Dealing with heat

I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day
till I broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a
few weeks. When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most
days. Now it is quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc.
I also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.

P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip
ties and it is working out great so far.

catzz66 wrote:

I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day
till I broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a
few weeks. When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most
days. Now it is quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc.
I also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.

P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip
ties and it is working out great so far.

Inland rides in San Diego put us into 90+ degree heat. Not much
humidity, but with 4-5hrs exposure--especially when climbing--it takes
its toll.

While I don't want to start the whole 'hydration pack vs.
frame-mounted bottles' thing, I take a hydration pack filled with (in
my case) Gatorade Endurance formula. I'm using a 70oz pack and I go
through all of it on most rides.

In terms of hydration, you have to stay ahead of thirst. The old
adage: drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry.

There also /is/ a certain amount of adaptation/acclimatization that
will take place . . . eventually. Your body gets used to the heat.
Getting to that point is the challenge ;-)

I also tend toward the light-colored jerseys on the really hot days
(every little bit helps, right), putting the zipper down as far as
decorum permits ;-)

Some people swear by those cycling-specific head scarves/do-rags. The
theory--aside from keeping sweat out of your eyes--is evaporative
cooling. For the same reason, some people like wearing a wicking
(polypropylene or ~) base layer under a jersey. Experiment a bit with
clothing. There's a lot of high-tech stuff out there. Some of it
works quite well.

Stay cool....

You asked the question of the day! 8D

I just got back from a 6km ride, temp about 30C (86F).

My roommates went out for a hike at 8am and were still out when I left for
my ride at 11:20.

When I got back I had a HUGE grin on my face and my roomies were saying
"Chris, you really shoulda gone out earlier. How the heck do you deal with
that heat? It's nasty!"

I LOVE the heat - it's like a huge warm hug. I'm used to MINUS 30 in the
winter and I hate being cold.

OK - to address your question - I do these things:

- don't eat a lot before a ride on a hot day.
- "pre-load" the fluids - usually a large glass of half water, half
cranberry juice.
- take three magnesium supplements and two multi-vitamins with the juice.
- bring a bottle of water/juice mix with a teaspoon of salt mixed in and
drink about a bottle an hour. (half or full quart, I think?)
- clothing: coolmax shortsleeved jersey, offwhite in colour (reflects a lot
of light & the mesh breathes very well)
- microfiber "bermuda shorts" - breathable, comfy (not form fitting), and
wick moisture away
- cotton/poly blend "boxer brief" underwear - keeps things from *ahem*
sticking...
- thin synthetic socks and jungle moccassin loafers; generally keeps feel
"coolish" though I'm sure I don't have the best footwear (I'm using platform
pedals, not clipless)

Hope this helps!
Chris



"catzz66" wrote in message
...
I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day till I
broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a few weeks.
When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most days. Now it is
quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc. I
also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.

P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip ties
and it is working out great so far.

"catzz66" wrote ...
I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day
till I broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a
few weeks. When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most
days. Now it is quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc.
I also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.

P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip
ties and it is working out great so far.

Since you ride with running shoes and use zip ties, you probably ride in
cotton T-shirts and cut-off jeans. In my experience, the most significant
thing you can do to deal with the heat is to go to your LBS and buy proper
tight-fitting jerseys and shorts. If you think they are too expensive,
calculate the cost per hour of use.

And pick up a pair of clipless pedals and shoes. That will make riding much
easier.

PS I went out for a two-hour ride at noon yesterday and the temperature was
a chilly 65.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 10:56:37 -0500, catzz66 wrote:

I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day till
I broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a few
weeks. When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most days.
Now it is quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I'm down here in the "Butcher Holler" regions of North America, and
dealing with the heat is uber important so you don't end up being a
statistic.

Riding in the morning or eve is a must of course an hydration is
paramount. I bought a hydration pack last year and it's the best thing
I've ever done for cycling, as I sweat *a lot*. I pack mine with ice, then
water, so the ice's melted but the water's still cold after a couple hours
hammering. As I mentioned in a different thread, I always start out with
two clean washcloths in different jersey pockets, and I stop every twenty
minutes or so, soak one in ice cold water from the hydration pack and wipe
my face, bald head, and arms with it. The spare is in case my glasses or
such need cleaning.

Take care of your feet and saddle contact points in the summer. I do
sometimes wear cotton socks BUT my shoes are well ventilated, usually I go
for a nice pair of Coolmax or similar wicking material. You do not want
your feet to get fungusy and crunky.

