Quote:
Originally Posted by sikatri
Thanks for the read! Reminded me I’ve been putting off riding due to hot weather. Going to head over to the gear section to read up on warm weather riding gear. LoL.
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I did a four hour trip to central Texas back in July when it was 100+. Of course I was stupid enough to leave at 1500 hours on the way there and 1300 on the way back.
I’d say that hydrating, layering, and the proper underwear/gear is the key. You actually want to
limit the amount of air blowing over you at temps above 93, because thats when air goes from cooling your body to warming it. Below that it’s the cooling effect of evaporation PLUS the cooling effect of air that is lower in temperature than your skin temperature. Above that, it’s evaporation VS. the air warming your skin, the sun’s radiation warming skin and gear, and your own internal metabolism generating heat. In essence, you only want air flow only when it’s going to evaporate sweat.
Use your leather or textile jacket, zipping closed wrists and air vents. Get a proper sweat wicking long sleeve shirt. I like the Heat-Out gear, but there are plenty of brands. Soak that sucker in cold water to start, because it’ll help hold off the buildup of heat. Once you start getting warm, unzip your wrists and use them like Ram air scoops. The air will evaporate the water/sweat in the arms of the shirt, and should feel cold when it gets to your chest area.
Properly done, you can actually become cold. Use the same sweat wicking/evaporative gear for your head. They make balaclavas specifically to go under your helmet.
If you’re riding for long periods in hot weather, make sure youve drunk water enough the night before for your to be light yellow or clear. Then stop every half hour and drink enough for the conditions. The
Iron magazine had a nice article about this topic, with a table listing how much water the average person will lose at different temps. Water is the big important thing here, but gatorade type drink every two hours isn’t a bad idea. Snack on those pre-packaged cheese/peanut butter crackers if you don’t want a sports drink. That will keep the electrolytes (salts/ions) at decent levels in your body.
Last, just know your limits. Set a task in your head, like reciting a long quote you like, or calling someone every hour to check in. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke is keyed in on by several symptoms, but mental status is the biggest, easiest factor (for others) to recognize that something has gone wrong. If the person youre calling says you sound strange, or if whatever mental task you set yourself can’t be done, it may be a very good idea to stop somewhere with AC and water. Just like the cold, riding past your limit doesn’t end well.
Asphalt is for racing... dirt is for growing potatoes. - J. Diester
