Riding with a cold: your survival tricks?
 

I know some of you on here have cars, but myself and others do not. So, i've been wondering how any of you deal with colds when you need to ride, both in hot, warm, tepid, cool, and cold/freezing temps.

I personally try to keep from exerting myself & not sweat at all, taking the least demanding route, and keeping my neck and mouth covered from wind if its remotely cool or rainy. In the coldest weather, though, it can be a challenge to keep from breathing in the bitterly cold air.

- Andy

I have a car, but don't see any reason to use it if I'm just suffering your run of the mill cold. The ride often clears my nose, at least temporarily. The main thing I do is to keep kleenex readily available during the ride. I also do my best to keep my mouth and nose covered, but I do that anyway when it is cold out.

I try not to do any exercise when sick. I don't know what your mass transit situation is but your might be best off with a bus pass. If you absolutely have to ride try to layer up but not too much and drink lots of fluid. Also add extra time to commute you're going to be slow.

I'm not looking for advice, i'm interested in what other people do. :)

- Andy

So you come to a forum and create a topic asking what other people do i.e. asking for advice. I tell you what I do i.e. give you advice. And you don't like that I have given you advice?

Double post.

I have yet to deal with a cold since I've started commuting. I'll elaborate on how I handle it when the time comes. And I'll whine like a wuss!

Just take it easy and conserve energy. Bikes are efficient, so on flat ground without wind you can laze along at 15 mph with very little effort. If you need to climb or fight headwind, gear down and spin slowly. When I'm sick, I'm weak too, and beating myself up isn't going to help me get better. When you get home, drink a lot of water and rest. If it's been a chilly ride, take a hot shower. Then go to bed.

Also, if you're feeling pretty bad, you'll need to keep yourself alert and safe in traffic. Easier to do that if you're not pushing your weakened body too hard.

I don't get colds or flus much, but when I do and have to get to work anyway, that's what I do.

Riding with a flu is a lot tougher for me than riding with a cold.

Yea, i don't think i'd attempt riding with flu, or even a cold if it messed my equilibrium up too much. I'm good at balancing, but i'm not superman hah. Plus, with flu, you gotta worry about fluid in lungs, and super cold air + fluid in lungs = really not good.

I will admit to having ridden to the bank to make an important cash payment once when i was definitely super ill with flu, but it was summertime and i kinda needed to make that payment for a bill i paid electronically. In winter id rather make a few phone calls explaining why it'll be late or unavailable vs risk further illness/hospital.

In any case, yesterday morning i did my grocery trip with a mask you'd use taking out moldy drywall. It has better structure than a plain white paper mask, and it shields my nose pretty well. Definitely looking for a cold weather "breathing" mask, which would negate the need for the paper thing.

- Andy

What about buying one of those Buff face masks fishermen and hunters like so much? Looking at their website they have even started to market a bit to cyclists. It is supposed to keep the wind off your face but also be pretty breathable. They might look a bit dorky/******y, but if it works, I could live with that.
Buff®Sports | Cycling | Original

Go easy, breathing through the nose if possible. Dress a little warmer.

If I've got a runny nose, feeling listless, etc., ride easy (recovery ride) until something changes. Often that's later on the same ride!

If I've got a fever, the bike stays parked (as do I) until the fever's gone. Why expose other people to my cold? They'll get by without me.

I have to admit -- this is the time of year I usually get that tickle behind my sinuses that turns into a sore throat, runny nose, coughing, and other crap until the spring, and not-riding doesn't seem to help. So I drive more and still suffer. Good thing you weren't asking for advice, 'cause I ain't got any.

Symptoms above the neck, only, I ride and that helps; below the neck I don't.

If I am sick enough to not ride I am not going anywhere is how I usually run.

Otherwise i try to bike the crap out of it and sleep well.

I have a good boss who is understanding to sickness and I have no issues taking time off without pay.

Luckily I rarely get sick it is the rest of the family I have to care for when they are ill.

If I'm not well enough to ride to work, I'm not well enough to be at work.

regulate the temperature of your head so that it's not too hot and not too cold. be prepared to alter the adjustments during your ride. seems like common sense but it can be tricky. for example a cheap clear motel style shower cap over your helmet can cut down the wind and keep your head warm until you heat up, then whip it off and stuff in a pocket. various under helment skul caps and or head sweats can also be used depending on temps.

for me if I take a decongestant I have to take one that doesn't raise blood pressure because I have sensitive blood vessels in my nose that can bleed if I ride hard while on the drug. so I take the over-the-counter drug for ppl w hi blood pressure. it has a "BP" on it. at CVS they have little cards on the shelf and you have to show ID to buy it (I guess to avoid underage kids from abusing it?)

boost your metabolism (which biking is great for)

boost your immune system with supplements and foods - google search for lists

you can do things to your water in the your water bottle too, like add salt, heat before riding, substitute other feel-good fluids, etc

continue to care for yourself once you are at work/school

I haven't had a cold for a very long time. I don't have a car so I just ride my bike and take it easy. In my experience I find it easier to overcome a cold when I am physically active. I also eat about 10 cloves of fresh garlic everyday, maybe that why I don't get colds and flus very often.

Does the decrease in the instances of illness correlate to the decreased physical contact due to the consumption of 10 cloves of garlic?

Put a thermos full of chicken soup in the water bottle cage!

Same here.

I don't stay home due to a cold.

One thing the bicycling is great for is clearing the sinuses, cold or no.

I don't commute but I still ride when I have a cold. As long as all the symptoms are about the neck. In fact, I breathe easier while riding and with my body tilted forward, there is no post nasal drip to make me cough. But I always take it easy and stay in zone 1.

Like others have said, if I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to work. If it's just in the nose or sinuses, I've found that a little gentle exercise helps liquefy and break up congestion. I'll just ride easily and maybe dress a little more warmly than usual. If it's in the lungs or gut, or I have muscle aches, I'll stay in bed.

Right now I'm enjoying the cold that my cubemate kindly passed on to me. The joys of cubicle living. He sits 2 feet away from me.
I canceled my bikeride for tomorrow and likely won't feel well enough to ride for several days.
Colds are infrequent but hit me hard and ALWAYS get into my chest and have systemic effects. They persist for at least 9 days.

My job allows telecommuting for these situations. The only reason I came in today was a mandatory half-day meeting I couldn't get out of.

Please, if you are sick, STAY HOME if you can and keep your germs to yourself !!

If I feel bad and Cheryl needs meds from the pharmacy there's only one way to get them. Me on the bike. I just ride a bit easier, same quick cadence a few gears lower. I do have a few friends that I can call for a ride, but that's if I can't get the bike down the front steps---that's the hard part.

No advice, what I do in italics, the rest just chat.:)