SPECELIZEDRIDER

What is the hottest and longest distance you have commuted in and how did you survive it?

LesterOfPuppets

Probably about 120° F, back when I lived in PHX and commuted about 18 miles each way to Sun City West. I survived it by being a youngin' and drinking plenty of water.

I used to do 3-hour mid-day trail rides down there, too. I was just used to it, I guess.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

That is brutal.

LesterOfPuppets

The ride home @ 11-12 pm was nice, it was the trip in to work that was tough

wolfchild

We've had one of the hotest summers on record in Toronto this past year. 93 F feeling like 107 F because of all the humidity. I can deal with dry heat, but I hate humidity, it just sucks all the energy out of you. On those very hot humid days I ride a lot slower, take it very easy, don't push myself too hard, and drink lot's of fluids. I don't have AC at work or home.

caloso

114F, I believe. Sacramento summers are typically hot and dry, the hottest part of the day coming about 5:30, just in time for the ride home. With such low humidity, it isn't too bad as long as you keep moving and keep drinking.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

well at least Vegas is a dry hell.

Reynolds 

About 36C, 20 km round trip, no problem - except for arriving wet like if just out of a swimming pool.

I-Like-To-Bike

About 130° F in Iraq; 3 miles daily, beats walking in it.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

if going to work, I just get there with enough time to cool down and bathe with baby wipes

Mark Stone

111 degrees F and the commute was 30 miles round trip, mid 1970s. It didn't bother me at all because I drank drank drank water

locolobo13 

As a youngster around 120°F in Phoenix. Since I started commuting again 4 yrs ago in Phoenix I don't think it's been over 120. Summer of '11 it was between 115 and 120 and I was riding home in it.

How did I survive? First it was <5 mi or 25 min or so. Second drink lots of water during the day. Last keep going from day to day, as the days get warmer you get used to the level of heat you expose yourself to. At least to a point.

RGNY

101F, unusual for the area, during a 4 hour urban group ride.

waterwaterwater, wicking shirt and some HTFU.

zonatandem

117 degrees, 2% humidity in Tucson, AZ

MNBikeCommuter

Actual air temperature--102F. "Heat index" based on humidity--119F. Both for 33 miles going home. The latter was far more brutal. Halfway home I stopped to wring out my jersey, gloves, and socks. I'd have wrung out my shorts too but... Ten miles from home my shoes were soaked, and every pedal stroke dripped sweat onto the pavement. But it was more enjoyable that -10F commutes. :-)

PeregrineA1 

119 heat index. 105+with ample humidity in Raleigh. 12.2 miles. Drink lots of water all day. One bottle on the 50 minute commute. Cool shower and a beer at home.

canyoneagle

Just a hair under 130 in Saudi while in a desert town (low humidity), and 118 with high humidity near the coast. My commutes were short - 3-4 miles each way.
I just did the heat index calculation for my humid commute and I think it got wacked out. It shows 228F heat index for 118 air temp and 65% humidity. LOL. We always joked that it felt like walking into an urn of coffee when going outside.
Reflected heat at mid-day was frequently measured to be 160-180F on asphalt.

JanMM

Rode home at least once this past record-hot summer with Temp > 100F. (102)

Sixty Fiver

I will keep my -22 thank you very much... being descended from a bunch of melanin challenged people I do not do heat very well.

E.W.G.M.B

My bike computer said 101 (but i think it was in the high 90`s).

Telly

Commuting during the summer months in Athens (May to late September) is generally a hot experience (90F-105F), but July and August are scorchers with average temperatures exceeding 110F (ambient)... add in direct sunlight, hot gooey asphalt and car exhausts and the temperature feels like 120F+... that on a daily basis!

swwhite

I had one day of 105F. That's about the "best" I can hope for in Minnesota. I did manage a -20F once. We have a ground-level temperature display at work so I took pictures of my bikes parked next to it each time.

wphamilton

We had some 105-108 days this summer, record highs for this area. Our humidity is constantly 80%-100%. If you've previously lived in regions with higher temperatures, that range isn't all that bad, except for the humidity.

I didn't do anything differently (20 mile round trip commute) other than pay more attention to hydration, but you'd have thought it was Armageddon listening to the news advisories. It piqued my sense of absurdity. Stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, lots of survival hints, public cooling centers etc.

wolfchild

Yep, the same thing happens in my city. Everytime we have a bit of an "extreme weather".. the media makes it sound like the end of the world.

gerv 

105 F this summer. Any hotter than that, I'll start sweating.