Yen

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering how you all protect yourselves from the heat and sun. I have fair skin and freckle easily and have already one had basal cell cancer removed from my arm. Yet, I'd love to ride with a short-sleeve jersey instead of the poly jacket I'm still wearing (C9 sports apparel from Target). I ordered a long-sleeve micromesh cycling jersey from https://www.skin-savers.com which should be a lot cooler. I was told that cyclists in Florida wear them and find them to be very cooling. Meanwhile..... I'm looking for suggestions so I can still ride and stay comfortable.

For future rides this summer, I plan to wear a bandana soaked in water then placed in the freezer for a few minutes. I then wear it around my neck. I've done that when gardening and it really helps a lot (tho' I don't garden in the heat anymore) and stays cool for a couple of hours. I also plan to take along a second bandana that I'll freeze overnight, rolled up in a baggie, and stick it in my bag. By the time the first one isn't cold anymore, the second one will be ready to wear. (Heh, whatever it takes!)

If I wear a short-sleeve (or no sleeve) jersey I'll need the best sunscreen I can get. Currently I'm using Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55 which is highly recommended by others. I'm wondering if that is sufficient, or if I should just stick to the long-sleeve jersey.

In addition I'm starting to wonder about exposure through my helmet. When I brush my hair it feels a little like sunburn on my scalp. Now I'm wondering if I need another bandana between my helmet and my head. Sigh.....

If anyone else has these issues, and can speak from experience about sunscreen and lots of sun exposure while riding without any problems, I'd love to hear 'em. I don't want to give up riding this summer if I don't have to.

Jen

DannoXYZ 

It depends upon how much water you have. If you've got a fixed amount, you get the best cooling by drinking it and letting the sweat evaporate and carry away the heat (539kcal/mole). Less effective is pouring that same amount of water on your body.

If you've got unlimited water, then by all means soak yourself and use chilled bandanas.

heddywouldgo

I've always struggled with heat exhaustion and heat stroke, so for me it's get up at 6 am and ride or wait until late evening. I can't keep myself hydrated enough when I ride in anything above 80 degrees. Cancer runs rampant in my family, so I have to be really careful with protecting my skin as well. I do an SPF40 on my face and a 20 on the rest of me which really helps to keep my skin from burning. So I guess my best suggestion is to get up at the butt crack of dawn and ride It's what has kept me able to ride all these hot years.

Go_Fast

bring on the heat, baby!

i love it.

zinc or titanium oxide sunscreen...lather yourself up with it pre-ride, even under your jersey if you don't wear a base layer (i always do) and let it dry before heading out. don't wipe yourself off when riding or put more on later if you do. highest spf lip balm and plenty of ride drink or h2o.

eat meat and rice and drink beer afterwards.

soggydog

I have worked in construction outdoors for years and have found lots of plan water is the best for me and not ice cold. Sunscreen is a must and a scull cap works under the helmet keeping the sun directly off my scalp and the sweat out of my eyes and to me it feels cooler.

Just my opinion

Scootcore

i swear alot.....and try and ride early. if i cant i use the bandanna trick as well...it doesnt need to be super cold, just wet!!!! i sweat ALOT so i use halo headbands, theyve been the best for keeping sweat out of my eyes!

ovoleg

I love the heat and sun, so much easier to drop the older riders

octico

I get out and ride early while the boy riders are still asleep, that way I don't have to worry about getting dropped in the heat

ovoleg

pretty much everyone I ride with is older.

They seem to feel more of the pain from the heat.

Gives me an advantage. Heat doesn't bother me until it reaches 107+. Then I'm hurting too lol.

ken cummings

During the week I train just after sunrise. Weekends, during the summer, the county bus service runs out to the Pacific coast where low to mid 60s' are guaranteed.

Psydotek

Drink lots.

I just take a mouthful or two of water and/or cytomax every 10-15 minutes. Worked for me today.

Camelbak + 2 water bottles.

