# dealing with summer heat



## jmenking (May 18, 2010)

It's starting to be summer, and it's particularly tough in New Orleans. How do you guys deal with the heat on your commutes?

My fix:

Shirtless, wet bandana, freeze pop.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*What the hell's a freeze pop?*



jmenking said:


> It's starting to be summer, and it's particularly tough in New Orleans. How do you guys deal with the heat on your commutes?
> My fix:
> Shirtless, wet bandana, freeze pop.


Doesn't get hot for that long here in New England. So I just revel in it, enjoy it, soak it up to remember in the winter, and drink enough water. And I laugh at and argue with my New England native friends when they complain that it's 90 degrees, reminding them that it was 10 degrees 3 months ago, and will be again in 4 months.

But I used to live in D.C., which approaches N.O. in heat and humidity at times, and I will take issue with your shirtless approach. At least in my experience, a thin wicking shirt in a light color is cooler than bare skin. The wicking microfibers actually speed evaporation compared to plain sweaty skin, and you absorb a little less radiation.

How much does a wet bandana help in that humidity? In the desert West (where I come from originally) it works great, but I wonder how much evaporative cooling you get down there.


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

It's been a pleasant high teens Celcius here in Vancouver, BC. Don't envy you. Just drink lots of water!


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

-SPD sandals so you don't have to deal with sweaty socks or shoes.
-Voler (Velowear) sells some nice light colored summer weight jerseys that might be cooler than shirtless. Go sleeveless if you dare. 
-In humid conditions, I find skullcaps or bandanas to be hotter than nothing at all. The high humidity makes you sweat and it saturates the skullcap so it becomes ineffective. 
-Camelbacks, they aren't what the cool kids wear, but they make it easy to stay hydrated. I used a 70oz in Hawaii.


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## dahut (May 13, 2010)

jmenking said:


> It's starting to be summer, and it's particularly tough in New Orleans. How do you guys deal with the heat on your commutes?


Ride really fast.

Just kidding  

It has to be brutal there in Nawlins - our South Carolina heat is probably nuttin by comparison. I dont really notice the heat while on the bike, myself. I tend to ride in shorts and T-shirt during the summer. Its when I stop that I start to swelter. 
Maybe thats the more appropriate answer - keep pedaling.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*heat?*

Well, it gets up to about 113 here in summer, and the hottest part of the day is right at 5 p.m. That's compounded by riding on urban streets, and having to stop at long lights in between the lanes of through traffic and the right turn lane, all with airconditioners spewing even more heat at us. 

Two main things. Cold water, and slow down. Try to anticipate lights so that you approach them moving slowly, rather than having to remain stopped longer. Also, start drinking about 2 hours before leaving work. If you commute regularly, you should acclimate progressively before it gets too bad. I think anyone can handle anything for an hour or so. Just be careful when it gets really, really hot.


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## jrafter (Jul 20, 2009)

you just have to spend more time in the heat ......its been getting well over 100degs here.....by july it will be 140degs all most everyday.....drink lots of water and lots of sunscreen.

Djibouti Africa
Booty and Pirates
At the tip of the spare


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## dahut (May 13, 2010)

Fixed said:


> Well, it gets up to about 113 here in summer, and the hottest part of the day is right at 5 p.m. That's compounded by riding on urban streets, and having to stop at long lights in between the lanes of through traffic and the right turn lane, all with airconditioners spewing even more heat at us.
> 
> T*wo main things. Cold water, and slow down. Try to anticipate lights so that you approach them moving slowly, rather than having to remain stopped longer. Also, start drinking about 2 hours before leaving work.* If you commute regularly, you should acclimate progressively before it gets too bad. I think anyone can handle anything for an hour or so. Just be careful when it gets really, really hot.


Great advice, here. Hydrating your core well in advance is sound thinking.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

jrafter said:


> you just have to spend more time in the heat ......its been getting well over 100degs here.....by july it will be 140degs all most everyday.....drink lots of water and lots of sunscreen.
> 
> Djibouti Africa
> Booty and Pirates
> At the tip of the spare


140* ? Where is that happening? The highest temperature on earth was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia, Libya. It got up to 136* F. The 2nd highest temp was in Death Valley. It was 134*F.


