Heat

[britman]

Does anyone here think it can get too hot to ride, currently here in good old humid Virginia it is getting darn close.  I look at the air conditioned Colorado verses the hot jugs on the California, but still go with the bike most days.  Like I said, most days.

 

[inditx]

I hear ya britman
I generally feel that if it’s too hot to wear appropriate gear and stay hydrated then it’s too hot to ride
Of course it all depends on where I’m riding to and for how long
Heavy traffic in the heat though is just unbearable for me these days no matter what

[oldbike54]

 I don't ride much anymore after the HIF gets over about 95 , right now it is 90 with 63% humidity here , makes it feel like 100 F . As we get older the heat affects us more , 20 years ago it didn't bother me at all .

 Dusty

[inditx]

 

[yogidozer]

I hate the heat, especially if it humid.
I hike barefoot almost year-round, unless I need crampons for ice.
My riding jackets all have vents, face shield up, unless the bug/bees are really bad.
Maybe try a wet towel, or ride early or late in the day. Just watch out for the critters, cause they're doin' the same.

[bigbikerrick]

I also think its an "age thing" regarding heat tolerance. I just got back from a 50 mile round trip ride to Bisbee, and I am just worn out. Its 100-102 today with very low humidity( thank God) until the monsoons arrive in a week or two. 10-15 years ago, it would have been no big deal!
Rick.

[Guzzistajohn]

I'm Ok with riding in the 90's as long as I can keep moving. I avoid bumper to bumper traffic in any weather.  SO glad I don't live in a big city!

[Ncdan]

I hate heat. I hate swamp @$$. I hate traffic, heat and swamp @$$. :(

[Guzzistajohn]

At first I thought we had another dog thread 

[Rick in WNY]

I've had people tell me I'm half lizard before... because I like heat.

Sure, I sweat like a pig, but as long as I can keep pouring more water in to replace what pours out, I keep on going. Probably due to growing up on a farm doing hay while sitting on a dark green tractor... Hot machine, no shade, and you gotta make hay when the sun is shining.

That aside, I do not care to be stuck in traffic on my bike, ever. And when I'm moving... it's not that hot. But then, I have a silver helmet, grey jacket, and lots of vents. Black helmets/jackets never appealed to me... but I'm weird.

[LowRyter]

I gave it up at 1pm.  Pretty nice until noon.

Not going to Bob's cookout tonight.

[kirkemon]

I got caught riding the Mohave in hot weather - didn't plan to, but ended up there.
COOLING VEST!
Many on the market, I don't know what's different about them. The one I have last a couple hours, but a life saver.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

All too soon it'll be freezin' a$$ cold here in the East, so I'm not going to complain about a little heat and humidity or let it stop me from riding.

Coming back from the Virginia Rally, I had a long sleeve t-shirt and sweatshirt on under my mesh jacket up until around 3 pm. Couple of bank displays in Harrisonburg were showing 92 degrees by that point. I wasn't sweating though, just a little warm. Removed the sweatshirt for the rest of the trip up the Shenandoah Valley. This was behind the big "polizia" fairing on the V700 even.

[Chuck in Indiana]

^^^^^ Wat Charlie sez.

[Shorty]

Coming home from the 2012 Virginia rally at Buena Vista, in central  Tennessee, 115F degrees outside, me inside the Nismo Frontier with an Eldo in the back. Air conditioner on "Blast", and Rolling Stones on the box. Drinking ice water. Poor bastages outside wilting in their ATGATT riding two up back home to Arkansas and Oklahoma. I guess it's a question of "How bad do you want to have "fun?"    We all got to ride our bikes on the BRP and hang out. They get to tell a far more heroic tale to the grandkids.

[Sheepdog]

I have an entirely different set of clothes for riding in the S. Louisiana summers. Light colored pants/boots/gloves, wicking tee-shirt, a mesh jacket, and a 3/4 helmet. I also avoid congested roads at all cost. This makes it okay. Heck, I ride my bicycle at midday...I guess its what you get accustomed to.

[tazio]

Hotlanta good riddance!
Virginia here I come! 6 day campfest leaving tomorrow morning
on the mighty GRiSO for the British Rally in the Blue Ridge, north GA.
(Nortons Triumphs Beeza's oh,my!)
Then on to Meadows of Dan, VIRGINIA (Willville motorcycle campground)
just off the Blue Ridge Pkwy.
WAS going from there to Kitty Hawk, NC. but the thought of all that heat has me redirecting my planned route.
Think I'll just stay in the higher elevations

[Ncdan]

Hotlanta good riddance!
Virginia here I come! 6 day campfest leaving tomorrow morning
on the mighty GRiSO for the British Rally in the Blue Ridge, north GA.
(Nortons Triumphs Beeza's oh,my!)
Then on to Meadows of Dan, VIRGINIA (Willville motorcycle campground)
just off the Blue Ridge Pkwy.
WAS going from there to Kitty Hawk, NC. but the thought of all that heat has me redirecting my planned route.
Think I'll just stay in the higher elevations

Below it or not Taz, THE OUTER BANKS can be nice in the summer as an ocean breeze is for the most part constant, especially in the evening. #12 from  Ocracoke to kitty hawk, 70+ miles is wonderful and well worth a little warmth.

