How to avoid heatstroke in summer cycling?
07-17-15, 07:40 AM
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In addition to suggestions already mentioned, acclimation is perhaps the biggest factor. You have to give your body time to adjust to hot-humid weather, and you've got to keep riding to do that. The first week of really hot weather is the hardest for me, but then my body adjusts. The same principle is true when the weather starts getting cold in the fall.
07-17-15, 08:02 AM
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I don't wear a jersey or bibs and I got along fine as long as I had a water bottle with me and bought cold drinks.
Any shirt and shorts that are moisture-wicking (meaning, they draw sweat away from your skin) will do. Sometimes you find a better deal shopping outside of the "cycling" department at places like REI. I wear something like this when I commute by bike to work on hot and humid summer days:
Hanes Cool DRI TAGLESS Men's T-Shirt | Style # 4820
Any shirt and shorts that are moisture-wicking (meaning, they draw sweat away from your skin) will do. Sometimes you find a better deal shopping outside of the "cycling" department at places like REI. I wear something like this when I commute by bike to work on hot and humid summer days:
Hanes Cool DRI TAGLESS Men's T-Shirt | Style # 4820
07-17-15, 08:28 AM
#28
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Go with light coloured jerseys.
Nashbar - Short Sleeve Jerseys
Use sunscreen and/or arm coolers.
Drink lots of water. The general recommendation is one 750 ml bottle every 1 to 1.5 hours, but you might want to up that a bit.
Consume electrolytes. If you're drinking extra water and if you're sweating, you should be taking electrolyte tablets.
Freeze your waterbottles the night before. Then the morning of the ride, put them into a small sock. Soak the sock. Keep soaking the sock when you can along the way, even in streams or whatever you happen to go by.
Try to ride early in the day or late in the day.
If you have to ride the whole day (i.e. you're riding a century), plan to take a break mid-ride to get something to eat and drink in a cooler spot. Eat something with sodium and potassium.
Stop in at a shop along the way to get a fresh cold drink. See if you can fill another sock (a long one) with ice. Wrap that sock around your neck when you set off again.
If you're going to stop for any reason, stop in a patch of shade.
Spend quite a bit of time in the heat when you are not on the bicycle. If you work in an air conditioned office, get out at lunch for a walk. Go cycle or walk after work, etc. Acclimatizing yourself to the heat helps a little bit.
Nashbar - Short Sleeve Jerseys
Use sunscreen and/or arm coolers.
Drink lots of water. The general recommendation is one 750 ml bottle every 1 to 1.5 hours, but you might want to up that a bit.
Consume electrolytes. If you're drinking extra water and if you're sweating, you should be taking electrolyte tablets.
Freeze your waterbottles the night before. Then the morning of the ride, put them into a small sock. Soak the sock. Keep soaking the sock when you can along the way, even in streams or whatever you happen to go by.
Try to ride early in the day or late in the day.
If you have to ride the whole day (i.e. you're riding a century), plan to take a break mid-ride to get something to eat and drink in a cooler spot. Eat something with sodium and potassium.
Stop in at a shop along the way to get a fresh cold drink. See if you can fill another sock (a long one) with ice. Wrap that sock around your neck when you set off again.
If you're going to stop for any reason, stop in a patch of shade.
Spend quite a bit of time in the heat when you are not on the bicycle. If you work in an air conditioned office, get out at lunch for a walk. Go cycle or walk after work, etc. Acclimatizing yourself to the heat helps a little bit.
Only happens in the summer in places where it is dry.
Here in Nebraska, in summer sweat water doesn't evaporate during summer. So your high tech wicking $600 Assos jersey and $600 Assos bibs become sopping wet rags that cease water wicking and are just wet rags wrapping your skin in a grand total of about 5 minutes of just standing outside in the garage during your pre-ride check and pumping tires (not even putting out an effort).
Only thing to do is ride at dawn and hide from the Sun. Heat and humidity lingers long into the night, so dusk riding isn't advisable much. I personally hate sunscreen for how it feels (love what it does, ofc), clogs the pores and makes me feel hotter in addition to making me a walking bug collector.
Here in Nebraska, in summer sweat water doesn't evaporate during summer. So your high tech wicking $600 Assos jersey and $600 Assos bibs become sopping wet rags that cease water wicking and are just wet rags wrapping your skin in a grand total of about 5 minutes of just standing outside in the garage during your pre-ride check and pumping tires (not even putting out an effort).
Only thing to do is ride at dawn and hide from the Sun. Heat and humidity lingers long into the night, so dusk riding isn't advisable much. I personally hate sunscreen for how it feels (love what it does, ofc), clogs the pores and makes me feel hotter in addition to making me a walking bug collector.
I have tested baselayers in the summer, both the cheaper Under Armour variety and the more expensive mesh Castelli variety. I found the UA stuff to be more pleasant under loose fitting clothing. For example, it helped keep me cooler than a tshirt when I was out mountain biking. Under a race fit jersey, it was miserable. The mesh Castelli worked better under a race fit jersey, but when it's 100+ outside, an extra layer is an extra layer. I think the mesh baselayer would be nice up to about 75-90 depending on humidity levels.
And one last thing to remember, there's always a breeze on the bike. Even in Phoenix when being outside is unbearable, riding a bike isn't so bad because the breeze is helpful, just have to stay hydrated and avoid the hottest parts of the day the best you can.
