how do you cope with the heat

link1896

Mr Greenfield
The main thing is to make sure you keep fluid levels high in heat, you need to be profusing your kidneys or you increase the risk of putting yourself into acute renal failure. We usually recommend, as a basic rule of thumb, to make sure you urinate clear twice a day, and in the circumstance of this exercise, ensure you pee clearly post-exercise at least once.

Then you have just basic heat management, I'll find that I don't try and redline the engine with efforts but hold a steady 80% pace for the ride's duration. This may not work as well in more tropical/humid climates, but out here in Alice Springs (with a drier heat) you can trust in your bodies cooling mechanisms, and I'll find if I stop along the ride, without wind passing over me it gets very hot, very quickly. Lighter clothing, both in colour and fabric weight help in this regard, losing the backpack was one of the better things I've done in recent history from a thermal management perspective.

Failing that, short energy bursts and seek shade in between and allow yourself to cool. Again, choose this with your terrain. I found when I was living in Wangaratta, during summer I would use that method more, as there was more readily available and usable shady areas on a ride (larger trees).

Another trick, if you're keeping it around the 30min mark for the ride, is get a Buff (can use a rolled up tea towel in a pinch), soak it and freeze it then throw it around your neck for the ride. Just take it off when it is not longer cool.
80% proves you acclimatise over time, something that Stirks friend would have found out the hard way.

With no pack, how much fluid are you carrying and what's your fluid consumption rate like?
 
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Zaf

Guest
80% proves you acclimatise over time, something that Stirks friend would have found out the hard way.

With no pack, how much fluid are you carrying and what's your fluid consumption rate like?
I'm going to preface this a little; I was born and grew up in a desert, so well acclimated to the heat.
I usually ride for 60-90mins after work during the week, will hold 500-750mL on the bike (can vary, the Stumpy with the coil shock on it can only take smaller bottle). As I leave from work, I usually increase my water intake after lunch, and will have a solid 300mL drink right before leaving, which safely carries me for the first half an hour or so before I need to start taking on fluids again.
 

Majin

Likes Dirt
It takes about 2 weeks to acclimatize.
With blood volume and bodily ICF and ECF ( how much water/fluids your body holds) being the main adaptations with heat.
If you find your sweating buckets or starting to sweat earlier thats your body adapting. ( or a sign that it has adaptated)
The main thing is to make sure you keep fluid levels high in heat, you need to be profusing your kidneys or you increase the risk of putting yourself into acute renal failure. We usually recommend, as a basic rule of thumb, to make sure you urinate clear twice a day, and in the circumstance of this exercise, ensure you pee clearly post-exercise at least once.

Then you have just basic heat management, I'll find that I don't try and redline the engine with efforts but hold a steady 80% pace for the ride's duration. This may not work as well in more tropical/humid climates, but out here in Alice Springs (with a drier heat) you can trust in your bodies cooling mechanisms, and I'll find if I stop along the ride, without wind passing over me it gets very hot, very quickly. Lighter clothing, both in colour and fabric weight help in this regard, losing the backpack was one of the better things I've done in recent history from a thermal management perspective.

Failing that, short energy bursts and seek shade in between and allow yourself to cool. Again, choose this with your terrain. I found when I was living in Wangaratta, during summer I would use that method more, as there was more readily available and usable shady areas on a ride (larger trees).

Another trick, if you're keeping it around the 30min mark for the ride, is get a Buff (can use a rolled up tea towel in a pinch), soak it and freeze it then throw it around your neck for the ride. Just take it off when it is not longer cool.
It takes about 2 weeks to acclimatize.
With blood volume and bodily ICF and ECF ( how much water/fluids your body holds) being the main adaptations with heat.
If you find your sweating buckets or starting to sweat earlier thats your body adapting.

I know that there's arm sleeves you can freeze that keep you cooler for the inital start of the ride. ( only lasts 20~ mins in 35C+ heat ) similar to your BUFF idea.

I cannot ride anything above 30 degrees, even in shade for more than 2 hours. Simply impossible for me. I've tried and tried but always ends up with excruciating headaches even with craploads of hydration and pre-and post hydration. I am a really sweaty guy.

I am wondering if those ice vest thingy's work at all for bike riding. Thinking of loading my my camelbak with pure ice next ride to see it can bring my core temp down a bit.
For short rides they would make a difference, on longer rides they will make you hotter.
Your better off drinking a massive slushie or ice water before your ride.
Heres a bit of a summary of what works.
upload_2018-1-8_19-20-6.png


If ya'll are worried about dehydration, take in about 5 grams of glycerol a few hours before you ride and drink more water than you normally would. This causes your body to hold an extra litre of fluid. Giving a larger margin until your dehydrated.

