How Hot Is Too Hot?



DancingLady

Member
Mar 9, 2015
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As we are heading into summer, hot weather is inevitable for most of us. How hot is too hot for you?

Obviously length of your ride will make a difference here. Do you commute in triple digits? Or find another mode of transportation. I'll be doing it, possibly pouring water over my hair and back to prevent overheating if necessary.
 
It's never been too hot to ride. Humans are excellently adapted creatures to work in high temperatures. With a little training and preparation, exercising in the heat is manageable.

The biggest challenge in high temps is sun exposure closely followed by dehydration and hyperthermia. Sunscreen is a must and carry plenty of water or plan your route to have a lot of water stops. Parks or beaches with a shower are good for filling up and cooling off.

When the mercury is boiling, I reduce the intensity or duration of the ride - the worst part actually is stopping, underway the moving air helps to cool a little you can bake when you are stopped.

While I can tolerate high temp and humidity, I prefer things on the cooler side. Heat chips away at power production. On the hottest days, I try to plan my rides either in the early morning or the late afternoon to avoid peak temps.
 
I think it's hot when you actually start feeling like your skin is burning as soon as you get into the sun. If your skin doesn't feel that then you're most likely going to be okay.
 
I went long distance cycling when there was an El nino phenomenon years ago and it was very hot. It was the hottest riding conditions I have ever encountered... Riding the zig zaggy uphill mountain roads at high noon, it was a miracle I didn't come down with heat exhaustion or worse, a heatstroke. My body just somehow adapted with the extremely high temperature. But, I think drinking a lot and pouring water on my heat helped.
 
My body's resistance to heat vary. Sometimes I do not notice that it is already 30 deg as per the reading of the thermometer in our living room. And sometimes I would turn on the air conditioning even if it is just 28 deg. When I am biking, it's the same thing. Even when the sun is hot, there are times I could handle the heat and there are times the clouds are blurring the sun but my sweat is continuously cascading on my face.
 
Having spent time in Central America, places near the Equator and The Desert: as stated earlier, the human body is quite adaptive. The more time you spend in the heat the easier it gets. The more time you spend in your house with central air, the harder it gets.

The best prevention against the heat is simply to make sure you are hydrated properly. Drink plenty of water the days/night before. Not only does it prevent dehydration but it also helps the skin cool itself (through sweat). Of course drink liquids during the ride but really hydration starts the day before.
 
I do not like sweating a lot after cycling for a short distance. That is why I prefer cycling when the whether is cold mostly in the evening. Above 40 degrees Celsius I find myself uncomfortable to cycle.
 
I use to ride with light clothing, and short sleeve shirts. I use to get so tired after a short ride that I had to lock myself in my room and blast the air conditioning. I'm sure it was heat exhaustion from direct sunlight exposure. So now, I do cover up my body from head to toe. I sweat a lot because of the extra clothing, but because I am no longer directly exposed to the sun I don't get drained as much, and the heat is actually bearable. All you need to do is drink a lot of water because you are going to sweat it out.
 
joshposh said:
I use to ride with light clothing, and short sleeve shirts. I use to get so tired after a short ride that I had to lock myself in my room and blast the air conditioning. I'm sure it was heat exhaustion from direct sunlight exposure. So now, I do cover up my body from head to toe. I sweat a lot because of the extra clothing, but because I am no longer directly exposed to the sun I don't get drained as much, and the heat is actually bearable. All you need to do is drink a lot of water because you are going to sweat it out.
I actually tried heavy clothing for cycling but not for the cycling per se but for my health. That time, the doctor found stones in my kidney and advised me to drink plenty of water to hasten the cleansing. But exhaustion would always get me so I was back into light clothing that is more comfortable for me. The color is also important because dark-colored clothing absorbs more heat than light-colored clothing. Long sleeved shirts also helps to shield the skin from direct sunlight.
 
joshposh said:
I use to ride with light clothing, and short sleeve shirts. I use to get so tired after a short ride that I had to lock myself in my room and blast the air conditioning. I'm sure it was heat exhaustion from direct sunlight exposure. So now, I do cover up my body from head to toe. I sweat a lot because of the extra clothing, but because I am no longer directly exposed to the sun I don't get drained as much, and the heat is actually bearable. All you need to do is drink a lot of water because you are going to sweat it out.
Sometimes though, it is dangerous to the skin, way dangerous. There are special clothes for it though, they look a bit like swimming clothes, but if it protects you, why not?
 
I'll be honest, I never really thought about how hot it is when I ride. If I fancy a ride I just tend to go and wear whatever clothing is comfortable for me. Usually a t-shirt and jogging bottoms and some sunscreen if I remember it. Even in light clothing like that I build up quite a sweat but when I get back home I feel somewhat proud to have sweat dripping off me.

One thing I will advise is to take some water with you or make sure to buy some when you're out so you don't get dehydrated.
 
Sunflogun said:
Haha, dancing lady might be interested! :D
Sorry, not available.

My longest regular commute is about 2 miles, buts that's with a mile or so of steady incline, and after a 2 hour ballet class, and I sweat a LOT dancing. I hydrate before class, continue drinking some water throughout class and after. My issue is that my body is really hot for so long, then to go out into the heat and out a helmet on so I'm even less able to cool down. If we have a hot summer I'm probably going to have to wet my shirt with cold water and my hair to keep from overheating.
 
DancingLady said:
Sorry, not available.

My longest regular commute is about 2 miles, buts that's with a mile or so of steady incline, and after a 2 hour ballet class, and I sweat a LOT dancing. I hydrate before class, continue drinking some water throughout class and after. My issue is that my body is really hot for so long, then to go out into the heat and out a helmet on so I'm even less able to cool down. If we have a hot summer I'm probably going to have to wet my shirt with cold water and my hair to keep from overheating.
I hope I can also do that but I have to admit my age. Cracking bones, said my doctor, can ruin my well-being so I have to be careful in exerting effort. But I agree that hydrating oneself even with a glass of water is good since it gives us the stamina somehow. I used to bring a water bottle when I ride my bike but when I lost 2 bottles on the road, I stopped that habit. Anyway, I only bike inside our village so I stop by a store when I feel thirsty. And in rare cases that I have company who invites me to go out, I always set a limit - just a kilometer or 2 otherwise they will have to tow me home.
 
I very much prefer cycling and exercising, for that matter, in the heat. I'll go up to 100 degrees or so without a problem as long as I remain properly hydrated. I feel a lot better in the heat while exercising than I do in the heat just sitting around baking. If it feels too hot for whatever reason, then I won't cycle out in the heat. Obviously, I'm not going out in 110 degree weather because that just sounds horrible!
 
I am not available either but that doesn't stop me and DL from being smoking hot. I skipped ballet class today for TUTU reasons. One I knew Campy Bob would be there and looking for trouble also I wanted to take a hot bike ride.The heat was hot, the ground was dry but the air was full of sounds, mostly barking dogs. You might say I rode thru the desert on a bike with no name plate. I actually got a little dehydrated today.
 
When the tar oozes up from the asphalt and sticks to your tires, it's too hot.