moto367

With the heat wave approaching our area these next few days around here, with temps expecting high 90's with heat index reaching 110-113, when do you decide not to ride due to the temps? I normally don't have too much of an issue with heat but curious about others.

jeffreythree

Heat just changes how and when I ride, not if I ride. I also reduce my effort on heat advisory day.

jon c. 

That's just summer here so it would never occur to me that it was 'too hot' to ride. But acclimation makes a difference so those who aren't used to it probably should bring some extra water.

GlennR

I'm heading out at 5:30am for 45 miles. I'll put my head/tail lights on, carry 2 water bottles and be home by 9:00 with a breakfast break. Temps should be 71*F to start and 78*F to end... but the dew point 71* and that's the problem.

Flip Flop Rider

the best way to deal with summer temps is to not look at them and ride anyway. the moving part keeps you cool enough

it's hot everyday so

2manybikes

Drink and eat enough. Think about how you feel. Stop and drink if you need to. I need one large bottle about every 1.5 hours. I cut my last ride down to 60 miles. I had 7 big bottles of water and fruit punch mixed. It only took me about 50 years to get it right.

Wileyrat

When I go out this time of year, I just plan on finishing at 90-95 degrees.

Anything more, and I'm afraid I'll melt, anything less, the ride won't be long enough to bother wiggling into my lycra.

downhillmaster

No issues here either.
25 miles yesterday at 90 degrees and didn’t bother bringing a water bottle.
We are not all delicate flowers

Last ride 76 

"Put me back on my bike."*

Every year people get heat related illnesses, and some die from a lack of understanding about dehydration, sports physiology etc. High temps, especially above 100° calls for reduced exertion, proper hydration, (meaning not just sucking down a whole bunch of bottled water). Drink only "pure" water, and no food, your electrolytes go out of wack. And if that happens, and you're lucky- next stop ER.
Be smart about heat. I'm ok up to a heat index in the high 90s as long as I keep my jersey wet, and drink things with electrolytes.

Edit:

I just got off my bike. With plenty of fluids, and on a low intensity ride, I was almost home (luckily)when my body decided "enough." No sign of anything up to the 23 mile point of a 25 mile ride. I had drunk 3/4 my water bottle, and felt fine. I decided to ease up completely, and cool down. In the next flatish mile, my quads started really losing strength (more than hurting - shut up legs) and then my TRICEPS started cramping. That's a new one for me. Any farther from home, I would have stopped to rest. Rode 1/2 mile sitting up on an empty MUP, and finished the last bit on the road. I never experienced such a dramatic bonk before - no diziness, etc. and now feel good to go after a few minutes resting in 74° and some water.

Only 93° out... But factor in heat absorbtion/radiation of tarmac, heat discharge from vehicles blasting their AC and direct sun, well... It feels hot to me.



*If you don't know who said that and where, Google it.

guachi

It's been mid to upper 90s here in Georgia. That's too hot so all of my riding in the last month had been on my turbo trainer.

sdmc530

90 is my max. I like in the north so it’s usually not a big issue but never over 90. Just not worth it

Mountain Mitch

30 C is getting warm but it depends how humid it is. If the humidity is moderate I still enjoy riding up to about the mid 30s.
On my recent trip to the UAE I was impressed by the lit tracks though the desert in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that permitted night riding to avoid the heat of the day.

Last ride 76 

That's cool, too bad the countries aren't.

Reynolds 

Never felt it was too hot to ride, my max so far is 37C.

DrIsotope

I felt okay at the time, but it later proved this was too hot. Over the course of the ride (there was just 4 more miles to go here,) 184oz of liquid, and additional 64oz after getting home. I was nevertheless well trashed for the next 48 hours.



I generally don't like doing longer rides above 100º, as the water requirements simply aren't sustainable. The above ride had 3 water stops, and I finished 50oz in the final 12 miles. Graph of the same ride:

mstateglfr 

95, be it actual temp or the feels like temp, is the most I want to ride in. Simply no desire, much less need, to ride in heat higher than that.

wipekitty

100F + will wear me down pretty quickly. So will dew points over 75F or so. I've commuted in both, in Southern California and the Gulf Coast of Alabama respectively. Once the dew points get up around 80F, I've got to ride very slowly to avoid feeling barftastic.

On hot days, I'll usually ride in the evenings - or do a shorter, flatter, and slower than usual daytime ride. How my body handles it depends on a wide variety of factors - pre-hydration, what I ate/drank the day before, whether I did something strenuous the previous two days, and even my mental state (tired from work, energized, angry, etc.).

A lot of the guys and gals swear by morning rides, but I'm fairly certain that the dewpoints are even higher than in the evenings (despite the temperatures being lower.) That's my excuse, anyhow. 5AM is not my thing.

mstateglfr 

It's like you thought about answering the questions, then just said 'nah, screw that' and replied with a tangential answer.

ooga-booga

if it's over 90 degrees, will stay away from big climbs (more than 4 miles long and 4%+ grade) and stay away from "boonies" rides unless i know for certain
that there is dependable suppport/provisions at (a) key point(s) along the route.
riding on hot days near civilization, i can stop/regroup at a water fountain, gelato place, convenience store for a slurpee, etc at any two of three points: before, during, after.
if it's a longer ride, i've probably prehydrated pretty well and am carrying at least two large bottles. on a really hot day, i'll carry four and resupply/refill
before i really need to

hottest ride i ever did was at valley of fire state park just northeast of las vegas. 108 degrees. had 4 bottles and had prehydrated well the day before.
still took advantage of completely soaking my baselayer, (head) bandana and jersey both times at the visitor center outdoors water source when i twice passed it
during a 25 mile ride. at that temp, you dry completely in less than 10 mins. it feels fantastic going 20mph on the flats or 30mph downhill on a day
that warm when you're (temporarily) soaked. did end up supplementing/dumping entire water bottles over my head more than a few times.

alloo

I'm not sure how to answer this question. I feel better on my bicycle than my scooter. I carry more water and use my cooling vest more which keeps me soaked in water to regulate my body temperature. I hydrate more.

Kabuki12

I ride in warm-hot weather a lot here in Southern California. It depends on the day and how I feel. I had a bike accident a couple of years ago and had to wait 10-12 weeks before getting back on the bike. It just so happened that there was a heat wave at the time I was supposed to be able to ride againI I rode anyway. It was 105 in the shade and I had a great ride . Joe
El Cajon California,105 in the shade, ice tea break!

Machka 

I don't think I've cycled in a temp higher than 45C (113F) ... although I did cycle in a "feels like" temperature of 48C (118F).

Electrolytes.

FlMTNdude

Been pushing 100 since early May, but summer never ends in Florida unfortunately. Adjust speed based on duration of the ride, and always hydrate. And remind myself I will have two nice weeks of weather about February.

shrtdstncrdr

Working through a little heart condition so off the bike at the moment. But this is Minnesota, where I've ridden motorcycles at negative five degrees F. (now there's a wind chill for ya). I've gotten utterly disgusted with winter as a whole but cannot ride in temps past the mid eighties. Just not fun for me. Never much liked high heat but have come to absolutely HATE winter.

My limit is low eighties. Maybe that'll change but that's where I am right now.

Skipjacks

Today is 98 with a heat index of 108 and humidity in the 90% range.

The air conditioner in my car was working great! The bike will still be there on Monday. I'll live with a day out of the saddle.