Beating the Heat!
 

Here's a question for all you hardcore commuters; how do you beat the heat on your commute? Today it's 32 degrees Celcius, 43 once you add in the humidity factor (that's 89.6 and 109.4 in Farenheit). The humidity hits you like a wall when you leave an air conditioned environment. I'm actually on vacation right now so I don't have to commute if I don't want to, but when I do, I'd like to be armed with a few of the tricks from my fellow commuters. Now I will sit back and sip on my frosty drink and bask in my conditioned air while I await your replies. Thanks!

BTW - Yes, I live in Canada, and no, I do not live in an igloo, and no, I don't know your cousin, John. :rolleyes:

Just watch the polar bears :P

Hydration and don't try to turn the commute into a training session is what I do here. Don't be ashamed to take a break, although I've found that a slow slow cruise speed is better than stopping, because you at least get a slight breeze. I'll be doing the home commute in 100+ F this week judging by the forecast, it's what I'll be doing.

-R

The three things I have done to beat the heat are:

1. Get everything off my back. No mess bags or backpacks to prevent airflow. I only ride with panniers and saddlebags now days.

2. Take off my shirt. Might not be as easy for women, but when it is hot and humid out I will go without a shirt or jersey all together. No matter what the jersey makers want me to believe about wicking and cooling properties nothing beats liquid (sweat) evaporating off the skin.

3. Drink water, stay hydrated.

I'll echo the drink water sentiment. Take your water bottles (note the plural), fill them partly with water and stick them in the freezer. When you ride, Fill them the rest of the way with water so you can keep cool.

Also, drink a full bottle or a few glasses of water about 30 minutes to an hour before you ride. You want the water out of your stomach and into your cells and blood, where it will do some good.

I second the shirtless idea too. If you're as pale as me, you get the bonus of being really easy to spot.

The slow cruise is a good idea - it's easy to overdo it in this heat. Ditto hydrating ahead of time. As for riding shirtless... I don't think I've earned that privilege yet. Enough riding in this heat, however, is bound to melt off some pounds (mostly water weight, of course.) For now I'll just keep the zipper on my jersey down just far enough to not be considered obscene.

Drink water, go slow, don't over-think it.

The weather here has been in the mid 90s for a couple of months now and the humidity is brutal. I do believe that you get accustomed to the climate where you live, and thus I think that Florida's heat may not bother me near as much as it would those from cooler climates.

I drink plenty of water during the ride and I freeze my water bottles. I remember reading a study that concluded that drinking cold water or eating ice chips allowed you to exercise longer and at a higher pace in the heat.

When possible, I try to ride at the coolest parts of the day, mainly in the morning and late afternoon, or after a rain storm. Just have to be careful here because lightning is always a concern during summer afternoons.

I make an effort to ride in as much shade as possible. I'll ride one route in the morning and a different more shady route in the afternoon. I hate stopping at traffic lights because the heat and perspiration just build up while waiting for the light to change. So, I plan my route as best as possible to minimize long red lights. At least while you are riding, there is relatively strong wind in your face that helps to transfer some of the heat from your body.

I do not normally take off my shirt because the light colored shirts that I normally wear provide some protection from the sun. I carry everything in a handle bar bag or on a rear rack instead of using a backpack or messenger bag, which hinder heat transfer.

I know a guy from Canada named Darren. Maybe you know him. Tell him I said hey. :) Actually I was surprised to hear that you have that kind of humidity that far north. Here in DC, humidity is a way of life starting in late May.

+1 for drinking a lot of water and keeping a conservative pace.

I have yet to muster the courage to ride shirtless. Given that, the sooner you come to grips with the fact that your shirt will stink on the way home, the sooner you'll make peace with the heat. I make sure to hang my shirt at work, but it's usually funky for the ride home. The only person that seems to notice is my wife. I kinda think she likes it. :)

I love this heat and humidity!!

Lots of water. Don't forget to eat a snack because bonking in extreme heat does you no favours. Bring extra water to pour over your head to cool off. Ride thru every lawn sprinkler you can find. Favour tree lined streets and paths as much as you can. Eat Popsicles! So awesome
on a sweltering day. Especially the lime flavoured ones.

Oh yes, and slap on sunscreen.

To be honest with you, I don't think you will ever really "beat" the heat. I live in Maine, and it's been close to 90 degrees for several days, and several other days this year... And I ride shirtless, and I always stay well hydrated because I'm a runner as well... and I still work up a pretty good sweat no matter how I pace myself or how lightly I dress...

To be honest with you, I don't think you will ever really "beat" the heat. I live in Maine, and it's been close to 90 degrees for several days, and several other days this year... And I ride shirtless, and I always stay well hydrated because I'm a runner as well... and I still work up a pretty good sweat no matter how I pace myself or how lightly I dress...

Geeeze, Take off your shirt??? Holy hell, there's this thing called melanoma man. I may be a wimp, but if I can't apply sunscreen to it, it's covered. Of course, I could be over reacting because skin cancer runs in my family, and seeing the holes that are left behind is a sobering testament for sun protection. However, I do like to see other people in various stages of undress, so if you can, ride as nude as you feel. I'll be the dude who's so pale you can't look directly at him in sun light.

For me:
Pick optimum riding times
No Overexertion in +95 F
Hydration
Cool off period

TA-DAA! no heat stroke yet!

I am lucky enough to have a local swimming hole on my commute. It's actually just a bridge over a river that the MUP follows so, I usually take a dip on my way home. Riding with my jersey wet helps a lot. I also take advantage of any sprinklers running too. Always drink before you feel thirsty, and taking it slow definitely helps.

