I need inspiration from somewhere to ride in the heat. I mean, when it gets to be 95 f. I die. I have always just made sure I take both water bottles and sip like mad the whole time

I am wondering:

Is it really safe to ride in high heat?
Is keeping hydrated the key?
( ie, is there something I should eat? )
How many riders wait out the heat? (sort of like the winter months)

Sweat is my only friend in the heat. I get soaked in sweat and the wind offers releif. A cold shower after the ride and wow, pizza never taisted so good!

Just complaining mostly but, am I the only one that hates the heat?
Russell

I thought I was alone out there. Here in Queensland, summer lasts for six months, and there is no such thing as winter. If I refused to ride in the heat, I don't think I'd be very fit. As far as what to eat goes, I live mainly on fruit and vegetables at that time of the year (yeah, I eat plenty of other things, but they are the best).

The other thing I do is make a deliberate and conscious effort to drink totally excessive amounts of fluids. Having done that, I drink some more. And not just while riding either. Hydrating before and after the ride is the key to avoiding dehydration, which is not to understate the importance of drinking during the ride.

Remember, it's never too hot to ride, but it is possible to be too unprepared.

Riding in extreme heat can be dangerous. But again it does come down to conditioning. Water is key. I forget the exact numbers but keep drinking the water.

You could avoid it by hitting the nearest mountain and doing a big climb. If I am in whistler valley it can be 30c (not very hot but this is an example) I can climb up a few trails for a couple of hours and the temp is a full 10c less.

Make sure you eat plenty .You don't want to compound the heat problems with lack of energy.Also you tend to overheat in the head so it is important to keep this area well ventilated,cooland shielded from the sun.In addition to a well ventilated helmet a tactic I use is to cut my hair as short as possible then drap a water soaked bandana over my head so it hangs down on sides and back blocking the sun from your neck(like the desert headware you see in the far east)Then hold it in place with a water soaked sun visor to shield your face on top of which you can put your helmet.I guarantee you this cools you right down .

The other thing is don't be afraid to listen to your body. It really is surprising how much energy the heat can sap from you simply by being there. If you body is screaming at you that it's had enough, find a shady spot and give it a rest. The last thing you want out there is a heart-attack (a very real threat when temperatures exceed 45 degrees C).

Soberone, I thought about making this post myself as I rode today.

Uphill, on hot asphalt, no shade can make you feel like a chocolate chip cookie. Downhill has only one drawback: it's over too soon!

I take it slower and I stop at a shady spot to sip a cold drink. By the time I've started again, I am drenched with sweat, charged with fluid and cooler from the stomach out!

I also found that ice in a hydration pack cools the spine off very well.

Don't overheat yourself.

East Texas is justly famous for its heat and humidity.

In the hot months I try to ride between 0600 and 0800. From 1000 to 1700 it is not fit here for man nor beast.

I have more endurance and feel generally better when I add half teaspoon of Morton Lite Salt to my 60 oz hydropack.


Morton Lite-Salt 11 oz is 99c
1/4 teaspoon serving
0 calories
0 carbohydrates
290 mg sodium
340 mg potassium

p 273 "Let's eat right to keep fit" by Adelle Davis

"People who salt food lightly should add 3,000 mg sodium to a day's dietary, and those who enjoy well-salted food 7,000 mg. Normally the intake of potassium should be approx the same as that of sodium, and calcium intake should be 2/3 or more that of phosphoros."

The heat, the heat, the heat?
Personally I enjoy the heat. My wife thinks I am insane but I realy enjoy extream temps. During the summer months, especialy this year, I will leave around 11:30 and finish up about 14:00. I have no problems with dehydration since I carry 1gal of water with me and a sport drink. When the murcury passes 105F I have better rides. When I lived in Phoenix, AZ. riding when it was 115F was great because there would be not a soul out there. Never had to worry about going to fast or if there was some one coming the oppisite way. Then when I get home, make some grub, toss back a pint and relax.
Slainte
Matt

Funny thing- I was just thinking about that today when I was riding in the heat. Here in Chicago, it was 102 degrees when I left for my ride. I did 20 miles in the heat and loved it! I don't know why, but heat just doesn't keep me from going out there and having some fun on my bike. Hmmmm... well, maybe if I had to deal with a big hill, I'd be singing a different tune. But for what it's worth, I just get a big water bottle full of water with lots of ice and make sure I stay hydrated. Then I sometimes pour the water over myself and give myself an instant cold shower. That's always nice.

One thing I DON'T like about riding in the heat is when I finish the ride, and I'm feeling that sweat just running down me, and I just want to get back on my bike. I'm gonna really miss my summer heat. Oh shoot.....

Koffee

And I thought you guys were just going to call me a sissy.

