How do you handle the heat?
 

I have just started cycling as a hobby. I purchased an older Schwinn road bike and typically bike 10-15 miles 3 times weekly. However, in Charleston SC the heat has been unbearable lately. With temps in the high 90s and heat index above 110, it is awefully discouraging when I want to go out and ride. I don't mind riding at night but my schedule is such that I couldn't make it a regular thing. Help!!

Ride early A.M. or ride an hour or so before sunset.
Wear light colored clothing. Drink water. Don't push overly hard.
Have ridden in 117 (real) degrees with 2 % humidity. Have done a hundred miler with 98 degrees and 98% humidity.
Neither were a lot of fun, but do-able.
Pedal on!

Strip down to the bare bones, take a change of cloths in a bag (not backpack). Carry lots of water and make sure to drink.

Sun lotion so your exposed skin doesn't burn, thin cycling shorts and top.

You might get some better answers from the Bike Commuters here.

Light colored clothes, lots of water the day before, helmet with visor, shades.

before I went clipless, I wore these closed toe sandle things from airwalk with my powergrip pedals. I'd spray the legs and feet down occasionally with the water bottle. I would also stop somewhere where I could take my wicking shirt off and soak it in water and wring it out. It actually got a bit chilly doing that sometimes.

I did 4-5 days a week for about 5 weeks and the temps averaged in the 100's. total love/hate.

Drink water, ride at dawn or dusk, drink water, wear sweat whicking clothes, drink water, wear a helmet with visor, drink water, also just keep doing it and you will get used to it.

Move away from the south!

If that's not an option something like this may be called for.

Riding in the late evening won't do much good. Last night here in Atlanta it was still 90 degrees at 8:00.

Go in the morning.

Mornings are coolest but it's cooler riding than walking. I did my 5.9 mile commute home in 22.33 minutes tonight with the temp in the 90s. I've been commuting for two months and it just keeps getting better when we don't have the thunder storms.

So that's two people who said, "Ride in the morning."

Don't you people have to get HOME from work?

My solution? Give up. :) I'm going to mostly stop commuting by bike until I don't feel so beaten down by the heat. You can do lots to help -- water, clothing, go slow, etc. -- but if it ain't working, it ain't working. 105 in this humidity is simply too much for me, so I'm letting go of ego and skipping August.

You can flame me if you want, but it won't make me any hotter. :D

EDIT: Ahh, I see now that the OP was referring to riding, maybe not to work.

Despite all your best efforts, you will reach a point where nothing you do will reduce the misery. At that point you try to learn how not to mind it.

Start hydrating 30 minutes or more before you start riding. '

A fast dry shirt of some sort. Cotton just don't cut it unless its really thin. They don't have to be bike jerseys. A lot of summer golf shirts that are in a polo style are made out of it. Running shirts as well. Makes a BIG difference. If you are moving it really does a great job of helping you stay cool.

I have found I like the Under Armor mesh top skull caps under my helmet. They are a quick dry fabric and help keep the sun from frying your skull if you are a little thin on top. Keeps the sweat off glasses and out of your eyes. Actually feels cooler becasue it accelerates the evaporation of the sweat.

Some water proof sunscreen on the back of the neck is a good idea as well.

Did I mention PLENTY of water?

I like the Polar 24oz insulated bottles. Pack them full of ice and the cold water helps cool your core. Will stay pretty cold for about 1.5-2 hours if you keep them in the shade.

Don't push yourself hard in this lovely southern heat especially if you are just starting. Steady, paced and take a break if you feel funny at all and hydrate. I like to get something like a banana in me a good hour before I get in the afternoon heat. I guess its the potassium in them but it seems to make the heat hurt a little less.

It will take a couple weeks of riding to get acclimated to the heat and to get a feel for your limits. The more frequent you go out in it the easier it will be.

I have found that this year with my going to bicycle commuting I am having a much better time dealing with the heat. Partly becasue of loosing 30lb of fat. :D

Stay hydrated. Drink water.

I do golf course maintenance. Start early, off early. Riding home in the middle of the afternoon doesn't feel nearly as hot as edging bunkers, edging cart paths, or a hundred other manual labor tasks we do, all outdoors.

One thing I'm thankful for that I think helps deal with the heat is the shop is not air-conditioned. Another thing that I think helps is we don't run the ac at home.

Try to find a shady route to ride. I usually find myself riding home in Va Beach at around 3pm, and it be HOT! Plus I ride a recumbent so I have that mesh seat against my back. I find a lot of riding in the heat (or cold) is mindset. I try to think about all the other athletes who do so much more in much more demanding conditions (Tour de France?). I used to walk to work every day (3 miles) in Newport, RI through the winter. Some mornings it was 5 degrees and windy...sure it was cold, but mindset, mindset, mindset...well, it was still pretty darn cold.
Anyway, shady route?