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## dahut (May 13, 2010)

Mr. Versatile said:


> 140* ? Where is that happening? The highest temperature on earth was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia, Libya. It got up to 136* F. The 2nd highest temp was in Death Valley. It was 134*F.


Well, he does suggest he's in Djibouti, at the moment. Even if he's exaggerating a bit on the temps, well... who knows? When was the last time _anyone_ recorded temps in Djibouti, of all places? Local conditions could be anything... I reckon a little exaggeratin' is okay, in this case.

I used to live in Phoenix AZ and commuted all over the Valley of the Sun on an old Peugeot roadie. Hot is hot, wherever it may be.


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## jmenking (May 18, 2010)

Cavilia,

A freeze pop is a popsicle without a stick.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

jmenking said:


> Cavilia,
> 
> A freeze pop is a popsicle without a stick.


gotcha. The brand sold hereabouts is called "Otter Pops"








Yeah, those hit the spot on a hot day. Don't last too long on a bike ride, though ;-)


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## jrafter (Jul 20, 2009)

Mr. Versatile said:


> 140* ? Where is that happening? The highest temperature on earth was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia, Libya. It got up to 136* F. The 2nd highest temp was in Death Valley. It was 134*F.



i dont where your getting your numbers but we sit 11degs north of the equator...djibouti africa....it might rain once a yr here...last time i was here it rain once in 4yrs.

pirates invest the waters ......booty invest the city.....TIA


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## jmenking (May 18, 2010)

Haha, love the picture. Especially the old green otter with the moustache.



> Don't last too long on a bike ride, though ;-)


My commute is only 2 miles, so a wet bandana and freeze pop do just fine!


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## jrafter (Jul 20, 2009)

Have any of you every been out of the US.....have you every been to the middle east.....have you every been to somalia.

did you get all your info from the internet.


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## NUTT (Apr 15, 2008)

Recorded air temperature is one thing....

But I saw a temperature of over 140 on a thermometer 3 feet off the sand on a stick in the middle of Kuwait in July 2003.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

NUTT said:


> Recorded air temperature is one thing....
> 
> But I saw a temperature of over 140 on a thermometer 3 feet off the sand on a stick in the middle of Kuwait in July 2003.



I've seen 130 degrees in the hangar bay of a carrier while operating in the Persian Gulf in August. I've seen 125 degrees on the west side of the island of Bahrain. My guys work in 150 degree temps in the steam plant when we operate in the Middle East.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Use a pannier to keep stuff off my back when I commute and insulated water bottles filled with ice and set in the freezer and topped off with water just prior to riding.
This summer I'm going to embrace slushies as well.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/health/nutrition/27best.html


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*yup*



bigbill said:


> I've seen 130 degrees in the hangar bay of a carrier while operating in the Persian Gulf in August. I've seen 125 degrees on the west side of the island of Bahrain. My guys work in 150 degree temps in the steam plant when we operate in the Middle East.


While the highest "official" temp I've seen here was 113, I've seen 119 on the road. I'd imagine it can get much hotter out on some asphalt among a thousand cars than wherever they measure at the airport, typically.

I was riding through Death Valley one time when it was 100 at *midnight*!


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## Jeepster82 (Mar 11, 2009)

*140*

Yep seen above 140 in Qatar. Think I've got a picture of it somewhere. Ill find it.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

jrafter said:


> Have any of you every been out of the US.....have you every been to the middle east.....have you every been to somalia.
> 
> did you get all your info from the internet.


http://www.extremescience.com/zoom/.../22-extreme-weather/63-hottest-place-on-earth

http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzhightemperature.htm

http://www.cfnews13.com/Weather/AskJeffDay/2010/1/28/01282010_wx_question.html

http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/scienceques2001/20020524.htm

http://answers.encyclopedia.com/question/hottest-shade-temperature-ever-recorded-79283.html

http://www.gungahlinweather.com/articles/factsandfigures.htm

Shall I go on?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Like others said, drink plenty of water, ride slower and acclimate. The first week of 90+ temps is always tough for me, but after that I get used to it. If the forecast calls for temps above 100 F, I usually don't ride. If the air temp is 100, it's probably 105+ on the streets, and it's also very humid in NC. I would rather ride in temps below freezing than above 100. I hate really hot humid weather.

