How do you keep a cool head?
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 226
Likes: 10
How do you keep a cool head?
Hi,
I just started biking the last Nov...
The last couple of days it has been sunny and in the low eighties.
After not very many minutes my head gets overly warm and very
sweaty. ( I wear an inexpensive Bell Bike helmet, the Venture ).
What are some ideas for keeping a "cool head" during the warmer
months?
Do the CoolMax head bandanas do any good?
What about sweatbands?
Thanks
Jerry
I just started biking the last Nov...
The last couple of days it has been sunny and in the low eighties.
After not very many minutes my head gets overly warm and very
sweaty. ( I wear an inexpensive Bell Bike helmet, the Venture ).
What are some ideas for keeping a "cool head" during the warmer
months?
Do the CoolMax head bandanas do any good?
What about sweatbands?
Thanks
Jerry
#2
Time for a change.

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,913
Likes: 7
From: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
I wear a cycling cap under my helmet. My major problem is sweat running down the head and into the eyes and the Cap stops it. Don't have an overheating problem as the sweat keeps it cool. In winter it has the opposite affect of keeping the wind off the pate and keeping it warm till it starts sweating.
And on one very hot ride- I soaked it in water to give "Extra" cooling effect and that worked for about an hour.
And on one very hot ride- I soaked it in water to give "Extra" cooling effect and that worked for about an hour.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
#3
Oops... Madone-less
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Olathe, KS
Bikes: seven Axiom SG, Spec Roubaix Expert Di2, Trek DS8.4, Trek Sawyer
I've had luck with a few things -
1. Helmet with good ventilation - I've got a Specialized S Works, which has humungous vents.
2. Coolmax skull cap - helps keep from dripping, also helps keep your head from getting sunburned through the humungous vents metioned above.
3. At last year's end of season clearance on Hammer Nutrition gear, while I was getting the $20 jersey and $30 bibs, I invested another $8 in one of their skull caps. It has a very thin silicone strip around the brim, so it works like one of those sweat gutter things to help keep moisture from dripping down your face. Works really well.
1. Helmet with good ventilation - I've got a Specialized S Works, which has humungous vents.
2. Coolmax skull cap - helps keep from dripping, also helps keep your head from getting sunburned through the humungous vents metioned above.
3. At last year's end of season clearance on Hammer Nutrition gear, while I was getting the $20 jersey and $30 bibs, I invested another $8 in one of their skull caps. It has a very thin silicone strip around the brim, so it works like one of those sweat gutter things to help keep moisture from dripping down your face. Works really well.
#5
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 226
Likes: 10
#6
Seventy years young seems to reduce sweat problems, actually.
I don't get a "hot" head as such, but sure sweat a lot on my head. When it's warmer, I carry a washcloth along to wipe sweat off with. They make a little sweatcatcher gutter thingy, not sure what it's called, that goes across your forehead, but I haven't tried it.
Edit: This thing: https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=1340
I don't get a "hot" head as such, but sure sweat a lot on my head. When it's warmer, I carry a washcloth along to wipe sweat off with. They make a little sweatcatcher gutter thingy, not sure what it's called, that goes across your forehead, but I haven't tried it.
Edit: This thing: https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=1340
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
I don't wear a cover when it is warm out. I bought an extremely well ventilated helmet to help keep the head cool. And I wear one of those geeky looking gutter things mentioned above -- works well. Especially when I am sweating rivers!
#8
Keep on climbing