I'm in CT, but in June we had an early heat wave when the temps were in the upper 90's. Coming home one day, the temp on my bike computer hit 102 because of the heat coming off of the blacktop.

I just drank extra water before, took it easy on the (9-mile) ride home and drank extra water at home.

Not a big deal, although everyone else seemed to think it was.

I will admit that I wear the "full kit" - spandex and hi-vis bike shirt, but that's because I sweat profusely and need the hi-vis for all the CT drivers who aren't used to seeing a commuter on a bike.

Don't go. I like biking, but I prefer not sweating. If the heat's above 80, I stay indoors.

Once it hits 95 during the day here in central Texas, I limit my riding to BEFORE 9 a.m. So I can take off at 6:30, get 25 miles in, home by 8:15-8:30, shower then drive my car to work. The afternoon temps are too dangerous for me to ride...I hate it but that's the situation.

I can ride 10 months out of the year - all fall, winter & spring - but the summer heat just stops the cycle commuting for me, unfortunately.

High 90's, 10-15 miles?

I'll be the first to say just ride and get used to it. I don't carry water for 10 miles. I probably would for 15, but all this talk of pre-hydrating seems like overkill.

Tonight it was 85 with 95% humidity. I just filled the water bottle, wore light clothing and just went as far to the point where if I went any further I would be pushing it to get back...

Let your body tell you when you went far enough. Last week there was a 95 degree day and I cut my ride in half because I was tired and the heat was just beating me. And I was glad I did, the next day was much cooler and I more then made up for it.

So unless it's for getting home from work where you don't have a choice, then I'd follow many of the suggestions above, just learn to know my limits, this is suupose to be fun and good for you not make you miserable ;)

+1

Get out there and deal with it until your body adjusts. There is only so much you can do to prepare for the heat, and none of that preparation will really help you feel much better. Ten miles isn't really that far, even in the conditions you describe. (Very similar to the climate here.)

I have been a distance runner for much longer than I have been a cyclist, and based on my experience there, all you can do is suck it up. Getting injured in late spring (temps at 75-80) and not being able to train until temps have broken 95 bites the big one. Not only are you not used to the heat, you are out of shape too.

I try to stay out of air conditioned places as much as possible. I find that the more I stay in air conditioned locations, the less I can tolerate the heat. My wife turns the air on quite a bit, but if I'm home alone I leave it off. IMHO people are total sissies when it comes to heat anymore; they go from A/C houses to A/C cars (often with remote starters so the car is already cool when they get to it) to A/C stores and A/C workplaces.

I don't even carry water unless it's over 80 or so, but even at 105*F (hottest I've ridden in) I still don't do any of this "pre-hydration" stuff, and I only finish about 1/2 bottle in 12 miles. I've also ridden the whole 12 miles with no water in 100* weather. It didn't bother me much, I just drank a lot when I got there. I have no idea what the "heat index" is - I just get out and ride in it.

Mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it certainly wouldn't matter. Out here in So Cal I reside inland, and I don't let the heat stop me from riding. If I wanna ride, I do so and I don't complain about. I love the weather out here. When people complain about the weather out here, I tell them to either get used to it or move out!

I found that drinking water every 5 minutes, even just a little will do a lot for the heat. I also use Shot Blocks every 20-30 min. Heat index has been 110+ all week but with a breeze and a wicking type shirt it hasn't been that bad. I will agree with most that if it gets to bothering you wait until it cools down some to start riding again. Otherwise you will hate it and never want to ride again.

OK... I've got to say something here guys...

Several of you have advised the OP to "Just suck it up and ride"... as if the heat isn't really a factor that you need to worry about... and if you'll read the OP's first post you'll see that advising someone to do that under the conditions that he describes is irresponsible to the point of recklessness.

The fact is that heat coupled with humidity at the levels described by the OP can be very dangerous. The human body has a much more difficult time dealing with those conditions because our biological mechanisms get less and less efficient as the heat and humidity rise. And trust me... it doesn't get much more humid than coastal South Carolina in the summer.

This heat can be dealt with... I ride in it every day... but people's bodies are different. Everyone has different tolerances to heat. Some people act as if a 110F heat index is nothing... but if you aren't aware of what to watch for, a 30 or 40 minute commute is PLENTY of time to get into the danger zone.

I hope the OP will not listen to the bravado of the folks who say "Just ride on, you big sissy"... and listen to those who advise him to proceed... but proceed with caution and preparation. I don't stop riding during the brutal Georgia summers, but I do hydrate... get enough rest... and slow down when my body demands it.

To the OP: Use your head... know your limits... be prepared... and you'll be fine.