FWIW, you would probably be cooler wearing a light-weight jersey than going shirtless. Without a shirt, your torso will absorb more heat from the sunlight. Plus, a good jersey will wick sweat from your body and help with cooling that way.


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## Jeepster82 (Mar 11, 2009)

*140*

View attachment 200514


Yea you're right. This was at 9:30 in the morning.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*where?*



Jeepster82 said:


> View attachment 200514
> 
> 
> Yea you're right. This was at 9:30 in the morning.


Where the heck is that?


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## Jeepster82 (Mar 11, 2009)

That was Qatar in 2007. It was hot, and since it's a penisula there was 100 % humidity as well.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Wear white or light color clothes/jerseys. Lighter colors reflect light instead of absorbing them like dark colors.

It cost less too, as many mail order places have their housebrand generic white jerseys for a good price like these by Excel Sports.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

I've lived and ridden in the Phoenix, Arizona area for 24 years now.

I don't have the humidity that you would have in New Orleans, but:

Make sure you stay hydrated
Put sunscreen on if you're going to be riding more than 15 minutes

That's about it. There's not a lot you can do about the heat, so you just have to deal with it.


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## BikeRider (Aug 5, 2003)

On weekends I've started getting up early and finishing my ride by noon. Here at work we have flexible work hours so I am now riding in to work in the morning on 2 days and staying late and the other days leaving later since after about 6pm the heat lets off a bit. Down here in Texas its not going to start cooling off until October so its going to be a good while before it gets comfortable again...


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Years ago I attended training camps in Phoenix several years in a row. I always went in March. My experience was that it was nearly impossible to stay adequately hydrated. You almost literally had to drink constantly.


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## MSDos5 (Jun 3, 2010)

*Probably good*

There's this Guy who posts from Houston on another site I'm on and He uses those.


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## MSDos5 (Jun 3, 2010)

*I do about the same,*

stuff as _jmenking_ I'm like You and always trying to stay dry though. I can recall afew 15 or 20 mile MTB rides where You always leave _soaked and salty_. Camelbak is handy I stopped using it for awile for that reason, just used it on a ride again though, in short if You using alot of effort moisture is unavoidable. The longer You ride the more troublesome it gets too, I know actual cycling clothes help bead moisture off the skin.


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

Plenty water, sunscreen - and develop the idea that you like it!


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## 97G8tr (Jul 31, 2007)

94, 64% humidity in Atlanta. Phug. The only way is to launch early and get back as soon as possible. Leaving at 5:45 to ride N. Ga mtns in the a.m.!!


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## dahut (May 13, 2010)

David Loving said:


> Plenty water, sunscreen - and develop the idea that you like it!


There is a ring of truth to this. I habitually get out in the yard and trim brush, cut grass, work on things, paint, garden etc. - all in the dead of summer.
My neighbor, who rarely leaves his porch, asked me about it once.
I told him, "I keep my homes interior at 78 degrees in the summer. The longer I stay outside, the less complaining I do about the heat... and the cooler that feels!"

I'm in South Carolina's Midlands. 95-100 degree temps and moderately high humidity is the norm at midyear. So I drink water by the half gallon, wear a big floppy hat and UV blocking sunglasses while out of doors and have learned my exposure limits. 

I go do something else that is not in the heat when I've reached those limits.

So work up to summer cycling, slowly. Get acclimated to the heat by being out in it as often as possible when not cycling. Stay hydrated, don protection from the effects of intense summer sun, and get to know the signs of heat stress.

If you adapt instead of rebel, it doesn't seem so bad.


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## merryprankster (Oct 16, 2008)

Plenty of water...cold water...before during and after. 

Here in South Texas we're getting 95degress and 70% humidity...and it only gets worse through August. On days that I ride after work I drink water all day long. 

A few weeks ago I only drank a few glasses of water during the day and then went and did 40 miles from 5:45-8ish. I always have 2 24oz bottle of water on my bike and when I got home I had a protein shake. About 45 minutes later I started getting dizzy and nauseous. Drank some more water and had to lie down for a while before I recovered.


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