after that.
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Old 07-23-11, 03:36 PM
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Def riding on the rollers today. Maybe I will challenge Cadel to a TT. Thermostat reads 75. Perfect! Be careful out there in the heat guys!
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Old 07-23-11, 05:23 PM
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It was 85 degrees here at 5:30am. Started riding at 6:30am, by 8:00am it had to be about 95 degrees with high humidity. Took my 3L Camelbak with water and 2 Polar bottles mixed with Gatorade. I drank every bit of it within a 26 mile ride. I know the road bike crowd looks down on Camelbaks, but really I dont care. The last thing I want to do is get dehydrated in this kind of weather 10-15 miles from home.
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Old 07-23-11, 07:49 PM
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yes; when I moved here i asked on a martial arts forum. Someone forwarded an Army manual on the subject. the upshot of said report is that a baseline soldier will adapt to a hot climate as well as the natives in two weeks (the healthier the faster and vice versa) if they do two hours of cardio in the heat every day, which can be broken into two one hour workouts. Plus warnings to hydrate adequately and such and not overdo it. They did, however, specify that the exercise must be CARDIO, not strength building or skill building focused.
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Old 07-23-11, 07:53 PM
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The ride was great! From Point of Rocks Md to Harpers Ferry WV on the shaded C&O Canal - 27 miles of easy riding with no bright sun, Still hot, though.
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Old 07-24-11, 12:41 PM
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It seems for me that once I passed 62 yrs old my ability to deal with extreme heat or cold has gotten less every year.

That said, When it's over 85 deg. heat in summer I stay in to avoid a heat headache or lightheaded feeling.

When it's below 20 deg. in winter I stay in since cold cause feeling to leave my legs.

Getting old is a b!tch..........
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Old 07-24-11, 03:48 PM
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I hit the road this morning at 9AM, and it was 95°F with a heat index of 100°F. Riding in the shade was a breeze, but once I was out in the sun it was brutal. I kept drinking, but I had this feeling of pressure in my chest, my heart felt like it was beating erratically, and I started to get that 'panic' feeling. Had to pull over and sit down in the shade, but it did not help much. Good thing I was only 5 miles from my house when it happened. I think I know what my limit is now.
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Old 07-24-11, 06:21 PM
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As I was riding this afternoon at around 2pm my bike computer said it was 104f. As long as I was moving I was fine, but a couple of times I had to stop and wait for my friends and then I would get hot.

Our weather should cool down in 6 or 7 weeks, till then if I want to ride I'll be sweating.

ps--

I find that as long as I'm wearing something sleeve-less with shorts or a skirt I can handle the heat and sweating fine...
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Old 07-25-11, 12:06 AM
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I rode 12 miles last week in 90 degree heat. Dryish heat for upstate NY, too. Took my leisurely time, 55 minutes. Went through about 30oz of powerade/water (had both with me) and didn't feel too bad after the ride, although I quickly escaped into my air-conditioned room.

Did 15 miles today at a much slower pace (95 minutes) with my girlfriend, and I was far more comfortable at 80.

I could easily ride in 100 degree dry heat, but I would need a lot of powerade, water, and some granola bars to keep me going. I normally take the safe way out and dont ride over 90, however.
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