Hay, here is a related question:

I keep my bike in the house, in the air condition. 75~80F. If I inflate a tire to the recomended 100psi. and then take it out into 100F temp, should I be concerned about over inflation once that air heats up? humm,,

Thanks for the perspiration everyone. Lots of good tips. It helps to know I am not alone.
(did I say perspiration?)

No.

Sweat is the one redeeming feature that summer actually has (apart from tropical downpours, which we don't get anymore ). It is a special, wonderful, spanky thing.

Could we have an additional option "Not applicable--- resident in the UK" ?

Hydrate! (Tho save the beer for later)

Don't get in a big rush, if you feel weak, pull off in the shade and cool off.

I keep some honey or a nutrition bar available to recharge too.

Here in not-so-east Texas its simple,
after about 2 weeks you get adjusted to it.
So my advice is take it kind of easy for a couple weeks,
then ignore it (well as much as you can).
I'm real big on the hydration thing, 2 water bottles and
camelback 2 litre. One bottle filled with "sports drink" for
the electrolytes.
Interestingly I read somewhere that a helmet provides
more cooling (providing its well ventilated) than riding
with no helmet.

Marty

I was thinking about this yesterday as I was roasting on the streets. "They" always tell you that if the ambient air temperature is greater than your body temperature, it's dangerous to exercise, since your body is fighting to keep cool. Does this apply to cycling? I mean, I've got a breeze nearly constantly and the only time I really sweat profusely is when stopped. When I go again, the sweat cools and I'm even more comfy than before.

I love the heat. It's sort of part of my weight-loss program.

I kind of enjoy the heat, but mainly because most of the time I'm cold. My husband can't understand how he can be sweating to death in shorts and a t-shirt and I"m comfortable in long britches in the middle of the summer in SC. Riding in it doesn't bother me until I stop or if I'm climbing a hill when the wind resistance slows down.

I live in a desert. It's either ride in the heat or don't ride at all. I do pay very close attention to hydration though.

Carl

voted for the last option, wait and drink beer, he he he

We have had some stifling heat and humidity, lately. Not too bad when starting out, but after 30 minutes or so of multiple hills, I'd start to really feel it. By the time I'd arrive home in the afternoon after work, I was ready to plop.

Yesterday, we had overcast skies and even some rain. Man, the ride home was almost the same as the morning ride in! Someone on the elevator at work said it looks dreary today, but I said, "At least it's not hot!" I only hope it's like this tomorrow!

Living in the Southern United States, I actually prefer cycling when it's "cold," though "cold" to us is really quite nice, above freezing. "Cycling season," in my book, is not summer!

Some thing we used to do road racing(motorcycles) is to put our hydration pack in the freezer the night befor and then wear it under your clothes. It works great and you still have water to drink since the temp. out side and your body will melt it. Lately what I have been doing is wearing a cap soaked in cold water under my helmet. Every so often take it off and soak it with the chilled water from the hydration pack.
Slainte

p.s. and still have a pint upon returning home.

I carry a partially frozen hydration pack for drinking and a melted frozen water bottle that I pour over my head and shoulders. A quick dip in the ocean doesn't hurt either provided I can catch a fresh water shower.

Hydration is key to riding in the heat. I really don't mind the heat that much until I stop at a traffic light or stop sign, then you really can feel it radiate and you break into a sweat. Keep moving and you will be naturally air-conditioned.

One thing that I've been doing for at least 10 years now is really helpful. If you have an inexpensive digital watch (like a Timex Triathlon) set the "countdown" timer for 10 minutes. When you start out on your ride set the timer and every ten minutes you will get an audible reminder to drink. It is really easy to get into a ride (especially when riding in a group which I do often) and lose track of time and forget to drink. By the time you realize it you've been dehydrating for too long and then it is too late without a long stop to get some fluids in you.

It's become so common for me to set this timer that my riding buddies hear my alarm and they all reach for their bottles and yell out"Time to Drink". It really does help and is so simple to do. I haven't bonked from lack of fluids for years as a result after doing so many times as a newbie rider.

Give it a shot. Cheap insurance instead of dragging yourself home in the heat and suffering needlessly.

i suppose that riding early in the morning before the heat of the day starts in is not an option?!

I like riding when it's hot out, but in my area it's never very humid, so sweat evaporates easily. If we had the humidity typical of the South, that would be another story!

I'm with lotek, I try to take both a Camelbak and bottles. I remember one hot trip from Spokane to Pullman in which I calculated my total water consumption... I drank 11 pounds of water in 75 miles, or 5kg in 120km. That's 15% of my body weight edit: oops, can't do my math... 7%, and I still weighed less when I arrived.

So drink like a fish, and know where to get more water If the humidity is high and your sweat isn't evaporating easily, don't overdo things.

Not here in Queensland. Generally, this place reaches it's maximum temperature for the day at around 6am during summer.