Texas here too
 

I found that, here in Dallas, it is best if I wear wool jerseys, they get damp with perspiration then the evaporation pulls all the heat from my body, as long as I keep the liquid intake up.

Works great and looks sharp.

Ryan in Nutrition for Endurance Athletes has a section on heat adaptation. It takes a good 10 to 15 days to adapt. Taking it easy and building up gradually is not a bad idea. Adaptation consists of sweating earlier, sweating over more of your body and sweating more; your sweat volume can double after adaptation. Your blood volume increases as well.

You need to drink more and watch your electrolytes, especially if you're a salt sweater which I am. I add ice to my hydration bladder as cool water is more quickly absorbed than warm/hot water. You also burn more energy so I eat a little more on the rides.

I've given up on electrolyte replacement sports drinks and just add 1/4 teaspoon of table salt per liter. On my 19 mile ATB ride here in N Florida gulf coast, I drink about 3 liters. I might drink 4 or more on a 50 to 60 mile road ride. Now a days it's mostly mountain biking.

You keep cooler on a road bike because of the higher speed for the effort rendered.

I'm 69 and ride all year around both in N Florida and in the Georgia mountains. Last Christmas day I did an ATB ride in sleet at about 30 degrees. That's easier than the heat/humidity here on the gulf coast if you have good gear.

One last item, you need a cool-down period at a slow pace before stopping. A couple of summers ago I would feel faint after a hard ride. It was the first summer following changes I made to increase my average speed by about 30%. I was generating more heat and riding hard right to the car.

I happened to stumble across an article that indicated that it was not unusual to feel faint in those conditions and it said to do some light pedaling before you stop. Now I ride an extra half mile to cool down and it hasn't happened since.


Al

It isn't surprising to me to read the suggestions of camelbacks and gel. After all, many 50+'ers ride long, largely uninterrupted rides. As opposed to those of us who ride 20-30'ish mile rides with lots of stops. I've never consumed a gel pack and have never had more than one 24-oz water bottle on my bike. I've never run out of water ... but then I can usually stop to refill every 5-7 miles along the trails, if I need to.

I certainly agree with hydrating pre-ride. Sometimes I forget to do this and need a lot more water along the ride.

I've enjoyed reading the tips here. Could become helpful if I decide to try some longer rides this summer.

Zonatandem has the same idea as me- Not so much the heat as the humidity. In heat you can drink and drink a lot and it works. Once Humidity comes into play- Energy goes out the window. Only thing I have found is that upping salt intake works in these conditions.

I'm in Cebu Philippines, 89 feels like 101.

I ride early, wear a light colored long sleeve jersey (sun is powerful!). I also take Endurolytes (Hammer Nutrition). Doseage is 1-3 capsules per hr. I can't take too much as it causes mystomach to feel quesy. I've also found that a cold coke after a ride does wonders. I also eat banana's on rides over an hr. I will ride no longer than 4 hrs at most, but usually 1-2 i/2 hrs and I'm ready to stop. BTW - I find that it takes me a day to rehydrate.

Two words.....ICE CREAM

also good for cold weather, depresion, hunger, thirst, lonliness, boredom, stress,
the common cold, flu, snake bites....you get the picture.



First thing I do when the heat strikes is take off the snow tires, hee hee...won't
be needing them for a while. Lotsa early rides and of course when it's hot, ya gotta
ride down by the beach...and they have ice cream at the beach, and it's always a
little cooler near the water.

I ride to the rec center at 5:30, swim for an hour and then go for a ride, starting about 6:45. It still gets quite cool here at night, so I am lucky. Right now, at 6am, it is 57F.

However, it is getting to about 93 during mid-day.