slvoid

Now that summer's around, I have about 20 minutes exposure in full sunlight in the morning and evening on my commute. Only 20 min... should I use sunscreen? The full commute's longer but it's mostly shaded in the city. I'm already starting to get pretty damn dark.

filtersweep

If you are already dark, what is the problem?

I never use sunscreen, unless I'm near the equator.

slooney

Look at it this way- Skin tone darkness does not mean you're impervious to the damaging effects of solar radiation. The more time you're exposed to the sun's damaging rays, the greater harm you've done to your skin, and the greater risk YOU have for getting skin cancer. 40 minutes a day is not inconsequential. You're closer to the equator than most of us (On average, the sun's rays have less atmosphere to penetrate and are also more direct, thus damaging, the closer you get to the equator) and you live in an environment where you're likely to have more outside play time, and greater exposure from that as well.

I'm light skinned, and live at 6000 feet, so I face some of the problems you do- greater exposure, less atmosphere filtering the suns damaging rays, and I'm outside a lot. I put on sunscreen if I'm going outside(both zinc oxide, which blocks the suns damaging rays, and the "other stuff," called absorption chemicals, which help absorb the damaging rays) . Cancer risk aside, I'm not much interested in looking like a walnut by age 50.

In short, you're not safe if you're dark skinned.

RT

The Sun does not discriminate based on latitude. Even if you're dark, the Sun still gets ya. Skin cancer survivor and tattooed guy speaking here.

You may as well smoke, in my humble opinion.

Stubacca

I put it on most of the time, though if I'm leaving home early in the morning I often forget (and the first half of my commute is quite shady, anyway). I try to use sunscreen as much as possible - living next door to a not-even-50-year-old prune when I was a kid helped me decide it was a good idea!

caloso

It couldn't hurt. [best said with a NY accent]

Fillanzea

I often commute in the middle of the day, but I get a raging sunburn if I don't wear sunscreen--even if I'm only out for 20 minutes or so. Having sunburn on the back of your thighs/calves is not the most pleasant thing in the world...

DonD

I haven't used it yet, but my sun exposure is limited due to the hours I ride to/from work. I think I'm going to have to start soon though, at least for the afternoon ride home.

- Don

librarian

Always. After watching the doc's cut big holes in my dad and uncle's arms and then watching them die of malagnant melanoma anyway, you betcha. Both truck drivers. Both kept left arms out the windows for years.

I use lots of sunscreen and also wear a long sleeved wicking shirt as often as I can.

tulip

yep.

Tree Trunk

I don't like sunscreen on the bike. Unless I am going to be out all day, it doesn't make much difference.

Recently, I quit wearing gloves to keep from getting that weird tan on the back of my hands. I only have a 25 miles round trip commute, so gloves aren't a necessity anyway. And I'm in the Chicago area, so any exposure to the sun this time of the year is a bonus.

dedhed

I put on Olay complete on my face after shaving every morning, SPF 15. Other than that I don't usually use much once I get tanned. If I'm going to the beach or out fishing in an aluminum boat all day. I work outside so I tan up fairly early in the year.

AndrewP

Tanning doesnt protect you from the UV. See what Librarian said about dad and uncle.

HiYoSilver

If you're going to use sunscreen, use the breatheable ones. And if not using gloves, don't forget the hands.

I have a problem complying with directive to put on sunscreen. For summer, I'm using a Solumbra cycle shirt as a shell. It's ventilated and has a protection factor of about 30+. It's ok in temps up to 80F. I've only had it a short time, and temps have not been above 80 since got it, so don't know how it performs in higher temps.

billh

I'm fair skinned and really have to watch my exposure to the sun, burn easily. I routinely use Neutrogena 15 just as skin lotion. If you use sunblock on your face regularly, make sure to use a "noncomodogenic" type, ie. one that won't block up your pores and create pimples. I use the Neutrogena 40 for longer rides. No forehead application due to sweat, forehead is pretty much screened by my helmet anyway.

billh

I'm fair skinned and really have to watch my exposure to the sun, burn easily. I routinely use Neutrogena 15 just as skin lotion. If you use sunblock on your face regularly, make sure to use a "noncomodogenic" type, ie. one that won't block up your pores and create pimples. I use the Neutrogena 40 for longer rides. No forehead application due to sweat, forehead is pretty much screened by my helmet anyway.

JohnBrooking

Sun? Is that that big bright circle in the sky that people in other parts of the country talk about?

Seriously, I don't, but I probably should, at least for the 3 months of the year we can call it summer up here. Heck, those are the only months I wear short sleeves and a shirt with no collar, so it probably is really not necessary the other 9. But even then, I'm only riding when the sun is low in the sky anyway, so it doesn't seem as urgent.

MediaCreations 

I don't. I should ... but I don't.

Ricardo

I use it everyday. The ozone layer here in Bogota is almost non existant and if I get a more than 30 mins sun exposure I will have skin damage.

I guess it all comes down to the amount of melanine in your skin and the ozone layer where you ride.

HTH,

Ricardo

slvoid

Holy crap, someone in distribution from one of our dealers in perth said the ozone hole is right over you guys.

wildpony

Well I live in South-East Texas in a little town called College Station and can probably count on one hand the number of times I have worn sunscreen in my life time. whether or not I get skin cancer or any other kind of cancer for that matter I leave in the hands of God.

I used to train horses during the summers and spent much time(9+ hours at 100+ degrees) in the sun. I got a few bad burns but after that I never again have experienced a sun burn. It seems that I just turn brown realy fast. I dont realy even get all that dark. It just stops getting red and gets no darker. Any way I come from a long line of non-sunscreen-wearers who spent much more time in the sun than I do and we have no family history of cancer of any kid.

No heart trouble either. People in my family either just get old or get some sort of neurological disorder like alsheimers at aboutthe age of eighty.

Little matte any way when it is my time to "check out" its my time and I am prepared so it makes little difference to me.

End Rant

Daily Commute

I use it for my summer commutes home. 20-30 minutes of direct sun exposure every day adds up.

Boudicca

I always assume, perhaps naively, that the sun is not that strong when I go into work (0730) and when I leave (1730) so I usually don't bother. But I should. I know I should. I really, really, really should.

oboeguy

Funny I never thought about it. I haven't much in the past. And when I start-up again with the new job + folder (already at the former, waiting for the latter), I'll be on a 7 to 7 schedule so there won't be much need. However, you guys are scaring me enough that maybe I will start using ss more often.