How do you handle riding in the heat -- 85 degrees +
Sometimes after climbing even small hills I find myself very light headed and sometimes have to stop. Once I had to pour water all over my head just to cool down. Any suggestions?

I'm assuming you're referring to temperatures of 85F (which is about what we get in winter most of the time). It sounds to me from your brief post as though you're not drinking enough water. Hydration should be done before, during and after the ride. It's no good trying to drink a heap of water during the ride if you're already moderately dehydrated at the start.

My daily average water consumption year round would be in the 5-10 litres range.

Drop some body fat man...

Ditch your insulator.. and you'll be all good.


Me? I just drink a ****-ton of water, and pedal on mang! As long as I'm moving, and have air-flow it's all gravy.

-Matt

It gets hotter than that here, hydration is probably your issue and water is key to fixing that. you also may be overworking yourself. my first couple of rides out I was wicked hot but quickly learnt to pace myself, now I spin most of the time and have no issues. also you need to cool down after wards and by that I mean when you get close to home or when you reach your neighborhood go around the bike at a nice slower pace than usual and drink plenty of water after.

Litespeed,

Water, water, water!!! I ride in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area with temps of 100 to 110 degree or more. First, I try not to ride during the high temps (mid to late afternoons). Second, I drink like fish. Third, find a speed and pace that is comfortable, do not try and push it, steady as you go! Fourth, you need to build up to it. Meaning if you try and go out and ride in 100 degree temps, without gradually letting your body get used to the increasing temps and the effects it has on is no good.

Lots of water of course, or Gatorade or another sports drink. But also make sure your helmet has enough decent sized holes in to provide good ventilation. I upgraded last year to a more expensive helmet, and found that my head stayed cooler longer, and I got less thirsty and less dehydrated.

Drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry.

Heat is something your body can acclimate to fairly easily.

[war story] When I hit the ground in Saudi Arabia in 1990, it was 104 F at 2 a.m.. We saw temps as high as 135 F, and we were wearing chem gear over BDU uniforms. That's like wearing a quilt. It was damn hot. It took water, and very little time, to be able to function in this heat for 12 hour shifts. [/war story]

The key is hydration, nutrition, and acclimation. Ride year round or at least start early as it starts to warm, and at least a little daily. Your body will be ready as it gets hotter. Same thing in the fall. Done gradually, the human body can adapt to an incredible range.

And this is coming from someone that's not happy if it's about 75 F.

Humidity plays a BIG part!
I wouldn't be surprised if Saudi Arabia is very dry, which makes extreme heat more bearable. Extreme humidity can make normal room temperature seem like a sauna...

My body doesn't get used to heat at all, by the way.
Nor to the cold...

Average for where I was, for that month, is a little over 50%, but I know we saw 75%. Still low compared to what we are used to in northern Virginia, but we were right on the Gulf, so it was pretty brutal.

I got used to walking a lot over there, since waiting on shuttles (I was Air Force, we're spoiled) to get where I needed to go got old, and the threat of being targeted while in groups was very real. I came back nearly 40 lbs. lighter (in 7 months) than when I got there. I have been thinking lately that maybe I'd like to go visit for maybe 4 months. I don't want to be 148 lbs. again, but 175 might work.

Do you acclimatize? That is, do you start riding when it's cooler so your body is gradually exposed to higher and higher temperatures? Or, do you start riding when it's already "warm?" To do the latter can be a real mother. A 90 degree day is very tolerable if you've been riding regularly from when the temperature was only 70-75 degrees. And what are you wearing? Some of the "high-tech" clothing now available can make a big difference. Also, you are wearing lighter colored jerseys, right? Of course you are.

Another trick: place one of your water bottles in the freezer overnight. Carry that fully frozen bottle of water along with a regular bottle of water. Those sips of 35 degree water you get as the ice melts will cool your body's core temperature. I suggest doing this with the new insulated bottles now available. If you start with one fully frozen, you will likely have cold water to drink for at least the first hour on the bike, maybe longer. And should it remain frozen too long, freeze a bottle that is not entirely full. Then add some of the warmer water from your other water bottle to melt the ice as you ride.

These things, and what others have said about remaining as hydrated as possible, will make a huge difference. Just remember you actually hydrate when you're not riding. You can only replace but so much water when you on the bike. First, it's not there. Second, your stomach probably can't hold the equivalent amount of water you're losing through sweat.

Ger'out of the air conditioning. Properly hydrating and losing weight, of course, helps but I have found it most beneficial to not use air conditioning, except to be able to sleep and even keep that to a minimum. During the summer I get so used to the heat that when in an air-conditioned theater or store, I am freezing--and I am no light weight.

On one of my touring trips I carried a water filter system (Brita) on my backpack. The ambient temperature was about 30°C. Yet the water is cool enough that the outside of the jug was wet - probably spillage of water, but could be condesation as well. That's something interesting to note...

But telling me 30°C is too hot is like telling a Norwegian -10°C is too cold. It just takes some time to get used to... Wear light clothing, very breatheable kinds. I wear football (soccer) jerseys, which I find more comfortable. You'll get ventilated by the air you go through most of the journey, but you only get drenched when you stop. Pouring water on your face is the best cure (photographers might want you to repeat), if you have water to spare

I agree, you need to be hydrated before the ride. When i went for a ride a while ago i went through a standard drink bottle in the first 15min of riding. I was riding normal pace, it was flat, not sunny and cool about 18 celcius. This was because i didn't drink enough the last 2-3 days before. Now i am aware and prepared and the day before i will always drink lots of water.
On another note Chris L, from a few of your posts i've read it seems you hate the heat, I know what you mean, i'm scared of it to. It got to 26degrees today and i couldn't stand it, i felt all sick. I cant imagine what it was down there. Why not move down south to Tassie or even Melbourne

Actually, it was only 27 up here today -- and strangely I felt pretty good on a 175km ride. However, the wind was from the South-West, which meant the humidity was pretty low by our standards. I think humidity seems to be my biggest problem. When it's high (or "normal" for Queensland) it's like adding 10-15 degrees C to the temperature. The other thing that upsets me about this climate is that often the nights are just as hot as the days (sometimes even hotter!), so there isn't a lot of relief.

Having said all that, I probably will make a move in the next couple of years. I've hung around here because of the huge variety of riding available between the coast and the rainforest-clad hinterland. However, the urban sprawl of this place is growing a little too rapidly for my liking. The Tweed Coast is rapidly becoming a series of "outer urban trailer parks" (read: high-priced housing estates which thrive on ripping off gullible people), and I fear other areas may follow. Once I get next year's tour of New Zealand out of the way (a big chunk out of next summer), I might head south.

I'll take a warm or hot day over a cool or COLD day anytime!
I can sweat with the best of them but if I'm cold, or my hands or feet are cold, I'm miserable.
All you people who love the cool fall temperatures are crazy!!
Fall, autumn, winter, cold, etc. - they're all "four-letter" words to me.