Moe Zhoost

Here's one. If you google you will find many others.

Bill in VA

Try the Outer Banks of NC, especially near the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge. The big black mosquitoes down there are able to fly into a 25 knot wind. We would wear Gore-tex rain gear and beekeeper hats and leather work gloves when they were bad.

mike_on_a_bike

I was going to post a thread asking about this, but it might be better adding to this one. Mosquitos are bad in my area this year. I do lots of night rides and want to be better protected during quick rest stops. DEET is my repellant of choice, it works well for me but I've been paranoid about spraying it far from my bike shorts. Sometimes I squirt it on my hands and use hands to apply so that no mist hits my shorts. My shorts are the only thing I wear that's expensive and vulnerable. They contain some elastane (AKA lycra, spandex). Nylon, cotton and wool are safe with DEET. I don't mess with bibs or anything, just some cheap t-shirt and thin wool socks, so it's just the shorts. But I tend to get bitten near the bottoms of the shorts in the area I avoid putting DEET.

I don't know how cautious I need to be here. If I spray my legs first and let them dry, then put the shorts on, will they get damaged over time? If a little stray mist floats by them, is that an issue over time? If It dries/absorbs on my skin but then I sweat a lot, is that still concentrated enough to matter?

What are people's real world experiences with the vulnerability of synthetics to DEET? Is it only an issue if you spray it directly all over your clothes?

gringomojado

Mosquitos on PEDs are very fast, can't outride them

Avon has "Bug guard, skin so soft" This is combo SPF and skeeter scooter. Works well and doesn't irritate skin.

gm

Kapusta

They don’t need to fly at 4mph to hang out in your draft.

Phil_gretz

Yesterday, we paddle boarded on the Occoquan Reservoir with our daughter, son-in-law and their dog. On the return leg, the wind was perfect to create still air around me. Unfortunately, biting flies found me about 200 yards from shore. They had their fill of me as I paddled. It's really difficult to reach down and swat/slap them on your calves while maintaining balance. It's even worse to tilt your head downward to see where to slap.

I was forced to keep my head up and to paddle to the end, allowing them free reign to feed. How fun!

Kapusta

We have switched from DEET to picaridin repellents. They seem to work just as well, and picaridin does not damage plastics.

indyfabz

I don't think there is much of an issue if you get a little mist on something like your shorts. Definitely don't spray it directly on your shorts. (As you might know, skeeters can, and will, bite through bike shorts.) I did that before knowing its power and ruined a pair. The spray in the hand method is what I use, then I try to rinse off my hands in case I happen to touch my clothing while riding.

Rick

I worked in a bicycle shop in Michigan and every Thursday night we went to Hell in the Pinckney Recreation area to ride our mountain bikes. If we even slowed down a little the bugs were on us. The noise of many insects approaching while others were biting was motivation to get moving even faster. We parked at the Dam Site Inn and did a loop back to the vehicles. We would eat dinner at the Dam Site Inn. I recently checked and the restaurant is under new ownership and they no longer serve the Hell Burger.

Troul 

wth, that's a dam shame.

Broctoon

If you can get hold of some permethrin, it has advantages over DEET or similar repellents: it is odorless; you can treat your clothes with it and it will remain, even through several wash cycles; and it doesn't just repel insects, it kills them.

Charliekeet

We've tried them too. They do seem to to work as well, although on my skin for some reason it was irritating. (Not much, but still.) May have been the other stuff in it though, IDK.
We have a range of things including the picaridin by Sawyer, the Repel mentioned above, and some with DEET. I always get bitten regardless of which one I use, but it's always less than if I were NOT wearing something, so it is what it is.

Riveting

I believe mosquitos are attracted to the CO2 in your exhale, so the simple answer is to stop breathing.

tomato coupe

I was on a mosquito forum the other day. They all claimed they could average 3 mph in a group flight, but I think it's just typical internet inflation of the actual numbers.

Troul 

but do they keep there VO2max in check when buzzing at 3 mph?

gringomojado

Mosquito Forum?

gm

Troul 

some might think it sucks, but I'd feel the itch to join in order to find out for myself.

Broctoon

I might buzz over there and probe around a little.

Troul 

don't be surprised if you get sucked in. Could develop a thirst for new knowledge.

Broctoon

Oh, that's bloody sweet advice! Hopefully I find the discussions there nourishing.

By the way, you're killing it here tonight--swatting forum topics left and right.

Broctoon

Actually, I can’t B Positive, but it seems like that’s one I used to land on a lot. Really enjoyed drinking in what flows there. I’d even say Bike Forums and Mosquito Forums were my favorite pairofsites.

rumrunn6

I rigged a head net on my MTB helmet last summer. if I can find a pic, I'll come back here

Troul 

You being more West, has miles of routes that would benefit from such a forum. It just stings me that my state doesn't do much for controlling insects that have a greater PPM than the rocks in the potholes.
Surely that forum will swarm you with a warm welcome & your style of posting will buzz all the ears with them.

Moe Zhoost

With my baggy shorts and tee shirt, they wouldn't be able to handle the turbulence I generate.

1989Pre 

I've had success with Pennyroyal essential oil (don't get it on your skin, is toxic).