SSP

I'm hoping to get clearance soon from my ortho doc to get back on the bike, after breaking my right clavicle in a race back on June 1st .

But, the whole county is burning - we're surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the smoke makes the air quality awful. The air quality index has been varying from "Unhealthy" (>100) to "Hazardous" (>300) depending on wind direction.

When the wind blows enough to increase visibility, the mountains look like the battle for Stalingrad with enormous plumes of smoke. And, of course, the wind also makes the fires run faster. It may be months before the fires are all out, damnit.

I've considered ordering a Respro Sportsta filter mask so I can commute despite the smoke, but wonder about it's effectiveness.


Does anyone have experience riding in smoky conditions? I don't want to risk my lungs, but I'm getting sick of all this time off the bikes!

ElizaJo

While recently looking into a mask for all the hazardous stuff we breath while riding in traffic, I found this thread to be most informative [see the post(s) by John C. Ratliff]. Although not addressing forest fire smoke in particular, there's a lot of information that you might find relevant to your situation.

Bill Kapaun

Think what the firefighters are going through in that heat.
Apparently it only got to 104 yesterday.
I called my brother, who lives there, 2 days ago. He said it was pretty smoky, so he was just staying inside except when he rides 3/4 mile to work.

SSP

That was an excellent thread...thanks for posting the link. I think I'm going to go ahead and order the Sportsta mask - it should help with the particulates, and will definitely be better than nothing.

SSP

I hate to think about what the firefighters are going through....steep hillsides, hot temperatures, poison oak, snakes and dense brush, heavy gear and hot uniforms, plus smoke and fast moving flames.

And most of those guys wear nothing more than a bandana over their face and nose...I'd hate to see what their lungs look like after a few years of doing that job.


I flew back into town on Tuesday - over half the flight was firefighters coming in from other states. The same hillsides that were burning 10 days ago were still burning...only now the fires were larger. Visibility was less than 2 miles, and the temperature was 110 degrees - I expected to see Satan carrying a pitchfork and greeting passengers as we departed the plane. I've been here 17 years, and never seen it this bad.

lksfirecapt

After the Cedar Fire and Harris Fire I hacked black stuff out of my lungs for weeks. I took a month for my normal cardio level to return, but I had a post-nasal thing for almost a year after the 2003 fires in San Diego....

Yan 

alexanderaf

I've looked into the Respra Sportster mask, but it is not a NIOSH mask. There are plenty of NIOSH masks on the market...you may find them at a hardware store.

SSP

It's manufactured in the UK, and it's my understanding that it meets the European standards that are equivalent to US N-95 masks (i.e., filters 95% of particles from 0.5 micron and larger).

It also incorporates an exhale valve, and has replaceable filters...things most hardware store masks lack. The exhale valve, in particular, seems like it would be an important feature of a mask designed to be used while cycling, running, etc.

I'll try and provide a real-world usage report next week after it arrives.

nick95673

I work in a field that works closely with firefighters. They are going through a ton of overtime. Yes it is hard work but they love it. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed up to be on the calfire crews. They are paying off their personal trucks and motorcycles with these fires. I do think the nat guard guys are getting shafted. They are putting in work and making 1/8 of what the firemen are making.

ajmstilt

I live and commute in Sacramento. I've been wearing those cheap disposable masks you get at the hardware store, for th epast few weeks I'm sure it'snot 100% effective, but i smell less smoke with it on than i do inside the office or at the house. The only real downside is the lack of a way to dispose of snot.

the fake downside is the funny looks i get, but last week I started gettign more good looks than bad.

I like the look of the respro's but i'm afraid they'd be too hot. I'm not sure hwo small soot particles are, but i think for the smoke a cheap-o dust mask is effective.

daredevil

Been there, done that. It sucks. For us, no problems so far. Fingers are crossed.

SSP

Just a quick update:

I've been cleared by my ortho doc to ride the bike again (after promising to not fall off).

I ordered a Respro Sportsta mask from https://www.gotpollution.com/, and have been using it since last Friday. On this morning's commute, the air was officially "Unhealthy" (158 on the AQI), and the mask definitely helped. I got to work (7 miles), without the taste of smoke in my mouth, despite a lot of smoke in the air.

According to the packaging, the Sportsta filters down to 0.3 microns. But it should also be noted that this mask is only for particulates. Their Techno model includes an activated charcoal filter that they claim will filter out other pollutants, but it doesn't look as comfortable in hot weather, and I'm not as concerned about urban pollutants.


Bottom line...if you have to ride in smoky conditions, consider the Respro Sportsta. I would not have ridden the bike this morning without the mask.

daredevil

The darn California smoke is starting to make its way into our valley.

Plus we've had a flare up or two of our own though nothing too bad.

Again, my fingers are crossed. If we ever get as bad as we were last summer, I'm getting the mask!