Kind of strange question, lol

[Kim1976]

How do you ladies do it when it's a 100+ degrees outside, for those who live in AZ? I did 5 miles yesterday, and felt pretty good afterwards. I also work out at the gym... Will this help? How do you know how much water you need? I can suck up to 2 liters in less than an hour, which I am sure isn't good??? I also take a bottle with ice in it to spray myself down.

[Biciclista]

the more serious riders from your neighborhood that I know of ride early in the morning or later in the evening.

[Owlie]

My AZ-dwelling boyfriend (and his group) ride during the early mornings.

[OakLeaf]

If it feels good, do it!

If it doesn't feel good - nausea, dizziness, chills, if you stop sweating, any other signs of heat exhaustion - then STOP and douse yourself with water, cold water if you have it - and don't ride in that heat until you figure out a way to do it without suffering heat exhaustion.

On the motorcycle in hot weather, I rely on an evaporative cooling vest. I don't know if you'd get enough air flow on a bicycle to make it work, though - anybody know? In any event, carry LOTS of water (sounds like you already are) and use it to hose yourself down as well as to drink.

If you're sweating out that much, be sure to replace electrolytes, particularly sodium - not just water. That's very important.

[Jiffer]

It's amazing how much pouring water on your head helps. Also soak your clothes with it, particularly your shorts, to keep your thighs cool.

For hydration, they typically say a big sports bottle an hour (24-ish oz.?), but in extreme conditions more. You have to figure out for yourself how much "more" is for you. Better to err on the side of caution. Once you start feeling symptoms of dehydration, it's hard to hydrate and feel good again.

Electrolytes are very important, of course.

[sundial]

The summer before last I cycled in 95 F weather with a heat index of 105. On top of that I could add another 5 degrees from the heat coming up from the asphalt. I cycled with a Camelbak and 2 water bottles that I used to douse myself with during the ride. However, there comes a point in which the skin simply can't cool enough, despite all the water being dumped on it and that's when it's time to get off the bike and head indoors. Your heart rate will increase and your cadence will decrease.

If you get chills, a headache, or nausea, and can't stand the heat and sun, then you are already in trouble.

Cycling in the wee hours of the morning will provide a cooler road surface. If you wait until the evening hours you may still encounter heat from the road.

[OakLeaf]

they typically say a big sports bottle an hour (24-ish oz.?), but in extreme conditions more. You have to figure out for yourself how much "more" is for you. Better to err on the side of caution.

A simple way to gauge your sweat rate is by weighing yourself before and after a ride. It doesn't tell you how well hydrated you were before, obviously, but it will tell you how much you sweated out. "A pint's a pound the world around," or less poetically, a liter is a kilogram. Empty your bladder before each weighing, take note of how much water you drank, and if your weight has changed, adjust your fluid intake accordingly on your next ride.

Everyone's different. I'll sweat out a liter an hour on a cool-ish day.

I can't over-emphasize how important it is to replace electrolytes when you're drinking lots of water.