The key really is to pace yourself. You can't drink too much at one time or too often either otherwise you might upset your stomach (too much stuff sloshing around) and your stomach can only drain so fast. It's not too hard to keep track of the timing either. Just glance down at your cyclometer and check.

Happytime

I'm totally heat intolerant because I am unable to sweat a lot. I keep one bottle topped off with energy drink and the other with plain water to periodically douse myself. Needless to say, I make quite a few water stops.

That, or I leave for my ride just before dawn.

Cassave

I sweat alot.

thomson

I sweat a lot as well, to the point I have had people ask if I was OK. I really think I have an efficient cooling system. I don't like to be outside exerting myself too long in the heat though.

VanceMac

Is there a metric or rule of thumb about how much performance suffers in relation to heat/humidity? For instance, doing a particular route/climb that typically takes an hour at 70 degrees, what you could expect at 100 degrees? Or is it mostly psychological/perceived exertion?

jpconrad

I ride at night, although now I'm starting to ride in the early morning, too.

Blue Jays

During a real scorcher with high U.V.-index it's nice to wear a long-sleeved compression shirt with a nice application of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 55 with helioplex spread underneath. Also, fill a large Camelbak bladder 2/3 full and freeze it into a solid block the night before. Fill the remainder with cold water before departing on a ride and you'll be rewarded with water chilled to 33* for hours.

Shnuddy

I'm out here in the desert (where it is currently about 105 at 8:30 pm! ) I also ride as early as possible. On the days I have to ride after work, I wait until about 5-6 pm (while the days are long enough), coat myself with sunscreen and bring lots of fluids. I prefer them really cold, so I will freeze a half bottle, then add some water right before I leave. I use the polar bottles, seems to help a little anyway.

When it is really hot, you have to really pay attention to your body. Sometimes I don't realize I'm overheated until I stop (almost have fallen down once or twice).

One thing that really helps: I will find a shady spot and stop every 5-10 miles for a few minutes. It feels great, plus you can make sure that you are sweating properly. When riding, in this dry air, the sweat evaporates so quickly it's hard to tell. When you stop, you should sweat--it is an indication of how hydrated you are. When you start back riding again, you have a few seconds of coolness, until the sweat evaporates.

vertical bob

A loss of 1% of your body fluid and it starts to affect your performance. You should come home weighing no more than 2lbs.[ 1qt.] less than when you started. Hydrate by drinking small amounts every few minutes. At least 1 bottle per hr.

vertical bob

I don't remember ever seeing you on one of my rides young man. Lets see how you do on a real hard ride in the mountains.

GP

Don't hold your breath.

Crash716

i mostly ***** and complain the whole way....that's how i deal with it...

I would rather lose a finger to frostbite than ride my bike in 90+ temps.

furiousferret

I was out today in 105 heat in San Bernardino. I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to get out early enough to ride.

Anyway, I put ice in my water bottles before I leave and that keeps them cool for about 5 miles in, and lukewarm at 10. I usually ride in areas where I know there is extra water, and take water bottle showers, focusing on the neck.

After a few months in the Gulf, this heat doesn't bug me as much.

urbanknight

Concern for the bandana: Wouldn't that cause a lot of humidity on your head after it melts and gets hot? My bottles that are filled with ice before adding water are fully melted within an hour and luke warm in another hour. Of course, I put on sunscreen for the rides, although gradually increasing my sun exposure through the Spring helped my skin build up a defense of its own.

I also swear a lot when it gets too hot, but that really doesn't help me stay cool

Jaguar27

I can't answer your question but when your Body starts to overheat (towards 106, the point of heatstroke) it's deffinately not psychological/perceived exhaustion because your Blood is re-directed towards the surface of the skin and vital organs, not the Leg muscles so it's no coincidence that we feel sluggish on hot days...

Heatstroke by the way, is a medical emergency, they have to bring the body temperature down asap with Ice Packs etc....