Topher_Aus

It's just hit 40 C. It will cool down a little bit by the time I'm heading home, but I'm also going to have a 30km/h headwind.

I can easily and safely leave my bike at work and catch the train home.

Should I ride, or catch the train?

MediaCreations 

Depends on your fitness. I'd ride but make sure that you drink lots of water. In fact, you should be hydrating well before you leave work.

AndrewP

Ride, but take a bit of salt as well as the water, and dont hurry. If there is a route that provides a bit more shade, go that way.

MediaCreations 

By the way, how far is the ride home?

Topher_Aus

It's about 18km, but pretty flat. It can take up to an hour in these conditions

I'll have two 750 ml water bottles with me, and there's a couple of places I can get more if I really need it.

Topher_Aus

I made it. It took a while, and the last part was very hard.

I would have caught the train, but the trains had stopped running because of some problem with the electricity supply.

It was 39 degrees, and a 30 km/h headwind, with gusts of up to 40 km/h.

MediaCreations 

Well done.

And every year the story will grow as you talk about 'that day from hell' when it was even too hot for the trains to run.

Keep the fluids up tonight too.

mourges

Be glad you rode. lots of people were stuck at the train station.....

cooperwx

Saw the players at the Aussie Open struggling today. Just take it as easy as you have to... and pray for a cool-down

eubi

40C or 104F is really not too bad for riding if you're used to it and the humidity is relatively low.

These are typical temps in the summer here in the LA area.

But my wife gets angry at me and/or questions my sanity if I ride when it's over 100F (She's not a cyclist ).

jeff-o

Oh, I'd love to have weather like that right now... *sigh*

Eatadonut

man, I love hot weather riding. There's something spiritual about being bone dry while you ride, and then when you stop for 30 seconds at a red light, you cause a small flood of sweat.

squeakywheel

I didn't see the match, but my wife says a couple ladies nearly collapsed yesterday during the Australian Open tennis tournament. She was of the opinion they should have suspended play.

HereNT

-5F here this morning :brr:

At least I can just put on extra layers. I hate riding in the heat.

joe v

What 'd you mean too hot to commute??? To hot to WORK, now THAT I can imagine...

rule

You can do it, with proper gear and hydration. But no doubt you will feel it.

CliftonGK1

Send a couple degrees of that heat my way!

22F (-5C) yesterday, 29F (-2C) this morning and 1.5" (3.8cm) of snow fell on top of a layer of pack snow/ice between when I left home and when I got to work.

Cassave

Yup, 104's a balmy day by LA standards these days. We had plenty of 115 degree days last summer.
They are very ridable, just drink everything in sight, then do it again.

noisebeam

I look forward to when it is 40-50C here again.

This distance (18km) is doable, but it is about the distance limit, key consideration are:
1. Your speed. Can you complete the 18km in 45-55min or so. If it takes much longer the exposure is greater.
2. Your acclimatization. If you start riding daily when its cooler and keep riding as the days warm up your body adjusts over time. If you jump right into 40C your body is likely not ready.
3. Hydration. This means being well hydraded before the ride. This means drinking plenty of fluids long before the ride, even the days before.

Al

Two Buck Chuck

Just take it easy. Go for it! I always bring extra water to pour on my head to help with cooling.

danimal123

I commute year-round and from June-September the temps are frequently >90F and the relative humidity is >90%. My ride home is 9 miles due East and 3/4 of the time there's a 10-15mph headwind, so yeah, it can be done. Hydrate, take some salt and for God's sake use sunscreen. I don't know if it's available in Oz, but V8 Juice (basically a salty tomato juice) can really work wonders on getting your electrolytes back on track if you've been sweating buckets. Don't be too proud to duck into a service station/store/whatever if you start seeing spots.

Last year I rode 110 miles in 95F and 90% humidity. It was brutal.

(I apologize for not converting temps, distances, etc. into metric)

caloso

What's the humidity there? We get temps like that here, and it's fine when the humidity is under 30%. Lots of sunscreen, two full bottles (I usually try to have one water and one sportdrink), and don't push too hard.

SingingSabre 

115º F is around my upper limit. Kinda dry weather helps, too.

Water is the key, of course!

Chris L

I've ridden up 9% grades in temperatures of 47 degrees C. It's quite doable if you keep the water up and ride within yourself. Back off the intensity if you start to feel off colour. If it's a dry heat, it probably won't be too bad. I'll take 40 degrees C and a dry heat over 30 degrees C and humidity any day.

AndrewP

At those temps I prefer a headwind to a tailwind as it helps with sweat evaporation