How do you deal with the heat?

[ny biker]

I generally am fine on hot days when I ride after work, starting around 6:30 pm. On very hot days I will wear my cool wings and wet them once or twice during the ride. My usual post-work route is mostly on quiet streets that are noticeably less hot than the bike path next to the highway where I start/finish.

For daytime rides, I'm usually okay if I avoid riding between 1:00 and 3:00 -- the position of the sun in the sky is more important for me than the temperature. I did learn the hard way that even 10:00 am can be too hot for riding after several days of 100 degree highs.

[Catrin]

I leave for work by 6am and have to go to bed rather early...so while I would LIKE to ride early/late it isn't really possible. I have to be off the bike by 7:30 at the very latest if I've any hope of sleeping.

100 degree temps are rare here, so hopefully these next few days will be the only time we go here this summer...I will ride up to 94ish depending on humidity. Thankfully my knee is in recovery mode this week so I was taking the week off the bike anyway.

[Crankin]

If it's during the week, I ride at 5 AM. If it's on the weekend, and it's a longer ride, I try to make it in a shady area, which is pretty easy to do around here, as well as go early. However, sometimes, it's a "planned" ride and I deal with it by riding slower, dousing myself with water, and eating lots of Shot Blocks and plenty of Nuun.
If it's very hot, humid, and there's an air quality alert, which happens sometimes (not too often), I go to the gym, or take a brisk walk.
For the first 5-6 years that I rode, I would go to spin class during a heat wave. I haven't done that in a long time. If I feel like it's dangerous, I am more apt to go into the woods and hike or trail run.
For me, anything over 75 or so feels hot. Being in the bright sun bothers me, because most of the riding I do is in very shady areas. Like Oak says, I do better if I can acclimate, but here in the east, the weather is not consistently very hot. Three years ago, we had a very hot summer. I was fine, because I had just done my tour in Spain, where 4/6 days it was about 100 degrees when we were riding. That was not fun.

[OakLeaf]

Running Times has a couple of really good articles this month.

http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=26451
http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=26454

No one's mentioned pre-cooling, and I've never done it in any kind of formal way, but it's easy enough and a lot of athletes do it.

[tealtreak]

Tstms
Hi 101 °F Friday
Night

Slight Chc
Tstms
Lo 76 °F Saturday


Slight Chc
Tstms
Hi 101 °F Saturday
Night

Partly
Cloudy
Lo 77 °F Sunday


Hot

Hi 101 °F Sunday
Night

Partly
Cloudy
Lo 77 °F
yeah- June in Richmond- riding at sunrise ...just not acclimated otherwise (born and raised s of Cleveland..) Last summer I tried riding at 10:00 in 97 and puked and fainted... not fun

[maillotpois]

Water poured over me - soak the jersey; ice in the sports bra.

[Artista]

ice in the sports bra.

[Catrin]

Water poured over me - soak the jersey; ice in the sports bra.

Done the first two, afraid to try the third

[maillotpois]

Ice in the sports bra is amazing - really helps cool the core temp when its over 90 outside. I seriously consider it a huge advantage over men.

Also ice in tube sock around the neck.

[Tri Girl]

I never acclimate to the heat. I grew up in SW Arizona, so you'd think I could handle it, but I cannot. Not the humidity anyway. We have temps in the 100's with humidity in the 60-80 range all summer long and it just kills me. I've tried it all- cool wings, neck coolers, pouring water on me regularly, etc. I get heat headaches that debilitate me for a day after long workouts in the heat, and last year I started developing heat rash on my thighs after long rides.
This year I have resigned to not struggle through it.
I run at 4 am (when I have to do long runs of 15+ miles) so I can finish by 7 or 8 am. I started riding my mtn bike again so I can ride in the trees and the shade. I haven't ridden my tri bike in I don't know how long because I just don't want to deal with the heat and the sun. There are no shady rides in this part of the country.

I do LOVE ice in the bra, tho. In fact, lately I've been putting one of those very small gel packs in the freezer and sticking that in my bra for long runs. Talk about keeping you cool!

[antkate]

Ice cold soaker scarf...makes all the difference.

[Thorn]

Ice in the sports bra is amazing - really helps cool the core temp when its over 90 outside. I seriously consider it a huge advantage over men.

Also ice in tube sock around the neck.

Ice to the back of the neck. Hands down the winner over ice in the sports bra for me -- the ice on the neck cools me off more as the ice melts down my back instead of dripping onto my bike if I try the sports bra.

I have a 15 mile commute and I won't drive just because it is hot. When I get to work I put a container of ice water in the freezer at work. At the end of the day, I have a block of ice about the size of a baseball.

I tie a knot into my Buff such that I have enough for a beanie on one end and into the remaining tail, I place that ice block. Put the Buff on the head and the ice rests at the base of the neck. When I start out it can be a little too cold, but on a 90+ degree day, it quickly just becomes a cool spot. By the time I get home, that baseball sized block is just a sliver and my core temp survives. I'm not saying I don't feel the heat, but I'm not in distress.

[Melalvai]

I pedal slowly and easily (no mashing). I don't pedal at all if I'm going over 8 mph. It's slow, but that keeps me from working too hard.

[solobiker]

Ice cold soaker scarf...makes all the difference.

DH and I were doing this on our hike last weekend in the mountains as we were hiking back to the car. It felt great to get it cold and wet in the streams and then wrap it aound our necks. Loved it.

[cosc]

I try to get out early to beat the heat, but when touring or on a organized ride you try to make the mileage for the day by hook or by crook. When it is hot,
I will take many more longer breaks to cool down before continuing. Often around 5:00 pm heat will relent and I would finish riding in the cooler temps.
You definitely need a sweatband for humid-hot weather. Icees are a great thing in your insulated water bottle-just don't wait too long to enjoy. My dh takes advantage of irrigation sprinklers or hoses to stay cool.