Chest Infections

kingrollo

Ive got it into my head that gulping in cold air when cycling early morning may lead to chest infections ? - is there any substance in this thought ?

What can be done to avoid this ?

I ve taken to wearing a scarf (buff) and pull this up over my mouth and nose until I've got warmed up ?

wongataa

kingrollo wrote:

Ive got it into my head that gulping in cold air when cycling early morning may lead to chest infections ? - is there any substance in this thought ?

It won't. Chest infections come from bugs getting in your system. If there are none in the air you won't get one whatever the air conditions. In fact most colds/flu are spread by touching surfaces that have been contaminated with bugs.

keef66

^ wot they said. Bugs cause infections. If it really worries you, slow down and breathe through your nose which gives the air more time to warm up before it hits your lungs.

I use a polartec buff pulled up over my nose and mouth when it's really cold.

fenix

Clearly thats b*llox.

And anyway - your scarf over your mouth until you warm up ? Well its the air that's cold - so how would that work anyway ? Its not YOU that needs warming up ? Logically you'd want to keep the scarf over the mouth all the way ?

keef66

I just use the buff to keep my face warm rather than protect my lungs. However, the buff over your mouth gets warm as you breathe out, so the next breath in is also warmed a bit. It acts as a primitive heat exchanger. The downsides are that it sometimes sends exhaled breath upwards to fog your glasses, and the bit you're breathing through gets very wet and can even freeze on the outside. This can be uncomfortable if you need to pull it down later in the ride when you or the weather has warmed up.

kingrollo

keef66 wrote:

I just use the buff to keep my face warm rather than protect my lungs. However, the buff over your mouth gets warm as you breathe out, so the next breath in is also warmed a bit. It acts as a primitive heat exchanger. The downsides are that it sometimes sends exhaled breath upwards to fog your glasses, and the bit you're breathing through gets very wet and can even freeze on the outside. This can be uncomfortable if you need to pull it down later in the ride when you or the weather has warmed up.

Yes like a say - at first I pull the buff over my nose and mouth - then when everything has warmed up I take it down.

As an aside why did TDF cyclists stick newspaper up there shirts before big descents ? ...and why don't they do it anymore ?

fenix

TdF riders stick papers down their top as insulation. Simple to do and simple to lob. I've done it myself too.

Nowadays a cape is light and easy to put on - so they'd probably do that more. Nothing to do with bugs.

mamba80

Fenix wrote:

TdF riders stick papers down their top as insulation. Simple to do and simple to lob. I've done it myself too.

Nowadays a cape is light and easy to put on - so they'd probably do that more. Nothing to do with bugs.

why do they that then? certainly many riders will put down a cough/cold etc to riding in sustained cold weather.

a british cold research study linked the intake of cold air, hitting the warmer nasal passages to locally suppressed immune function........, then come into contact with those bugs and hey!

i do what i ve found works, so i wear a buff and maybe stuff up a newspaper if its really cold.

kingrollo

mamba80 wrote:

Fenix wrote:

TdF riders stick papers down their top as insulation. Simple to do and simple to lob. I've done it myself too.

Nowadays a cape is light and easy to put on - so they'd probably do that more. Nothing to do with bugs.

why do they that then? certainly many riders will put down a cough/cold etc to riding in sustained cold weather.

a british cold research study linked the intake of cold air, hitting the warmer nasal passages to locally suppressed immune function........, then come into contact with those bugs and hey!

i do what i ve found works, so i wear a buff and maybe stuff up a newspaper if its really cold.

Cold = mucus - increases the chance of infection......(IMO of course)

finlayson99

kingrollo wrote:

Cold = mucus - increases the chance of infection......(IMO of course)

Nope, incorrect.