tips for riding in heat.

elderone

Got my first sportive sunday and the forcast looks hotter than I,ve ridden in before,along with the biggest distance.
Any tips for riding in the heat over distance.,with hydration being my biggest concern as I tend to drink lots even in cool weather.

Grill

Just keep drinking and don't forget to eat as the heat may take away your appetite.

elderone

Thanks Grill.

marcusjb

Things I have found useful in high temps (higher than typical UK temps) - a buff around my neck, that I dunk in cold water. Some people will do the same with a cap. It needs to be proper roasting for this to make sense.

Drink plenty. Use something like NUUN if you don't already. Yes, they are expensive for what they are, but they are convenient.

And finally, sun cream! It won't help you deal with the temperatures, but it will stop you looking like a lobster.

buckles

wash and rinse your helmet pads well before the ride so that any dirt and bacteria that's built up in them / leftover soap does not get sweated into your eyes

topcattim

Buckles wrote:

wash and rinse your helmet pads well before the ride so that any dirt and bacteria that's built up in them / leftover soap does not get sweated into your eyes

That's a great tip, thanks Buckles - I shall be doing that before a day on the bike this weekend.

sungod

as above keep hydrated, remember to top up energy

i've never had a proper hot ride in uk, but several in europe, what i found...

on the flat/descents you don't notice the heat as the wind cools you, even at 40c it's fine, you'll still be losing a lot of fluid though, keep sipping regularly

climbs are where it can hit, especially if there's no shade on the road, low wind speed and high output heats you up fast, take on energy 5-10 mins before the start of any long climbs and keep sipping water on the way up

imho it's unlikely that you'd suffer from electrolyte loss during the ride, but i find adding a lemon-lime nuun makes warm/hot water much more palatable, remember that you need fluid to digest food or it'll get uncomfortable

my perfect hot climb has a cafe at the top where i can get an ice cold coke, a cafe solo and refill bottles with water and lumps of ice

if you're not tanned, don't forget the sunscreen

Grill

Here's a ride I did in Phoenix a few weeks ago. It hit 109 degrees F and absolutely destroyed me for the last portion even though I was drinking almost a bottle an hour. The biggest thing was my electrolyte loss as I lost so much salt my jersey had stained white all over. Kind of a big deal for me as normally I don't sweat that much and electrolyte loss has never been a problem before, even during 12+ hour rides.

http://app.strava.com/activities/59044120

topcattim

Don't put any suncream on above your eyes, unless you fancy stinging sweat all through the ride.

dgstewart

Make sure you start well hydrated in the morning. After that it really depends how heavy/salty a sweater you are. This can vary loads between different people. I remember reading somewhere that with the variation in sweat volume and salt concentration, the range of total electrolyte losses can be huge (10:1 or more I think).

If you don't know then err on the side of caution and drink a bit more than usual but don't gulp it down excessively. If you're genuinely thirsty then definitely drink more. Use some sort of electrolyte tabs (any kind) in your water, but again don't overload them.

How long is the ride?

Also, for sun cream - I've never done this but I've seen others put Vaseline above the eyes to make sweat run around them and down the side. No idea if it works though . I prefer a cap under the helmet to soak up the sweat, then it just drips off the front of the cap and not into your eyes.

topcattim

dgstewart wrote:

Also, for sun cream - I've never done this but I've seen others put Vaseline above the eyes to make sweat run around them and down the side. No idea if it works though

I tried that when I heard others recommend it. Failed dismally. So much so, that I feared that they'd been pulling my leg.

elderone

Thanks for replies lads.The ride is 70 miles and forcast is 26c.Not a huge distance and I feel I,m prepped well enough for the milage but I think the warmest day I have ridden is about 18c.
My usual drink is isotonic and im used to that.
What is the best source of electolites then.

Grill that looked a cracking ride but very hot.

dgstewart

If your usual drink is "isotonic", then it almost certainly already has electrolytes in it. Read the label, looking for sodium, potassium, etc. Isotonic drinks also have carbohydrates to provide energy.

You can get electrolyte drinks (usually tablets to add to water) with zero (or minimal) carbs/calories. I tend to use these most of the time, as the carb drinks can be a bit sickly sweet, and get my calories from solid food, or gels as a last resort on a long/hard ride. Most of the usual brands do these tablets (High 5, Nunn, etc), such as: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/high5-zero-elec ... ee-bottle/

Also, that way I can vary the amount of electrloytes and calories independently, depending on the length of ride and how warm it is.

FatTed

To stop sweat getting in your eyes you could try Halo headbands or sweat gutr.
http://www.sweatgutr.com/sports-sweatband.html
http://store.haloheadband.com/elastic-s ... d-p/hp.htm
this baselayer may help, 26c is really not that warm (at least for me)
http://www.jensonusa.com/!lxvcmBe-deN9! ... -Baselayer

team47b

Drink more the day before and before setting out. Wear light colours. Wear a jersey that is slightly looser to allow air flow. It's only hot when you stop, so don't stop! Mostly it's mental, try to avoid thinking it's hot. Water that seems a bit warm is better than ice cold. Regular sips rather than large gulps of water.

simon_e

Eat little and often (or at least regularly) even if you don't feel like it, with food you know you digest easily. While you should of course drink plenty, it is possible to drink too much, and some people get GI distress with too much energy drink.

If you start to overheat then stop and rest in the shade before you get dizzy/nauseous. I remember feeling the need to lie down and relax under a tree for half an hour during the Rough Ride one year. Felt quite a bit better afterwards.

I've heard of people putting a soaking wet buff under their helmet. The water helps cool your head and protect it from heat and sunburn.

What event are you doing Karl, is it the Cheshire Cat? Hope you have a good one. A couple of friends will be riding, Nige usually wears this jersey:

elderone

Its the Shropshire hills Simon.Will heed the advice from every one and see how it goes.

ianspeare

Fill your bottle with half water (from the fridge) half ice so it will stay relatively cool. If you're taking a second,fill it with all ice