The 93° Threshold (or KC in Late July!)

[Mwether]

Given this week's heat advisories in the Midwest, "Gathering the Goose" is shaping up to be a Gold Medal Sweatfest.

The slightly tricky thing is that the forecasts are right on the cusp of the mesh/no mesh transition point.

With air temps below the average skin temp of 93°, mesh is the way to go. It feels great.

But in temps hotter than 93°, as Tom Austin lays out here WAY better than I could, exposure to strong wind is your enemy and is actually heating you. https://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/IronButt_1002_62-66_Hot.pdf

In these conditions, the recommendation is to have wet wicking material (polypro shirts, shorts/tights, silk scarves, helmet liners) against your skin and have almost all jacket vents CLOSED, maintaining the "micro climate" under your outer layer. You want the evaporative cooling effect to be slow and steady, relying mostly on milder airflow up your sleeves. In contrast, wet base layers under mesh will be blasted dry in minutes and lose their ability to cool evaporatively.

I'm going to watch the weather closely, but, unless things change a lot, I'm going with the non-mesh jacket. Ultimately, it's the most versatile, since I can open all the vents in the high 80s, but I can't close up a mesh jacket in the 90s. I just wish my non-mesh jacket wasn't black.

More here on truly serious crossing-a-desert temps, but the same principles apply.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0613/6764/8502/files/LDComfort_Cooling.pdf?v=1721487195

Now I need to make sure that a small Camelbak can fit under a large Helite vest!

[wirespokes]

Good data! Thank you.

Everyone knows about wind chill but the opposite has no name given it. Wind heat? Wind roast? (doesn't have the same ring to it) Is it only us motorcyclists aware of the phenomenon?

[Mwether]

Good data! Thank you.

Everyone knows about wind chill but the opposite has no name given it. Wind heat? Wind roast? (doesn't have the same ring to it) Is it only us motorcyclists aware of the phenomenon?

GREAT question! Wind isn't a factor in heat index calculations, and this effect should have its own name.

I think you're on to something with "wind roast"!

"Wind bake," maybe?

ETA: It's convection, but it needs a catchphrase!

[Moparnut72]

I realize most of you don't live in Cali where it can get pretty darn hot. If you pass by agricultural fields it is common to see migrant workers wearing hoodies in triple digit temps. This is to keep the sweat from evaporating too quickly, thus maintaining the cooling effect. I recently got a Vanson perforated leather jacket. It is made with flaps inside so that the amount of air passing through to be regulated. I also have a regular solid Vanson jacket. It doesn't have any vents or perforations but the sleeves can be unzipped at the wrist wide enough to allow air to come in which will then exit down by my butt. I can regulate the amount of air going through by how far I unzip the cuffs. I don't think the perforated jacket was much of an improvement over this older jacket.
kk

[PJPR01]

Wearing a long sleeved (or just sleeves) with SPF protection and a hoodie/balaclava in the helmet is a great way to survive the wind roast.

I usually wet in the sink a long sleeved hooded SPF 50 lightweight athletic shirt, put it on and it provides great protection from sun burn, wind roast in the middle of the summer or add SPF 50 arm sleeves as well (east to wet and re-wet).   In extreme heats, I'm re-wetting it once an hour on long distance rides. 

Provides great protection and comfort even with a mesh jacket, even better with a non meshed jacket with slight air flow from some vents.

[Gliderjohn]

GREAT question! Wind isn't a factor in heat index calculations, and this effect should have its own name.

I think you're on to something with "wind roast"!

"Wind bake," maybe?

ETA: It's convection, but it needs a catchphrase!

How about air fryer.

[inditx]

Blast Furnace or
Sand Blaster if riding across Nebraska in the summer with skin exfoliating rocks and dust pelting your face
inditx

[Mwether]

...If you pass by agricultural fields it is common to see migrant workers wearing hoodies in triple digit temps. This is to keep the sweat from evaporating too quickly, thus maintaining the cooling effect.

Nice! People whose livelihoods depend on avoiding heat stroke have it figured out! 

I recently got a Vanson perforated leather jacket. It is made with flaps inside so that the amount of air passing through to be regulated. I also have a regular solid Vanson jacket. It doesn't have any vents or perforations but the sleeves can be unzipped at the wrist wide enough to allow air to come in which will then exit down by my butt. I can regulate the amount of air going through by how far I unzip the cuffs. I don't think the perforated jacket was much of an improvement over this older jacket.
kk

The perforated sounds like a clever design, but it's interesting that it doesn't really outperform the sleeve-regulated solid one.

Sounds like you're getting really good cooling performance out of the OG jacket!

[guzzisteve]

Sun lotion, stay hydrated.

[John A]

Riding around Kansas in 104F heat I used a cooling vest underneath a perforated jacket. It worked well but dried out . I would stop at parks , anyplace there was a water supply to rewater the cooling vest about every hour.

[kingoffleece]

I use an LD Comfort long sleeve shirt and a cooling vest here in Phoenix.  A shell is a must-a perf or vented jacket won't make 30 minutes.
Follow the instructions at LD Comfort and you'll have much more success for a longer period.

[ridingron]

I think the 93 number can be push either way depending on factors.

How well do you handle heat?

Living in Florida, you can hardly ride from April to November without sweating. Had a buddy that rode his Harley (no windshield) year round. When it was cold (30-40), he would layer up with 3 layers of sweat shirts while wearing cloth sweat pants, scuba dive gloves with a salad bowl helmet. He had a 35 mile ride. To me there is a difference between being tough and being stupid. In the heat he would go with a tank top and cloth shorts. He said it was cool riding that way. He did admit it was very hot when he got to work. It's not overly hot, you're dehydrated because the wind suck the moisture from your body the last 45 minutes. He never understood how my mesh jacket and gloves with my full face helmet could be cooler.

[Dukedesmo]

Fortunately not a problem we have in England.     

[bobrebos1]

Yep….its fricken HOT ZHERE IN Tennessee/Georgia areas!!

[Mwether]

I think the 93 number can be push either way depending on factors.

Agreed.

I think one of the biggest is time/exposure. A shorter ride won't have the dehydrating effect of a longer one. Therefore, in the context of a six- or eight-hour day, if you stop regularly to refill water bladder, rewet undergarments, sit in the AC for a bit, etc. (which you should), then you're essentially stringing together a series of shorter rides. 

I think another huge factor is having an accessible water supply on the bike. If you wait to drink 1) at stops or 2) until you're thirsty, you're going to be way behind on your intake. You need a way to hydrate when you are underway, drinking 8oz/240ml every 15-20 minutes (1qt/1L per hour). That way you'll never get in a "hole."

More here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/mining/userfiles/works/pdfs/2017-126.pdf

[Vagrant]

Liquid IV. I prefer the sugar free. One pack a day makes a big difference in your bodys ability to hydrate.

[inditx]

All of the garments adn wetting the undergarments and hydrating and frequent stops are all spot on. After all, it’s about the ride as much or more than the destination imho.

A friend of mine swears by coconut water, the real stuff seperated from the milk. I dunno but I’m going to give it a try.
inditx

[LowRyter]

250 miles or so, Saturday, 96.

rest stops with air conditioning, hydrate and eat.  Good air flow when you ride, avoid sitting in traffic.