07-17-15, 08:33 AM
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hydrate hydrate hydrate. Don't be afraid of stopping somewhere cool (if you are hydrating properly, you will have to refill your bottles anyway). On triple digit days, I have no problem drinking 2 bottles during my 12 miles (each way) commute. On longer rides I can go through 5 or 6 bottles going about 30 miles. I don't mess around when it is hot out.
07-17-15, 08:44 AM
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hydrate hydrate hydrate. Don't be afraid of stopping somewhere cool (if you are hydrating properly, you will have to refill your bottles anyway). On triple digit days, I have no problem drinking 2 bottles during my 12 miles (each way) commute. On longer rides I can go through 5 or 6 bottles going about 30 miles. I don't mess around when it is hot out.
Dehydration and Over Hydration (Hyponatremia) for the Cyclist | Tuned In To Cycling
07-17-15, 08:48 AM
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hydrate hydrate hydrate. Don't be afraid of stopping somewhere cool (if you are hydrating properly, you will have to refill your bottles anyway). On triple digit days, I have no problem drinking 2 bottles during my 12 miles (each way) commute. On longer rides I can go through 5 or 6 bottles going about 30 miles. I don't mess around when it is hot out.
How long does it take you to go 30 miles? 6 bottles seems excessive. I mean, definitely stay hydrated but drinking too much water can have negative effects on the body as well.
Dehydration and Over Hydration (Hyponatremia) for the Cyclist | Tuned In To Cycling
Dehydration and Over Hydration (Hyponatremia) for the Cyclist | Tuned In To Cycling
Right ... if you're going to drink that much water, you definitely need to consume electrolytes. The sports drinks wouldn't have enough ... food probably wouldn't have enough ... that amount of water calls for electrolyte tablets.
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07-17-15, 08:56 AM
#32
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Siesta! Just stop and get off the bike and take a long lunch and a nap in the shade, get your miles in early ..
and maybe later in the day when the sun is lower & things cool down.
and maybe later in the day when the sun is lower & things cool down.
07-17-15, 09:02 AM
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07-18-15, 07:39 AM
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I've found that when I'm overheating from a stretch of hard riding, its better to cycle very slowly, even around in circles if I'm waiting for other people...because that breeze from moving even 5-8 mph is so much cooler than just sitting in one place on a hot day. a cool down period of slow easy pedalling cools me off better than a stopping break.
07-18-15, 08:42 AM
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Living in the Sonoran Desert heat stroke is a problem. Best second piece of advise I can give is if you experence symptoms it maybe too late to beat a trip to the ER.
I honesly this time of year am consumeing 30-40OZ's of H2O per hr. I do not pee it out, it seemsto be sweated out.
Camelback Company had a sales slogan, it was "hydrate or die" TRUTH.
I honesly this time of year am consumeing 30-40OZ's of H2O per hr. I do not pee it out, it seemsto be sweated out.
Camelback Company had a sales slogan, it was "hydrate or die" TRUTH.
07-18-15, 11:02 AM
#37
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All great tips from everyone!
The only thing I can add is, I try to stay close to home and make laps around the neighborhood instead of venturing out too far. Not nearly as much fun, but I'm within shouting distance if I start getting too hot.
The only thing I can add is, I try to stay close to home and make laps around the neighborhood instead of venturing out too far. Not nearly as much fun, but I'm within shouting distance if I start getting too hot.
07-18-15, 07:52 PM
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Awareness and water. My first and last experience with heat stroke occurred in mid summer in Tucson 30 some years ago when I lost sight of both.
07-18-15, 09:41 PM
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In addition to many of the above suggestions, I also take it really easy the first thirty minutes of the ride. It seems that gets me acclimated to the temperature and humidity and water intake. After that I still drink lots and pay attention to how I feel, but seem to be well adjusted to the weather by that time.
07-18-15, 10:05 PM
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Recall my buddy in Sacramento who was also the best bike wrench I have ever had. He use to do the Iornman in Hawaii every year. His goal was finishing, not have to visit the IV Tent at the end of the event, and having fun.
Dehydration & Heat Storke are thing that happen fast.
Dehydration & Heat Storke are thing that happen fast.
07-18-15, 10:47 PM
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Commuted to work in Tucson, AZ for 16 years, year round.
Used to ride 20 miles in early A.M. before commuting to work.
Morning ride was fine.
Coming home mid-afternoon (3 PM) was less so.
Up to 60 days of 100+ degrees; at about 110 degrees would wet bandana around my neck and also my cycling cap and pedal home.
Warmest ride ever: 117 degrees with 2% humidity. Eyes were burning behind my glasses, feet got hot pedaling from heat coming off the pavement. Also let about 10 PSI out of my tires. Do-able, but not fun.
A worse ride was in Maryland, a century on our tandem with heat at 98 degrees + 98% humidity.
Advice: Drink . . . and then drink some more!
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
Used to ride 20 miles in early A.M. before commuting to work.
Morning ride was fine.
Coming home mid-afternoon (3 PM) was less so.
Up to 60 days of 100+ degrees; at about 110 degrees would wet bandana around my neck and also my cycling cap and pedal home.
Warmest ride ever: 117 degrees with 2% humidity. Eyes were burning behind my glasses, feet got hot pedaling from heat coming off the pavement. Also let about 10 PSI out of my tires. Do-able, but not fun.
A worse ride was in Maryland, a century on our tandem with heat at 98 degrees + 98% humidity.
Advice: Drink . . . and then drink some more!
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
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