[jwinwi]

Yup. Early mornings are the best time to ride as we get closer to the dog days!

[Guzzidad]

   Shorty, I was at that 2012 Virginia Rally when that Delreco heat storm came through. 100 degrees sleeping at night in a tent. And I had to ride home to Florida. Ended up with heat exhaustion and since then I can't tolerate the heat very well. Course I am getting older and that might have something to do with it.

[Tom]

Ride 45-60 minutes.  Pull over.  Drink water.  45-60 minutes riding.  Pull over.  Drink water.  Repeat as many times as needed.  Stretch at each stage.

[pehayes]

Prefer the heat as long as it is dry.  Hate the cold.  I did Death Valley at 121.  "But it was a dry heat".  Have to keep the full face shield closed as it feels like a hair dryer to the face.  My Falcone Club did Death Valley at 119 in August of 2014.  Short mileage.  Early day riding.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Tom]

Same for me.  I'd rather deal with heat vs. cold.

[tazio]

Below it or not Taz, THE OUTER BANKS can be nice in the summer as an ocean breeze is for the most part constant, especially in the evening. #12 from  Ocracoke to kitty hawk, 70+ miles is wonderful and well worth a little warmth.

Hey, Might have to go back to "Plan A" !
Thanks for additional info!

[Bulldog9]

For me it depends. If I'm going to be running errands or potentially stuck in traffic, or in town/city, I won't ride if it is too hot. If I know I'm going to be on open roads, and know I'l be moving, I'm good to go....

[Diploman]

 Riding in increasingly hot weather will become standard operating procedure.  In my experience, the best countermeasure to preserve your body and mental alertness while passing through a mass of very hot air atop a fast-moving two wheeled vehicle, is to take advantage of evaporative cooing.  When water turns from liquid to gas - evaporation - it absorbs heat.  If water leaves a rider's body and is evaporated, this process will extract heat from the rider's body: the rider will feel cooler, despite the higher temperature of the air through which he/she is passing.  The hotter the ambient air, the faster evaporation will take place; the more humid the ambient air, the slower.

The most effective method I have found to manage this evaporative process is this:  Wear a base layer made of highly-wicking fabric, such as the undergarments sold by DL Comfort (or many other vendors).   The base layer top - and bottom, if desired - should be soaked in cool water, then squeezed out a bit, before being put on damp. Over this is worn an outer shell of protective leather or textile, ie, a vented jacket (and riding pants).  Counter-intuitively, most of the jacket's vents should be closed - only a couple of small vents, preferably on the arms or chest , should be open, along with a small vent in the rear for hot air to escape.  When underway, incoming hot air will cause the water on the base layer to evaporate, cooling the rider.  Keeping the jacket mostly closed will retain cool air under the jacket and provide more relief from the heat than if vents were fully opened.  This type of evaporative cooling can be very effective in countering heat while riding, but the water in the base layer needs to be renewed every 1-2 hours, depending on the rate of evaporation.   A bathroom pit stop or just a water canteen can serve to re-wet the base layer.  Short of wearing a portable AC unit in a backpack, evaporative cooling using a damp base layer is about as good as it gets.

[Lannis]

Ride 45-60 minutes.  Pull over.  Drink water. Pour water into jacket. 45-60 minutes riding.  Pull over.  Drink water. Pour water into jacket. Repeat as many times as needed.  Stretch at each stage.

Added my habit.   It was in the high 90s in New York coming back from Nova Scotia one year.  A bottle of water will keep you air-conditioned for 45 minutes or so.

Lannis

[Kent in Upstate NY]

I keep a couple of bottles of Gatorade on hand. Soaking a scarf and wrapping it around your neck will help if you are in arid areas.

[Bobic69]

Earlier in the year I did a week long trip with several 40°C+ days. At that temp the wind doesn't cool you at all. Still wore all the gear but unzipped my jacket half way. I stopped every hour or so for a drink and ran my t-shirt under a tap. All good.

[guzziart]

106 F. in Utah somewhere, mesh jacket & Camelbak hydration pack kept me relatively comfortable as I got used to the higher temps.