Originally Posted by
seypat
...I am shifting my riding to the hottest part of the day to acclimate to the heat. Here that usually means low to mid 90s and high humidity. Probably going to gear my bike a litle on the high side so I can lope along at a slow cadence like a triathlete to reduce heat buildup. Might put on a dual seatpost bottle cage to increase fluid capacity. Have to check and see how close the SAGs are to each other.
Heat adaptation was harder than usual for me this year, partly because of the unusually hot, humid and windy conditions in June. We went from spring to the kind of hot summer weather we usually get in August, without the usual transition period.
Last summer I got a hydration backpack but used it only once, on an attempted summertime century. Turned out to be the hottest day of the year, I got started late, so by noon I realized a full century wouldn't be practical. I looped back home and finished with about 50 miles. I'd already finished both insulated bottles and had on a few sips left in the 2-liter hydration pack. And my route didn't pass any convenience stores or places to refill. But it gave me an idea of how much water I'll really need for a full century, which means ensuring my route includes at least a couple of rest stops at refill stations.
This year I've been walking and jogging up to two hours with the full hydration backpack to get accustomed to the weight. I didn't need the full pack but wanted to be sure I could handle it for a longer bike ride.
It's not a great solution but not as bad as I'd expected.
One advantage is I chill the filled hydration bladder in the fridge, and the insulated backpack keeps it cool much longer than I'd expected, which also keeps my back a little cooler despite all the sweating.