Good wicking cycling shorts, be they baggy or tight, and pay attention to
whatever folds and bits you've got. Vaseline, neosporin, and zinc diaper
cream can be your best friends. Saddle sores tend to heal very quickly if
you nip them in the bud, but let them go and EEK!

Most important is to listen to your body, if you start to get dry mouth,
dizzy, or just generally feel like garbage--find some shade pronto and
cool down.

Alfred Ryder wrote:


Since you ride with running shoes and use zip ties, you probably ride in
cotton T-shirts and cut-off jeans. In my experience, the most significant
thing you can do to deal with the heat is to go to your LBS and buy proper
tight-fitting jerseys and shorts. If you think they are too expensive,
calculate the cost per hour of use.

And pick up a pair of clipless pedals and shoes. That will make riding much
easier.

PS I went out for a two-hour ride at noon yesterday and the temperature was
a chilly 65.



This is just my first time biking through the summer riding as much as
this and most of my hot weather clothes are for running. I bought some
high tech stuff for winter riding and was planning on doing the same
thing for summer.

Using platform pedals for now, but I have look-style pedals when I get
ready to switch and get some shoes.

As for the zip tie mounted bottle cage, one of my bikes is steel and I
just wanted to see if I could do it with zip ties first. I've got the
brackets to mount it on the frame when I get around to it.

I use thermally-insulated water bottles and mix lots of ice with my
water/sports drink. The thermal bottles seem to keep stuff cold for a
long time; upwards of a couple of hours in 80-90F weather, if you do it
right. There's nothing like a nice cold drink to perk you up on a
long, hot ride.


-JR

catzz66 wrote:
Alfred Ryder wrote:
Since you ride with running shoes and use zip ties, you probably ride in
cotton T-shirts and cut-off jeans. In my experience, the most significant
thing you can do to deal with the heat is to go to your LBS and buy
proper
tight-fitting jerseys and shorts. If you think they are too expensive,
calculate the cost per hour of use.

This is just my first time biking through the summer riding as much as
this and most of my hot weather clothes are for running. I bought some
high tech stuff for winter riding and was planning on doing the same
thing for summer.

Look at the online store sales (Performance, Nashbar); you should be
able to get shorts and jerseys for $20 or so each. I don't know that
the shorts really help with the heat, but they do make things more, er,
comfortable. Jerseys help a bit, but IMHO the two most important things
in dealing with the heat are drinking lots of water and riding in the
heat enough to get used to it.

Using platform pedals for now, but I have look-style pedals when I get
ready to switch and get some shoes.

Sounds like a reasonable approach. Have fun!

Pat

"catzz66" wrote in message
...
I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day till I
broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a few weeks.
When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most days. Now it is
quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc. I
also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.


You need isotonic and not just plain water. When you sweat you lose
elctrolytes (salts) and you need to replace these. Isontonic drinks will
give you the elctrolytes easily absobed into you system and will give you
some sugars for energy too. Drink *before* you are thirsty and keep
drinking.

Cheers, helen s




P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip ties
and it is working out great so far.

catzz66 wrote:
I started riding again last fall and had been riding about every day
till I broke my arm and collarbone which knocked me off schedule for a
few weeks. When that happened, the temps were in the 70s and 80s most
days. Now it is quite a lot hotter. How do you all deal with the heat?

I've been wearing light colored clothing, drinking lots of water, etc. I
also tried wearing sandals instead of running shoes and that seemed to
help as well. Usually I ride before the sun gets all the way up and the
heat has not been a problem, but on the weekends I ride longer distances
and can't really avoid it.

P.S. I put an extra bottle rack on my old steel frame Fuji using zip
ties and it is working out great so far.

It's hot here, too, but I had a marvelous 20-mile
ride Sunday morning, starting at 5 AM...what a
beautiful time of day!

My problem is that I don't have a water-bottle
holder on my bike, and just like with panniers
and fenders, I'm too lazy to go buy anything. I
know, it's like $5 and 10 minutes, but inertia
is all in my life sometimes I do know where
all the water fountains are in town. I also
discovered that the black raspberries are ripe
now, so I spent several stops rehydrating on
berries So I drank a couple glasses of water
before leaving, stopped at a campground after
about 10 miles and spent 5 minutes drinking,
stopped a couple times to eat berries. That
worked for me.

Scott