It's supposed to be close 100F in NYC today, uff... dry though, around 50%.

- drink lots of water before, during and after riding
- wear a bandana or a hat to cover your head
- wear sunglasses
- don't wear any cotton clothing
- ride easy
- stick to shade as much as possible
- stay away from thick traffic if possible to avoid heat from cars

Although my commute is only 40 minutes so it shouldn't be that bad.

1) Take it easy, build in extra time for breaks and don't use the ride for "training"-just get there and get back.
2) Hydration, drink a lot in advance of your ride, don't forget about electrolytes-too much water can flush these important minerals from your body (it's called hypokalemia/hyponatrema, I believe a DC bike cop died a couple of years ago of this while on a training ride in excessive heat), .
3) Getting the load off your back might be helpful, however, that's a personal decision-by pack sits low enought that it's not a huge trap for heat.
4) Cool down-I'll get right in a cool shower when I get home today (along with my recovery drink or Gatorade) then air dry on the bed before I change.
5) If you're not comfortable with the idea of riding in this heat, it's not a bad time to resort to public transportaion-there's no shame in it, especially in such extreme conditions. In fact, I've advised my wife to stay off the bike this week-she's out of shape and I'm concerned for her safety.

Take a bandana and sew two opposite corners together so it forms a pouch. Put a handful of ice cubes in the pouch and tie it around your neck like a boy scout. Let it melt down your back while you ride.

It's 35 Degrees C today.. I am beating the heat by either not riding or waiting until a couple hours before sunset.

[QUOTE=RonE;11065202]The weather here has been in the mid 90s for a couple of months now and the humidity is brutal. I do believe that you get accustomed to the climate where you live, and thus I think that Florida's heat may not bother me near as much as it would those from cooler climates.

I agree that you get accustomed to the climate you live in. Our weather in South Texas is similar to Florida in regard to sun, heat and humidity. While I normally commute three or four days a week, I find myself taking an extra day off in July and August and take a long evening ride instead. As the weather begins to break somewhat in September, I'll be adding that day back in.

It's funny that hot weather is a show stopper for many while, in the South, cold weather is much more intimidating.

I believe we are experiencing the same heatwave; it's a big one. I wear a helmet, but I suppose I could wear a bandana underneath. I wonder if that would be hotter, though, as my helmet is ventilated.

Panniers only for this kid, although I do have a messenger bag for really light loads. It pretty much rides on my hip when I do use it, though.

That's a pretty good idea. I often use a cool, wet cloth around my neck after hot rides; my understanding is that it cools the blood travelling to your brain through the carotid arteries.

This is true; ask me about winter riding in the snow & ice. I've got studded tires, skull caps, and all kinds of winter clothing.

+1.
I had to laugh from my experiences in Scotland last month. When we were in the St Andrews, Crail, St Monance area along the south eastern coast, temps were in the high 50s (F) and there were people playing on the beaches and splashing in the water as if they were in Florida in the middle of the summer. We were in the town of Dunkeld and were talking to a few of the locals. One woman apologized for how flustered and bothered she felt because "the heat was so horrible"... it was 68°F. I mentioned that our summertime temps in Kentucky are usually 33-34°C and can get as high as 37°C, they looked at me in obvious disbelief.

As for commuting in the heat, there's not much you can do other than make sure you drink enough water. I feel better when wearing a good loose fitting light colored shirt with decent wicking properties because it pats heavy moisture from my skin, provides ventilation between shirt and skin yet covers my skin from direct sunlight. I also try to find a happy medium between the amount of effort and how strong of a breeze my speed provides.

Another excellent option is to adjust the AC temperature at your office/home. There's no rational reason to maintain 70F inside when it's 90F outside, so set it for 78F instead. It will still be signficantly cooler AND less humid, plus you'll save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Holy cow, 88F at 9:30 am. Nice... The morning commute wasn't that bad though. But I expect the afternoon to be a scorcher.

Last summer I had to ride without a helmet on the way home several times when it was over 95F. Although the helmet was ventilated and light silver color it was unbearably hot. In particular in Manhattan where it's often up to 10F hotter than the outer boroughs. Bandana under a helmet helps a bit keeping the sweat off your eyes but not so much for the heat. But if you don't wear a helmet then definitely wear a bandana or a cap.

And yeah, there is nothing wrong with taking mass transit or even staying home. Heat stroke is a real danger, in particular if you're not used to heat. Although, honestly, I'd rather be on a bike than on a NYC subway. I've been stuck on crowded subways in the Summer, often without power, the heat was unbearable, I saw people faint and myself felt like I was about to vomit, no water, no place to seat, no way to get out, freaking horrible. At least once I got home so sick I had to stay home the next day.

At least on a bike I can stop in a shade, walk into air conditioned store, get water, get ice, etc.

This is the time of year when not having/using air conditioning pays dividends. I don't do anything different on my commute than I do on any other summer day, except ensure that my water bottle is topped off for the ride home.

I would not be able to sleep properly when it's hot and humid at night. I never got used to it. Also, I have three computers and two large screens in my room plus some other electronics that generate a lot of heat, I have to have AC on. I can deal with heat only, but when it gets over 80F/80% I get uncomfortable indoors.

You're lucky! Mine holds her nose or pulls her shirt up over her nose and mouth when I get home. I can barely say three words before it is made abundantly clear that I need to go take a shower... ;)