MrCjolsen

Today it's supposed to be over 100 degrees farenhiet (That's 38 celsius for those in the world who use that newfangled "metric system")

Anyway, it's always a dry heat in the central valley. Very dry. Going outside at 4 PM is like stepping into a furnace.

I need to do yard work in the morning. By noon it should be getting close to 95 or 100.

Does anyone else ride when it's this hot? Am I crazy?

KingTermite 

It gets really hot here in Florida too......and its waaaaay more humid.

I tend to either ride early in am, or evening. I prefer evenings because every second it gets cooler instead of getting hotter in mornings. I'll try to start around 6pm and ride until it gets dark (about 830pm).

hmai18

It's the humidity that kills up here, though that didn't stop me from riding when the mercury topped 40C with humidex a few weeks ago. Granted, I wasn't out for as long and wasn't riding as hard, but I was still out.

woodcycl

Yep, here in the Ohio valley humidity turns our typical 90 to 96 degrees F into 105 to 115 HEAT INDEX. So, I can relate ... just in terms of the impact it has on the body.

Yes, I'm crazy too as I ride in it ... I just prefer 80 and partly cloudy with dry roads!

Hipcycler

I love riding in the 90's.
Hot=Good in Hip's world.

Go for it....just drink plenty, even ahead of time.

KirkeIsWaiting

90 something for me today. Humid.
I did two rides again yesterday. I was so dissatisfied with my morning ride because of the heat, I felt the need to try again after dark.
Combined I did 42 miles, 2 ocean swims and a boat load of popcicles.
I need to stop complaining. It will be December again before I know it!

cydewaze

There's no such thing as too hot (or humid) for me. It's bizarre. I cannot stand heat or humidity in everyday life, and when I moved from Upstate NY to the DC area, the summers are what I hated the most.

BUT...

When I'm riding, my body really seems to like the hot, humid weather a lot better than the comfy weather. I'm noticably slower when the temp is in the high 70's than I am when it's in the 90's with a heat index near 100. I sweat in buckets, and I burn through water really quickly, but I always feel really good on the ride.

I have arrived at the following possibilities:
1) The heat and humidity makes me drink more.
2) My muscles like being warmer.
3) I'm some kind of freak.

Gimme my 45 SPF and my 102 heat index, and I'm a happy man.

primaryreality

I live in Sacramento, and I don't think you're crazy. I'm not stopping for the heat (don't have a car, so I really can't anyway, but I still wouldn't). I'll try not to schedule any forty or fifty mile joyrides for the hottest part of the day, obviously, but commuting and errands will proceed as usual. It doesn't bother me that much, honestly.

Proper clothing, lots of sunscreen, and ample hydration; I'm good to go.

shimanopower

chicago- raining.... i'm going anyways

WaitUpForMe

I'm with Cydwaze -- I'll ride no matter how hot it is.

On the other hand, when the temp drops to the mid and lower 40's, I'll stay inside. I don't much like riding with a constantly runny nose.

cydewaze

To that, I can relate as well. I'm dead slow in the cold. I hate breathing cold air, and my muscles don't want to work. Ick...

RT

I've always been good if I have enough water. Nothing feels better than a good sweat after a long ride in a furnace

jlin453

That's because you live in Maryland! Come down here to Texas and then tell us about humidity.

ke422azn41

wow, what a dumb subjective question, where everyone well tell you a different answer.
an eskimo might say 60 degrees is too hot
an amazon woman might say 120 degrees is too hot.

Boogs

I have been going out in the early AM on weekdays, and it's fekn awesome. The city is quiet and cool, the babe index is very high on the river drives (), the pollution is much much lower, and it's a great way to start the day. I need to get out earlier for my Sunday long ride - departure has drifted to 9:30 or 10:00, and it's not as nice.

TexasGuy

That answer is very subjective. I used to do 2:30pm, Texas hot summer (100+), without a water bottle, 1-2 hour long ride.

If you find that you are sweating too much then slow down and try hydrating more and then make decided whether you should avoid that specific temperature/heat index/ humidity combination.

caloso

MrCjolsen: I've been heading out at 6am and it's been super. Tonight the ride home is going to be sizzling, though It could be as high as 104F (40C) for the return commute.

It would have to be a lot hotter than that to be too hot for me. I grew up in the North Valley and I remember when I was playing American Legion ball we'd play double headers in Redding and Red Bluff when it would be 110.

ggg300

heat index today = 115. Its a good thing I am in the middle of a bike build.

caotropheus

Talking about modern metric system...I think that until 40ºC you may ride more or less comfortably if you drink plenty of water. When I practice triathlon a got a couple of times sun strokes at temperatures 38ºC and above, but my falt. I did no drink enough.

cydewaze

After talking to the guy (from Texas) in the office who's two doors down, sure. He's whining about the humidity as bad as anyone else here.

my58vw

Heat is not the problem... add heat and wind and smog... then we have a problem... it is about 95 here today and I am riding at 5:30 pm.

cycleprincess

I rode Sunday afternoon (3pm-on purpose). It was 97 degrees, who knows what the heat index was. I typically go for the trifecta on my training rides, heat, humidity and hills (no mountains, but plenty of hills). I'm training for Hotter N Hell Hundred this year again. Last year we totally lucked out cuz it rained that morning and the unbearable heat held out until later in the afternoon, of course I was still out there. One can always hope for a repeat, but not likely. So I will continue the training trifecta in hopes of finishing 100 miles on August 27th.

p.s. lots of sunscreen-reapply often!!!

helmets save

Well i understand the part where your muscles like to be warm. Its kind of like how you warm up before sports and such.

Like i used to play high school baseball and i was a pitcher. After every inning i would throw on a jacket to keep my arm warm, no matter how hot it was outside whether it was 100 or 50 degrees outside. It prevented me from needing alot of warm-up pitches before hand. It keeps your muscles loose.

RoadBikeRage

The key to hot weather riding here in Memphis seems to be two things:

1) Know your limits.

2) Hydration, hydration, hydration.

TexasGuy

no kidding