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,193
Likes: 2
From: Marlborough, Massachusetts
Bikes: 2004 Calfee Tetra Pro
I swear by these things: https://store.haloheadband.com/PROTEX_BANDANNAS_s/10.htm
#9
Coolmax really works, though I flinch at the price. Halo is my favorite. Headsweats doo rags come with an elastic, which I don't much care for.
__________________
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
#10
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 2
From: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Get a better ventilated helmet. Many of the plastic coverings, on better helmets, have reflective properties that help keep your head cool. Chech my locale before jumping the gun.
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,417
Likes: 0
From: Waterloo, ONT
Bikes: Road: Trek 1.5 (2007). Mountain: Santa Cruz Chameleon (2008). Beater: Peugeot Recorde du Monde (1850)
Weird. I sweat buckets when I ride around 85F, and I don't have a problem with sweat dripping into my eyes.
I wear a Fox Flux helmet, which is big and meant for mountain biking. The pads on the helmet absorb most of the sweat. Sweat that trickles down my forehead is deflected by the eyebrows. The wind rushing past my face does the rest.
Hah! You gotta go faster!
I wear a Fox Flux helmet, which is big and meant for mountain biking. The pads on the helmet absorb most of the sweat. Sweat that trickles down my forehead is deflected by the eyebrows. The wind rushing past my face does the rest.
Hah! You gotta go faster!
#15
Sheik Yerbouti
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 716
Likes: 2
From: in the state of Confusion, formerly from state of Denial
Bikes: 2006 Trek Pilot 2.1, Jamis Sputnik 2009
#17
Depends on your location. You could buy a helmet with lots of vents and deep flow channels and still overheat from the intensity of the sun/uv rays. Wearing a light colored skull cap or bandana could help reflect the sunlight or shield exposed parts of your head. Some have liners and/or sweatbands (some made from coolmax) to wick away sweat and aid the cooling effects. Motorcyclists been wearing them for years. You don't have to spend a lot either. Here's where I buy my skullcaps:
https://www.bandanas.net/skullbest.htm
A cap would work just as well and you can find those anywhere. Cut down the bill or buy short bill ones or cycling specific caps.
Would carry a bottle of plain water and pour some of it over your head every so often to cool off if you are on a long ride on a hot/sunny day with little to no wind regardless if you are wearing anything under your helmet or not. You see the pro's pour liquids on their head on a particularly hot day as well as regular motorcyclists/bikers out on the highway.
Hyperthermia is the main health concern and many don't know when to stop, get in some shade, re-hydrate, etc., before continuing their ride. If I'm down at the beach during a heat wave, I'll sometimes stop by the free outdoor showers, hit the button, and wash the sweat off my arms, legs, and face/head or just go all out and jump in there...lol...feel a lot better in any case and everything will be dry before I get home.
https://www.bandanas.net/skullbest.htm
A cap would work just as well and you can find those anywhere. Cut down the bill or buy short bill ones or cycling specific caps.
Would carry a bottle of plain water and pour some of it over your head every so often to cool off if you are on a long ride on a hot/sunny day with little to no wind regardless if you are wearing anything under your helmet or not. You see the pro's pour liquids on their head on a particularly hot day as well as regular motorcyclists/bikers out on the highway.
Hyperthermia is the main health concern and many don't know when to stop, get in some shade, re-hydrate, etc., before continuing their ride. If I'm down at the beach during a heat wave, I'll sometimes stop by the free outdoor showers, hit the button, and wash the sweat off my arms, legs, and face/head or just go all out and jump in there...lol...feel a lot better in any case and everything will be dry before I get home.
#18
#20
Sheik Yerbouti
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 716
Likes: 2
From: in the state of Confusion, formerly from state of Denial
Bikes: 2006 Trek Pilot 2.1, Jamis Sputnik 2009
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,417
Likes: 0
From: Waterloo, ONT
Bikes: Road: Trek 1.5 (2007). Mountain: Santa Cruz Chameleon (2008). Beater: Peugeot Recorde du Monde (1850)
i wouldn't recommend that, esp if you're trail riding.
why not just switch up your clothes? try wearing a sleeveless underarmor shirt instead of a traditional jersey. Wear proper biker socks instead of thicker regular ones.
why not just switch up your clothes? try wearing a sleeveless underarmor shirt instead of a traditional jersey. Wear proper biker socks instead of thicker regular ones.
#24
Senior Member


Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,466
Likes: 4,548
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
shoot water from your bottle into the vents and let it drip down your back and face
accept your sweat
accept your sweat
#25
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 420
From: Tucson Az
Bikes: 2015 Ridley Fenix, 1983 Team Fuji, 2019 Marin Nail Trail 6
I used one of the Halo sweat bands for a while, the rubber block was great at just diverting the sweat drips to the side.
What worked for me was getting a helmet with big vents/airflow, and keeping my hair a lot shorter.
What worked for me was getting a helmet with big vents/airflow, and keeping my hair a lot shorter.





