How to avoid eating bugs while riding?
07-09-22, 12:34 PM
#1
How to avoid eating bugs while riding?
Bugs can fly into my mouth when I am riding. Can you recommend a biker's mask or something to avoid eating bugs?
P.S.: I can't ride with my mouth closed since my nose is always full plus I've got asthma.
P.S.: I can't ride with my mouth closed since my nose is always full plus I've got asthma.
Likes For trickybilly:
07-09-22, 12:40 PM
#2
Guest
Likes For Rolla:
07-09-22, 12:43 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern NY...Brownville
Posts: 2,600
Bikes: Specialized Aethos, Specialized Diverge Comp E5
Liked 477 Times
in
282 Posts
Well I'd advise to keep your pie hole shut but the asthma thing...
If I'm in a buggy area I use a bit of an overbite look to breathe without inhaling bugs...usually works fine.
Where the heck are you riding where it's that buggy?
I'm in Northern NY in dairy country with hay and cornfields everywhere as well as Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence just down the road but I generally get schmaybe one buy per season.
If I'm in a buggy area I use a bit of an overbite look to breathe without inhaling bugs...usually works fine.
Where the heck are you riding where it's that buggy?
I'm in Northern NY in dairy country with hay and cornfields everywhere as well as Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence just down the road but I generally get schmaybe one buy per season.
Likes For Kai Winters:
07-09-22, 12:45 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,057
Bikes: addict, aethos, creo, vanmoof, sirrus, public ...
Liked 1,420 Times
in
721 Posts
we don’t have many bugs out here, but i find keeping my head down a bit (also more aero) prevents the majority of them from impacting my eyes, face, mouth.
i also can’t breathe through my nose, at all.
i also can’t breathe through my nose, at all.
Likes For mschwett:
07-09-22, 12:48 PM
#5
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 18,463
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Liked 12,380 Times
in
6,332 Posts
Took a bee to the lip at 35 mph. It's last act was to sting me before it spattered across my teeth. Bitter.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
Likes For genejockey:
07-09-22, 12:51 PM
#6
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 18,463
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Liked 12,380 Times
in
6,332 Posts
There are some seasons and some times of day that I find a ton of something smaller than bees but larger than 'skeeters are all along Canada Rd, especially in the spots with trees on both sides of the road. That's when I, as they say, "Grit my teeth and think of Mother England".
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
07-09-22, 12:57 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Hacienda Hgts
Posts: 2,136
Bikes: 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er
Liked 1,981 Times
in
955 Posts
Neck gaiter pulled up when in bug country.
Pro tip: Will not help much with pigeons under freeway bridges.
Pro tip: Will not help much with pigeons under freeway bridges.
Likes For CAT7RDR:
07-09-22, 12:59 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: South shore, L.I., NY
Posts: 7,075
Bikes: Flyxii FR322, Cannondale Topstone, Miyata City Liner, Specialized Chisel, Specialized Epic Evo
Liked 2,206 Times
in
1,251 Posts
The knats in the woods I mt. bike can do at least 7mph, but not 8 or above, I found out Thurs.
07-09-22, 01:06 PM
#9
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 15,390
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Liked 5,005 Times
in
3,445 Posts
Just chew them up. Dragon flies are nasty tasting though. Hurt too when they hit you in the face at 30 mph.
For bees and wasps, bite quickly.
For bees and wasps, bite quickly.
Likes For Iride01:
07-09-22, 02:06 PM
#10
Senior Member
Years ago a group of us were doing a training session for a team time trial along a road that borders the St Lawrence river. At that time there were thousands of large flies along the route. One of the team took a long, long pull and as he moved to the back he told us "OK your turn, I'm full"
Likes For alcjphil:
07-09-22, 02:40 PM
#11
Senior Member
Nope. Eating a bug occasionally is a fact of life for riding bikes. The more bugs in the air, the more risk you have of ingesting them. You could kludge up a screen in a cut-out surgical mask, but the social approbation would probably be more than you could take.
Likes For KerryIrons:
07-09-22, 04:39 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 13,044
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Liked 4,074 Times
in
2,639 Posts
I took in I think a honey bee yesterday. It sat against my tongue just behind my teeth, its side to my tongue. I spat/blew it out right quick. No sting and I never saw it but both the size and fuzz said honeybee. I think we both came out unharmed (and I do not take bee stings well). No fear here but I stepped on one as a kid and couldn't fit a shoe for days.
Likes For 79pmooney:
07-09-22, 04:43 PM
#13
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,612
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Liked 9,099 Times
in
5,054 Posts
Don't know where you ride, but I find there's some places near me where the bugs are thick and others where you never encounter any.
Maybe change where you ride?
Maybe change where you ride?
Likes For livedarklions:
07-09-22, 05:04 PM
#14
Senior Member
Except for anti-maskers, a lot of us have been wearing different types of mask in the past two years. You can certainly wear it cycling.
Likes For Daniel4:
07-09-22, 06:45 PM
#16
Mesh tube mask is a very good option. I think it's also called a "mesh neck gaiter" or "mesh buff", "Tactical/army neck gaiter/balaclava", among others.
Extremely breathable even when wet and offers some UV protection over your neck too. It seems to filter out some of the soot from diesel exhaust as well.
Look something like this:
Extremely breathable even when wet and offers some UV protection over your neck too. It seems to filter out some of the soot from diesel exhaust as well.
Look something like this:
Last edited by koala logs; 07-09-22 at 06:51 PM.
Likes For koala logs:
07-09-22, 06:46 PM
#17
As a doctor, I would think you’d be up on the latest mask technology.
Likes For indyfabz:
07-09-22, 06:59 PM
#18
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 14,039
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Liked 4,234 Times
in
2,831 Posts
A mesh tube as shown above is a good option or one of those TT helmets with a face shield could work nicely. I luckily don't live near a bunch of bugs so I can breathe easier when my nose is stuffy or having other issues.
Likes For veganbikes:
Likes For Alleytom:
07-10-22, 10:21 AM
#20
Sorry, couldn't resist. 
Likes For phughes:
07-10-22, 10:29 AM
#21
On a serious note, you could check out this. It is an add on to your helmet, which lets you have a full visor on any helmet, according to their claims. It's on Kickstarter now. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...rs?ref=popular
Likes For phughes:
07-10-22, 02:40 PM
#22
Senior Member
The only bugs that I don't like are bees, wasps, yellow jackets, etc. Flies, horseflies, june bugs, gnats don't bother me. I hit a carpenter bee last year and it felt like a bird hit on my helmet. As far as protection, uh, well, I keep my head down and try not to ride with my mouth wide open.
07-10-22, 02:46 PM
#23
Senior Member
Maybe something like this?
Likes For Bald Paul:
07-10-22, 06:00 PM
#24
Junior Member
Una mosca non vola dentro una bocca chiusa.
07-10-22, 06:52 PM
#25
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,572
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Liked 6,112 Times
in
3,121 Posts
I would look for a piece of fine mesh you can easily breath through that you can tie behind your head bandit style.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
