How do you deal with Deer Flies?

[Bike Writer]

In my neck of the woods in Michigan they are out in full force and furious. I sprayed my clothing, ankles and helmet yesterday before a ride but still had them attack and bite. Any body out there have some advice on what works? I've come to love dirt road and back road riding but they can spoil a good ride.

[beccaB]

I was actually going to ask that question too! We got mountain bikes last fall and have found some really out back dirt roads to ride on, but the deerflies make us miserable. I don't think bug spray is meant to work on those. Maybe one of those sound emitting devices you wear on your belt? I'm ready to try any gimmick. Someone told me you have to ride 10mph or more to get them to stay off you. But they will still follow you and get you on the hills! My husband had a swarm behind him and he said I did too. I'm sure it probably even looked like a comic strip, like us with all our flies like the pigpen character from Charlie Brown is with dirt!

[Bike Writer]

I've been reading up on them and it appears that most sprays don't work on them unless freshly applied and then it's iffy if it works. I noticed half way through the ride they got much worse and by then I had probably lost most of the protection due to sweating. I had to ride 16 mph to get rid of them and I can't sustain that speed for long or up hill. In researching them it says that their season is 4-5 weeks and I've been seeing them for 2 weeks so I guess we have 3 to go. However, different species of them have different hatch cycles and reading about them said that their cycle is followed by the horse fly season which is another 3 weeks or so. Something to look forward to I guess

I probably looked like I had gone made to the lone car that passed me while I was wildly waving them off with my arms and legs flailing about. I also read that movement attracts them so swatting at them only made it worse. I wondered about noise and vibration so I rang my bell loudly and constantly for a minute or so hoping to annoy them as much as they were annoying me! They did back off while I was doing that but I quit because even though houses were few and far between and set way off the road I didn't want to alarm anyone.


Here is one article about them. They are attracted to shiny things, movement, carbon dioxide and warmth. Everything you have on a bike. Also I read elsewhere they like blue.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef511.asp

Hoping for a magic tip.

[cosc]

I had to quit riding one of my few routes due to those buggers. Like you said, I could not get rid of them even riding fast.
Your body must be completely covered up with something besides lycra. You would be a sweltering sauna in the heat though.

I hope someone comes up with a better idea.

[azfiddle]

um... live in Arizona where they aren't a problem?

Sorry, I know you wanted a serious answer and I can't help with that.

[zoom-zoom]

There are some sticker things that can be applied to the top of a hat or helmet--apparently they work pretty well. Notice they are even made right here in MI. A few years back we picked some up for the North Country Trail Relay, but they ended up not being a problem, so we never used them.

[spokewench]

um... live in Arizona where they aren't a problem?

Sorry, I know you wanted a serious answer and I can't help with that.

+1 - don't live close to them! live in no. arizona!

I was giggling when I saw your post az fiddle cause it was exactly what I was thinking as I read the previous posts!