I didn't bicycle this summer...

[JTE83]

June & July in Houston TX was 36+ days of rain. Then when it didn't rain it was hot or humid. So I just quit biking this summer and will only get back when it's in the mid 80's with less than 50% humidity. Houston summers suck and I guess the biking season here is Fall Winter and Spring. I guess anywhere else it's reverse.

How's your season going? Do you just suffer the heat and rain?

 

[Bro Deal]

June & July in Houston TX was 36+ days of rain. Then when it didn't rain it was hot or humid. So I just quit biking this summer and will only get back when it's in the mid 80's with less than 50% humidity. Houston summers suck and I guess the biking season here is Fall Winter and Spring. I guess anywhere else it's reverse.

That sucks, dude. Heat plus humidity is not fun.

How's your season going?

Pretty good even though I have switched a lot of my cycling to trail running in prep for my big goal for this year. Four weeks to the big race. Three weeks left to train, one to taper. I'm approaching my optimal weight and feeling good.

 

[dvnjhn]

You should visit Scotland, our summer aint even started as of yet (its 3 months late). I think the hottest it has been is 28*. Its been the wettest summer I have ever experianced in my 30 years. The weather has been so pish its not even funny.

 

[kdelong]

I kind of like riding in heat and humidity, probably because that's all that we have here. I have ridden in the rain too, but not with racing slicks. That's definitely MTB on pavement time. I'm only a recreational rider but have about 2300 miles this season which really started in April for me, although I did make it out a couple of "warm" days in January. Got a newer bike over Christmas but it was in Denver .

 

[jhuskey]

I don't like it but I do it anyway. The heat index has been 110 + for the last few weeks.
I addition I fell on my butt and injured my tail bone Sunday, but will try and ride today anyway.
It's just too hard to start over for me.

 

[azul_fahrrad]

June & July in Houston TX was 36+ days of rain. Then when it didn't rain it was hot or humid. So I just quit biking this summer and will only get back when it's in the mid 80's with less than 50% humidity. Houston summers suck and I guess the biking season here is Fall Winter and Spring. I guess anywhere else it's reverse.

How's your season going? Do you just suffer the heat and rain?

I take it you're not originally from Houston. The only way to ride in that kind of weather is to start in March and ride everyday, as it get's hotter, you get acclimated to it.

You might try riding in the evenings or early morning, it is still hot and humid but it is not quite as oppresive.

The state that I live in now has been going through a drought and has set a new record for consecutive days over at or over 100*. I started my season late and have had a hard time with the heat this year.

I was on track to get 3K miles this year but was hit on my bike, I haven't ridden in two weeks and it will probably be another week before I can ride.

 

[JohnO]

Didn't ride much here in KY, either. Too friggin' hot and humid. Got so bad that I even broke out the MTB to ride in a shaded forest. Not the same, though.

Fortunately, it's cooling down, so I can alleviate the withdrawal pains with a few good rides.

 

[Cycler6n]

not much for me either, too busy workin, it just sucks, thats why i'm buyin a pro trainer

 

[alienator]

I kind of like riding in heat and humidity, probably because that's all that we have here. I have ridden in the rain too, but not with racing slicks. That's definitely MTB on pavement time. I'm only a recreational rider but have about 2300 miles this season which really started in April for me, although I did make it out a couple of "warm" days in January. Got a newer bike over Christmas but it was in Denver .

Don't worry about slicks in the rain: patterned tread on bike tires doesn't do squat. A road bike won't hydroplane until 80mph or so. Actually, slicks will provide the best traction, since they'll put more area in contact with the ground.

Riding in the humidity is a necessary evil, here, too. If you don't do it, then you'll suffer when you eventually go out. We end the spring/start the summer with high (105-115) heat and low humidity. Then when the Monsoon starts at the beginning of July or so, we move into high heat (105 or so) and high humidity. And that's what we have until sometime in October. In June we were blessed with 37 days in a row of 100+ temps, and now it looks like we're gonna have at least a 10-14 day run of 100+ temps. The upside is that we ain't Phoenix, where it's usually about 5 degrees warmer.

Acclimating to the heat and humidity is essential. Doing so fines tunes your cooling mechanism--i.e. sweat--and reduces the amount of electrolytes you lose in your sweat.

The bike computer has a thermometer that I've seen hit 123 on the road this year. That was a tad warm.

 

[Cycler6n]

I like riding when its humid, not as much wind to fight against, as long as i drink water.

 

[kdelong]

Don't worry about slicks in the rain: patterned tread on bike tires doesn't do squat. A road bike won't hydroplane until 80mph or so. Actually, slicks will provide the best traction, since they'll put more area in contact with the ground.

Riding in the humidity is a necessary evil, here, too. If you don't do it, then you'll suffer when you eventually go out. We end the spring/start the summer with high (105-115) heat and low humidity. Then when the Monsoon starts at the beginning of July or so, we move into high heat (105 or so) and high humidity. And that's what we have until sometime in October. In June we were blessed with 37 days in a row of 100+ temps, and now it looks like we're gonna have at least a 10-14 day run of 100+ temps. The upside is that we ain't Phoenix, where it's usually about 5 degrees warmer.

Acclimating to the heat and humidity is essential. Doing so fines tunes your cooling mechanism--i.e. sweat--and reduces the amount of electrolytes you lose in your sweat.

The bike computer has a thermometer that I've seen hit 123 on the road this year. That was a tad warm.

I'll try slicks next time I ride in the rain. May I send you any doctor bills that may arise from the tires ? I have only ridden a couple of times when it has been 100+. It doesn't often get that hot here. I have had quite a few 90+ days to contend with this year.

 

[waxbytes]

Summer was late here too, we had a wet and cool spring. I was just getting into my "summer condition" when a dog cut in front of me and I fell and broke my hand. Hurt a great deal and I have just got the cast off today. So it's like starting over as far as conditioning goes. The real sucky part is that it was my own dog that cut me off...I'm down gasping in agony and the mutt is just sitting there looking at me with that "what's up...lets play" expression.

PS. No I didn't kill him, it was my fault.

 

[PartisanRanger]

Summer was late here too, we had a wet and cool spring. I was just getting into my "summer condition" when a dog cut in front of me and I fell and broke my hand. Hurt a great deal and I have just got the cast off today. So it's like starting over as far as conditioning goes.

I hear ya. I broke my right collarbone in a crash on June 24th and wasn't able to ride on the road until yesterday. I lost about 1.4 mph avg on my regular route, but I'm not all too disappointed considering the 6 week layaway.