Mirysien

Hi,

Okay maybe a dumbish question and I did (sorta) look through the threads to see if someone else already asked about it, but I'm being annoyed by bugs flying into (and around) my mouth and nose (and eyes when not wearing sunglasses).

It's gotten so I've semi-seriously thought of wearing a mask like for sanding drywall .

I use bugspray and that pretty much takes care of bites, but not this. I *can't* be the only one dealing with this. What do/have you done to cut down on this particular annoyance?

RussB

Haven't had that problem, Just where sunglasses to keep them from hitting your eyes and ride fast enough that the bugs can't keep up.

Mirysien

Ahha... it might have to do with the heavy (open-mouthed) breathing, sweaty, at the slow pace I'm able to handle right now .. duh! .. good thought that as I improve my unrequested protien will decrease .. laughing to myself ... what an outta~shape~newbie~biker~thang :rolling eyes:

East Hill

Yes, that's a major part of bug swallowing accidents . But really, serious cyclists always wear glasses/sunglasses. Partially because we look so cool that way, and more importantly, it's really difficult to look cool digging bugs out of one's eyes.

It only takes a few bug swallows (and only ONE bee/wasp swallow) to keep your mouth closed in the future.

East Hill

crtreedude 

In the eye - bad, wear glasses.
In the mouth - it won't kill you. If you want to know why the cyclist is smiling while riding - it is to strain out the bugs...

Tom Stormcrowe

I've found the flavor of the bug cloud varies as well, for example, the Gnats in Eastern Indiana have a sweeter taste than the gnats in Southern Indiana.

CommuterRun

In my rural commuting I often encounter biting flies, mosquitoes and other bugs on these wooded roads.

I follow these three guidelines:
1) Ride Fast
2) Keep Mouth Shut
3) Don't Stop

Mirysien

just giggling at the comments .. flavored bugs indeed .. perhaps a new gummi~bear? .. gummi~bug

yeppers, I figured out the eye one pretty fast *lol* .. it also didn't help the first time to get bug repellant (on my hands) near the eyes .. ~ouch~ now keeping a set of sunglasses in my bike bag as general policy

Swoop

Swallow.

Stujoe

Just consider them extra nutrients for those long rides.

BillK

Brush my teeth afterwards...

Just kiddin'. First, I wear sunglasses to keep the bugs out of my eyes. Second, I tend to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. Keeps from swallowing one of the big ones.

Doug5150

You could make a hood of mosquito-type netting.

Where I live has this problem too at certain times of the year--HUGE MASSIVE clouds of bugs, usually gnats. They don't bite to any effect, but there's so d*** many of them it's difficult-to-impossible to ride.
They get in your eyes, your nostrils, your ears. they FILL your hair, if you have any. Any exposed sweaty skin they stick to all the way home. You can't brush them off at all, that smooshes them all over you--when you get home you first have to HOSE yourself off outside. If you're jogging or walking they can get out of the way in time--but riding any decent speed on a bike, you simply get covered.

Where I am mostly they come out in late-afternoon until dark, and I won't ride at that time much of the year, just because of the f*****' bugs. Rarely do I see them in the early-mornings at all.

My final solution is a bit radical, but pretty safe: I'm moving the the desert-southwest this year.
Not much humidity or bugs either.
Yahoo!
~

spinnaker

Bugs are high in protein. They will help you with your ride.

JanMM

Safety glasses like those found in home improvement centers provide good coverage and come in dark or clear and are very impact-resistant and UV-blocking.
Hard to ride hard with your mouth closed. If you must wear a mask, a drywall dust-type mask (N-95) is overkill and too restrictive. Find a "nuisance dust" type or something aimed at runners. Or, try a bandana. Or, a mosquito netting hood suggested above (doug5150).

martianone

right now we have swarms of black flies,
have to grit your teeth and wear glasses.
the safety or shooting glasses work well.

Mirysien

Thanks people

Doug, I actually was thinking about doing a mosquito net thing .. and now that you mentioned it, it is worse on the evening rides.

Jan, the bandana is another possibility too

The safety glasses have been mentioned several times so I'm going to go find a couple of pairs.

Again, thanks everyone for the responses (cute and informative both )

rodrigaj

Headsweats skull cap under the helmet.

I have not found a solution for the mouth since I am a heavy mouth breather when really pushing it. Face mask like woodworkers wear would be ideal but terribly inconvenient, slow down the breathing and pretty dumb looking, if that matters.

atomship47

breathe thru your teeth

Cyclaholic

Safety glasses for the eyes, water to wash down the ones that get in my mouth. Once you get beyond the gagging reflex as they try frantically to wriggle back out of your throat you'll be fine.

Conveyor Belt

Black sunglasses, bandana tied over your mouth in a western robber style...

Groundhawg

I wear safety glasses to keep the bugs out of my eyes. Dragonflys come out in the summer about dark. If one of those were to hit me in the eye, it could cause me to crash. I don't trust sunglasses as they will easily shatter.

To keep bugs out of your mouth do as the other poster stated. Breath through your teeth.

mlh122

When I need to have a big open mouth breathing session I just point my face down as far as i can and keep looking up at the road. Bugs in the helmet suck too though. I saw a full face bike helmet at the LBS that was interesting too. It wasn't like a motorcycle helmet though, it was just like a regular bike helmet, with a big plastic piece that came down in front of the mouth, with a little mesh screen for breathing. it was by Giro for $110. I thought it would be nice to keep bugs out of the mouth, and shrubery off of the face

blaronn

I can picture it now...


Or better yet, add this too...


Just kidding. Seriously though, I've had the "bug in mouth" problem when jogging near dusk, but never on the bike. I just assumed it was somehow related to the speeds involved. Regardless, I never do either without some form of eye protection.

powerglide

wow thats pretty extreme....I guess those shatterproof squash/racketball goggles would work too.

GRedner

I took a bumblebee in the eye once while riding at night. I can confirm that it SUCKS, and I've worn glasses when riding (99% of the time) ever since.

As for bugs in the mouth, just close it