Jtgyk

Rode to work to do a birthday celebration-thing (on my day off) and for some stupid reason, decided to ride up to a buddy's house to water his yard for him while he' out of town.
Chickened out (too hot to ride fast in the heat) and rode MUP's and sidewalks to his house. I normally avoid the MUP's (usually don't go where I need) and Sidewalks (just too darned dangerous) but rode them both just to have some shade. 10 miles up and 8 miles back into a slight headwind that should have had some kind of cooling effect, but wound up turning the great outdoors into a convection oven.
I'm disappointed in my stamina in the heat, though I haven't been riding any distances to develop any endurance this year.
Oooh, and a Case of Crotch Pinch made the ride home seem longer than It should. Even with frequent breaks, I was way to hot and just wiped at the end.
Not a Fail, as such...but YIKES!

jscotti

I've made the mistake a few times of riding in to work a bit later in the day when it's around 100F in Tucson. My two most recent cases, I felt like I was a bit too close to suffering from heatstroke when I got to my office. Definitely took the last 2 (uphill) miles a bit easier than usual and made sure to drink lots of water. It takes a good half hour after getting to work to feel like I've mostly recovered too. My bike computer claimed it was 117F the last ride like that. I think the ambient temp was probably around 100F at the time. I should definitely ride earlier in the day in the summer, but I'm a night person.....

KD5NRH

First rule of riding in Texas; ignore the yankees who say you don't need the second bottle/third bottle/camelbak for a 5-10 mile ride. If anything happens to the bike that leaves you walking, you'll be glad of the extra water, and fairly often it's nice to have an extra bottle to dump over your head.

Even for nighttime 5 mile rides I take a second bottle just in case.

Santaria

lol, you're in Stephenville, yankee

Come down south when you're ready

Riding in Texas is very deceptive. A combination of slight breeze (Central Texas) combined with 110+ degree heat means you're fighting two elements that dehydrate you quickly. More water is good, but also has the problem of actually making it into your body (system) and doing something productive. One of my problems on super long runs and rides has always been that while I know I can easily consume a gallon of water (a day) the amount actually used for plasma volume, etc is probably very insignificant to the amount I am inundating myself with.

Use a bandanna with water, or sport-specific hats along with sunscreen. Don't try to ride heavy, but go for spin and acclimatize according to the weather you'll ride in.

Considering this is really normal weather for those of us who've lived here for a long time, we're already physically adapted (thinner blood plasma volumes, etc).

jr59

Ridding in the Big Easy is pretty hot as well. It's just a mind game. You know it's hot, you just can't let it bother you.

cyclefreaksix

My speed has definitely suffered from the temperature. The other day I left work at eight p.m. and it was 97 degrees!!

fietsbob

summer just got here yesterday..

Jtgyk

Ah, Yes the principle by which food dehydrators and convection ovens work.

Heh...I was actually holding sips of cold water mixed with G2 in my mouth to help with cooling (lots of blood vessels there near the surface). Though by the end of the commute home I was feeling like I was sloshing and bloated a bit.

One of the reasons I went against my own rules and hit stretches of sidewalks for shade.
I probably would have been better off if I'd ridden with the light weight, loose, long sleeved shirt I wear sometimes for sun protection. It seems counter intuitive, but I usually feel cooler riding on sunny days with more covering.
Can't help but ride heavy at the moment as I'm down to 360lbs (from just shy of 400).
As stated I can really tell the difference from the prior 2 years when I was doing 20-30 mile Sunday morning rides weighing about the same as now.
I just need to stop bellachin' and HTFU, get out there, and ride.

