I took a 20 mile ride with my wife on the road this morning and followed that up by hopping on the mountain bike and riding it to the trail for a quick half lap.
I gave it gas on one segment to see if I could get close to a PR but the whole day was laid back other than that.
On the ride home from the trail I seriously felt like I was going to pass out, which I've never experienced on a bike ride, or even doing manual labor in the heat before.
The temperature felt fine on the road, but I hadn't looked at the weather and didn't know it would get to be so hot. I had to duck into a fast food joint and sit in the air conditioning for a while to come back to life. I'm sure I looked crazy… I was wearing all my nasty trail clothes and had dirt on me, and I legitimately couldn't interact with people. I'm surprised no one asked me if I was ok because I walked in dizzy as hell and collapsed into a chair where I just sat there with my eyes closed trying to breath.
I live in the South and I'm used to the heat, but I generally try not to push super hard when it's so hot. When I know it's going to be rough I ride before the sun gets up in the sky while the temps are lower, but not being aware of the temp almost took me out today.
Be careful out there if you're where it gets hot.
by BrianLevre
32 Comments
lmao I returned from a ride in 30 C or 86 F weather last weekend and I thought that was the absolute maximum I could tolerate, us central Euros aren’t built for extreme temperatures
That’s pretty standard for Australian summers, hydration & slip, slop, slap.
Yeah, it sucks but I do it all the time. Sunscreen, ice cold water (before and during + at least two water bottles), shirt off, and keep it under an hour. That’s my formula at least.
Not so much…MN is experiencing these temps right now. I need a cool place to start from and a cool place to stop. Otherwise I can get heat exhaustion. I’m built for the winters, neg temps are no big deal but the heat and humidity is a double whammy.
30min ride and 80min run in Tampa today, similar conditions. It’s all about heat adaptation and pacing. HR is elevated as temp goes up, as body redirects blood for cooling and blood volume goes down from sweat. Hydrate day before, be sure you intake nutrition and hydration during, and take a few min breaks during here and there as HR starts to creep up.
Be careful and hydrate! Take breaks as often as you need to. I ride 3 times a week in 90+ here in FL. At speed it doesn’t feel as bad, but you will dehydrate very fast. I have my rides often structured for fountain or at least convenience store stops for some drinks. And wear sunscreen! I see some riders wear sun sleeves but I’ve yet to try them
Not in the daytime. Night riding isn’t for all people or all trails, but it’s fine in the public park with very non-technical trails where I ride.
90° in the dark is significantly less taxing than 95° in the sun.
It’s humidity dependent for me. First, I don’t ever ride mid day. So evening rides (4pm on) aren’t too bad. I can get 50 miles in easy in the summer after 4pm.
Second, no. Even if it’s a legit dry heat, probably 85F is the max I’ll ride.
I have done a 4pm 50 miler in 85F heat but 35% humidity, which is very dry for that heat on the east coast and it was fine. If it was more humid, I would probably have called it a day at 25 miles.
Unfortunately yes. No choice unless I want to ride on the trainer from may-November.
No, only very early in the morning. Sunscreen just melts into a greasy, slimy mess in the humid heat and it’s too hot even for the supposedly cooling/wicking long sleeved shirts.
NOPE.
No
That’s my preferred ride. Gotta ride fast for the sweat to evaporate.
I did Francis Marion state park in mid July last year. That’s another level. Just outside of Charleston. Felt like I was riding the surface of the sun
Yes. Water + electrolytes
That’s hot, especially a sunny day.
In Houston when you get to the 90’s along with sun and high humidity it’s tough. It’s bad enough for me but I have little kids that are getting into bikes and I have to take their ability weather the heat and humidity.
Age makes a huge difference, too. Your ability to take the heat and bounce back gets reduced. Sometimes in the middle of summer I’m wiped out just from mowing the front and back lawns…
Yeah, I typically ride in hotter too. My last ride was 106f. I ride in the high desert (elevation over 7000 feet). High elevation, super dry, super hot. It doesn’t bother me, I’ve been doing it for years. I bring a ton of water, wear UV protective gear, etc.
Hell yeah
I rode in the heat yesterday in MN, just shy of 17 miles. 95 degrees I think. It was tough. But, took plenty of breaks & stayed hydrated.
Yes. I take it really easy though.
Yes.
Yes as long as its not windy
This happen to me last summer. I came out of the woods. Took street home thinking it would be easier. Wrong. No shade. Made it worst. On my way home I was thinking I’m never going riding again. That’s how awful I felt. Took me a few hours to feel normal.
I will ride between 45F and 95F, but I do not live in a humid area. Drink lots of water, and try to drink lots beforehand too.
[Hotter’N](https://www.hh100.org/) Hell Hundred. I won’t be riding this year, but I might be handing out bottles of water.
Yep. If it’s too hot just pedal faster
If I didn’t, I’d have to quit riding from mid June until late September. Bike life in Louisiana
I do. Just way more slowly and take lots of water with me. I bring salted nuts to snack on which replaces the salt you sweat out and makes you thirsty so you automatically drink more. You can also take a bottle of water with electrolytes.
I have a very light long sleeved shirt that, when wet will cool you down, and it’s aditional sun protection. I bring an extra bottle of water just for that.
I usually plan my tour to include lots of tree cover for intermediate shade along the way, so forestry roads etc. which helps a lot.
I’m getting up at 5:45 tomorrow to ride to avoid the heat.
No
Ninety-five is a cool summer day in Inland California. Put a wet neck wrap on and it’s fine. If it’s over 100 I keep a spare in a plastic bottle of water. But yeah, it’s dry heat which is somewhat easier to shed.
I’m out in it right now. I’ll end up with a little over 20 miles today, but in 20-30 minute stages.
https://preview.redd.it/k9z20vcuak8f1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4d1af910655b2f7e3d22a20e7f391bedc93446e
Todays ride was hot asf, last 10 miles I was so nauseous