YouthInAsia

Driving sucks. I'd love to bicycle commute. But I'm unwilling to ride 11.5 miles one way in 110°F heat. It'll be 100+ all week, culminating with 110 on Friday. Ugh.

Would you do it? And what's your current mental state if you say 'yes.' :-)

Marcus_Ti

Ambient temp matters less than the dewpoint.

110F with 10% humidity and a 50F dewpoint is entirely different that 110F ambient with 90% humidity and an 85F dewpoint.

And yes. With lots of water.

MZilliox

It didn't get to 104 at 8am, commute time. So yes, I did commute yesterday morning and eve with over 100 degrees. I did not today though. I would allow more time, take more water, and ride slower.
My current mental state is high as a kite, but not at 8am... ok, not really, but I suppose to ride in this weather you think I'd have to be on something.

jimmie65

It's very possible I will later this summer. Last year wasn't so bad but the year before that I had a couple of rides during August. Ten miles in 105+ degrees and probably 40-50% humidity. Add in that nice hot dry headwind, and it made for a pleasant ride.
3 water bottle cages and an extra water bottle thrown in the trunk bag.

It all depends on what you're used to. I hate riding in freezing temps and would take the heat any day.

harshbarj

Would I do it? Honestly I would have no choice. I only ride a bicycle. I have been out in far worse heat than that as the heat index can get to 120-125 for a week or two in mid july. Honestly it's the cold that stops me long before heat. Today it was 94° (about 35c) though low humidity, so it was quite nice. but I like warm weather. Phoenix would be the idea city for me weather wise.

tjspiel

Yes.

That's likely to remain a theoretical "yes" since triple digit temps only happen here once in awhile and I don't know if I've ever been out in 110 degree weather. I've definitely ridden in the low 100's before and honestly didn't find it as hard as the other extreme. I think I could handle 110 OK with enough water, but yeah humidity makes a lot of difference.

KenshiBiker

Last summer I planned to take off work a few hours early on a Friday afternoon and extend my normal 15-mile one-way commute home. Unfortunately that Friday coincided with one of the hottest days of the year. I swore I saw my Garmin display a temp of 118, but I think when I uploaded the data, it showed a high temp of "only" 112. Fortunately, as Marcus_Ti points out, it was a dry heat. As I recall, I ended up cutting the ride short, and ended up with about 30 miles for the afternoon (plus the 15 from the morning commute).

As long as I have enough water, the (dry) heat doesn't bother me too much. It may slow me down, but then, I don't ride that fast to begin with .

t x

I was out in triple digit temperature a handful of times last summer and in 90+ degree temperature regularly. Since it was a dry heat, it didn't feel particularly uncomfortable. The only challenge was that I had to make an active effort to stay hydrated (I probably drank 2-3x what I normally do on rides of similar distance in more pleasant weather.)

fietsbob

I moved to avoid weather like that ..

noglider 

Goodness, that's hot. Where are you? Folks, you can put your locations in your profiles, and I'll never ask again.

Steely Dan

Being that it has never been that hot in the history of chicago, I can't say for sure, but I'd probably bail and just call in sick that day if it ever got to 110. I freaking HATE extreme heat; no way would I even think about leaving my air conditioned home.

Giant Doofus

I don't know about 110, but Memphis (where I am) regularly gets up to the high 90s and even 100 with very high humidity. My spouse and I normally leave town for the summer, but are staying put this year. So, my answer to your question is: I guess we'll find out! I'm thinking that if it is low 90s in the morning, I should be okay. I'll just have to slog it home in the evenings. Fortunately, I only go six miles. To be honest, I do have the option of working at home whenever I want during the summers (my research doesn't require me to go into a lab, so I can get my work done from the dining room table), so I suspect I'll skip riding on the hottest days.

I definitely feel for our "economy" riders who have to get to work no matter what and that means standing at the bus stop or pedaling home in every kind of weather.

Marcus_Ti

The trick I find. Cover up in white light-weight gear...and avoid the high-noon sunlight hours if possible, i.e. riding at dawn/dusk.

caloso

Yes, but where I live the unofficial city motto is "But it's a dry heat." 100F+ temperatures are pretty common here during the summer, with peak temperatures at evening commute times. But the RH is quite low: 15-20%. If you keep moving and keep drinking, it's actually not too bad.

Personally I would rather be in 105F/15%RH than 85F/99%RH like Chicago Dan has to deal with.

Eric S.

For being a guy with "northern" blood, I've adapted quite nicely to Las Vegas summer heat. I can do a recreational ride when it's over 100F, but we have very little humidity.

realityinabox

110 in MI, hell no. 110 in the SW, possibly. As others have said, it's all about the humidity.

jbarham

If it's 110 degrees, chances are good that I won't be leaving the house!

ThermionicScott 

I would, and possibly have. I know that it got over 100 degrees several days during RAGBRAI a few years ago, and our humidity ain't exactly low during the summer.

Mental state: nothing diagnosed except for ADD.

howeeee

Doesnt usually get over a hundred in Michigan, but I ride from 0 degrees to 100+

tarwheel 

Not around here. We don't often get temps above 100 F, but it is almost always very humid here in summer. I have commuted on days when the heat index was 110, but the "real" temperature was in the low 100s. I did not enjoy it. If the actual temp hit 110 around here, the heat index would most certainly be higher than 120, which is not safe for riding in my book.

Darth Lefty 

I rode to school in Phoenix when I was a kid, and in the summer would ride to the water park. I don't remember it being a problem but then, I was a kid, and you do things you don't know you can't. Yesterday here it was around 100 and that was pretty bearable.

A few years ago I rode a motorcycle across AZ in July, and at that speed it's like a blast furnace. You just can't make enough sweat for it to work. I'd stop often for cold water.

Darth Lefty 

Me too

alan s 

I do it over 100 F, but I don't think it ever gets to 110 F. Lots of humidity around here. Stay hydrated during the day, carry 2 bottles of water and most importantly, take it a little easier than normal. Water on the head is great for cooling.

SkvLTD

I wouldn't, but without almost much exaggeration, humidity in DC is often as bad as the temperatures.

YouthInAsia

Yes, that's my exact thought. :-)

Far Northern California. 2.5 hours South of the Oregon border.

Unfortunately, that's not an option for me at present. But, yes, I hate the summers here.

Close to 0 humidity here. It's a dry, dry heat. But I hate it. And I don't want to ride slow. I like speed.

Key word here: DIAGNOSED :-)

I've been to DC in August. It was just plain gross outdoors. Pretty sure I wouldn't even be bold enough to ride when it's 80°F in DC.