Jtgyk

Well DUH!
I just realized that some (or a lot) of all that might be due to fasting for Ramadan.
I'm not Muslim, but last year I promised a fellow worker that I'd fast with her since she's the only one in my department who observes the holiday (and there tend to be a lot of snacks flying around during working hours).
I don't abstain from drinking during the day...just food.
Is there an "Idiot" smiley?
Perhaps a Facepalm?

jimcross

But this year has been a piece of cake compared to last year. At least here in Austin... Commuted all last summer in the "record Texas heat". Worst day I had was a Friday I had to leave work at 4:30 for some stupid reason. It was 105, i didn't eat a big enough lunch, was worried that my 2 bottles wasn't enough, was on my single speed, and my ride home is uphill and into the wind. To this day it's the only bicycle ride that I couldn't find a single redeeming quality for. It sucked. allot!

Jtgyk

But...living in Austin means you're Young...Trendy...Artistic!!!!
You are supposed to suffer for your art.
The spirit of LANCE COMPELS YOU!!!

(seriously you have my utmost respect for single speeding it up and around the hills of Austin.)

custermustache

I've been riding morning and night, about 15 miles each way. The first couple of afternoons in the heat were HOT, but now I'm doing just fine. Still tired, but good.

walnutz

Yeah, I'm in pretty good shape, but I usually come home pretty beat just from a shade-less 8 mile commute at 5pm.

Jtgyk

Looking forward to riding in to work this afternoon....only 97F!
I'll take anything under 100F now a days.

gholt

I shouldn't complain. I left at 5:30 and I thought it was just hot today. I could not have been too hot in the Utah heat. maybe 70 or 75, I didn't check the temp. But, I will take it any day over the 100 + 100% humidity of texas.

custermustache

It was a super hot ride today. All we talked about was how nice it would be 2 months from now...

High Roller

After reading about the weather y'all have to contend with, I'm not feeling quite so sorry for myself.

I'd rather ride here in Idaho in January than ride down there in August.

tjspiel

Every winter while many of us are commiserating over riding in extreme cold, snow, ice, and/or freezing rain, there's always some yahoo from a warm weather state who chimes in about how it's a balmy 75 or 80 degrees where they're at.

It's 75 in Minneapolis now, expecting a high of 80.

Actually from what I understand, it was pretty warm and sticky last week here too. I don't know. I was way up North where it was... 75 or 80.

Sorry, couldn't resist. It's in the 90's with high humidity here often enough to make it uncomfortable at times. Nothing like what you guys go through though. Hang in there, it'll get better and we in the North will be envious soon enough.

DallasSoxFan

I start hydrating 1 hour before my 3.5 mile ride home. Then I drink one full bottle over the course of the ride. I take it painfully slow so as to not pollute my lungs too bad with the level orange smog that invariable accompanies 100+ heat. When I get home, I eat a banana and hydrate.

Santaria

We hit a 116 heat index today. Still rode, as someone pointed out - when you yankees are up there /crying in the winter, I'll be sipping a beer in my deck, barbecuing.

jimcross

I wish I could say I was young, trendy, or artistic. I am unfortunately none of those things, and to make it worse my commute isn't in the "hilly" part of town. I guess I fail on all counts, but thanks for the nice remarks.

o0adam0o

I commute about 6mi. each way to work in Austin Texas. The trip takes about 40min each way and i usually dont even finish my 1 water bottle. But i hate stoping at red lights with the sun burning my face and back. Cant wait for october!

mister

Towards the end of last week, it was actually quite nice here in So Cal, but this week it's been hotter than the devil's butt crack.

Seems like no matter how much I do outside, I can't ever get used to anything over 90.

MMACH 5

It was only 96°F yesterday. I'm already missing the heat.

madcalicojack

I do 7 miles each way in Austin. I moved here from Phoenix though so 100 degrees is comfy by comparison. I get to work about as the sun is rising right now and I'd say the morning commute is downright pleasant. I leave for home at 4:30ish so I take it easy to keep from overheating. The thing that makes the heat almost worth it is the way I feel after getting home and taking a shower. I feel cool on the outside and warm on the inside, and all my muscles and joints feel loose and well-lubricated. Riding in cooler weather doesn't give quite the same satisfied feeling.