Source: Physiology degree :)
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm going to preface this a little; I was born and grew up in a desert, so well acclimated to the heat.
Same I grew up on the edge of the desert, Mildura. Now in Melb so not as acclimatised but certainly don't suffer like those who aren't used to it. Love the heat, 30-34 degrees is perfect riding weather for me. Has to be dry heat mind you, humidity can fk off..

Going on.. Tbh I don't even consider whether it's too hot to ride. Unlike the cold.. where I pike as soon as it's under 15.. I am the opposite way round, I really suffer in the cold.. Can't stand it, bought hiking boots and thermals last year just to cope with Melbs winter. Which really other than being grey and dank isn't actually that cold compared to the rest of the world..

Edit, I should add i'm a pretty efficient sweater too, I think that helps a lot with the evaporative cooling in summer.
 
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Majin

Likes Dirt
Same I grew up on the edge of the desert, Mildura. Now in Melb so not as acclimatised but certainly don't suffer like those who aren't used to it. Love the heat, 30-34 degrees is perfect riding weather for me. Has to be dry heat mind you, humidity can fk off..

Going on.. Tbh I don't even consider whether it's too hot to ride. Unlike the cold.. where I pike as soon as it's under 15.. I am the opposite way round, I really suffer in the cold.. Can't stand it, bought hiking boots and thermals last year just to cope with Melbs winter. Which really other than being grey and dank isn't actually that cold compared to the rest of the world..

Edit, I should add i'm a pretty efficient sweater too, I think that helps a lot with the evaporative cooling in summer.
i find up to 40 is fine for me, but the humidity just kills me.
We got up to 50degrees in the Simpson this year...
Geez how much water were you going through?
 

Spanky_Ham

Porcinus Slappius
The pig tends to lick his ball sack and let evaporation take care of cooling, when its really hot.... lick a lot.... like, a lot.


This was a helpful post?
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I'm from Ireland, 25°C was fekkin hot for me... came here Aug 2002 and was laying on the beach in my shorts while people walked past in hoodies at 20°.. I was thinking WTF, they were thing WTF in hindsight.

Got back into the Power Stations here where we have 50-60°C regular in the engine room, just sweat buckets and soaked overalls from kick off,... found it no bother to go for a ride in 40°C. Done the Simpson desert race 2 years in a row with stinking hot temps, the heat doesn't really fizz me BUT I could live all year round in 22°C and clear skies, thats my perfect day.

So really, I reckon It doesn't matter where you come from, if you spend a year in a hot place, you get acclimatized pretty quickly... even more so, my place of employment, seem's to set me up for hot rides.
 

kiwiinmelb

Likes Dirt
I rode on sat at Red Hill , it was getting up close to 40 , interesting I didnt see anyone else there riding ,

I just made sure I was well hydrated and took more breaks than per normal ,

thats the key for me personally ,know your limitations and dont push too far ,

im a tradee that has worked outside in the heat for 30 odd years , not sure if that helps or not , but it doesnt seem to bother me as much as some
 

4dabush

Likes Dirt
And what was your strategy?

a black jersey in 50c full high noon sun?
Yes, that one is one of my coolest jerseys! From air flow perspective and material. Good nicks...really good nicks, and a good seat! Boots and sock gators to stop feet being full of sand.
My strategy was lots of training - in Cairns, (mostly winter 26-29deg) wearing multiple layers, including winter roady sleeves, drinking hot water (no way of keeping water properly cool in 4-5 hour stages in the desert), and riding as often as possible in hotter parts of the day.
For the desert, made sure my heart rate was under control the whole time...60 - 70%, This meant I wasn't sweating as much. Afternoon stages are 50+kms commencing at 2pm...so the very peak of HOT. Water stops are at 15, 30 and 40kms. your supplies are packed about 1pm and there is no way the water stops can keep anything particularly cool - it all ends up in a tub! And after its sat out in the desert for 3-4 hours...it ain't cool no more!
Wore a buff (like a Fishermans one) and white ice cool sleeves from a golf shop. That photo I had accidentally left them in the support car that left before me on that stage. Drinking lots and using my timer on my Garmin to remind me to drink - every 10 minutes. Even if I had just drunk or left a water stop. Had water in 3lt camelback and 1bottle, 2nd bottle a staminade/ hi5 carb/protein mix in and drank a 400-500ml protein drink at most water stops (couldn't stomach them at the 30 and 40 km Mark on the hottest days...40degree milo in 50 degrees, I hadn't trained for!!!). Each water stop, topped up or swapped out bottles, checked camelback and topped up as needed( usually 1 or 2lts per stage).
You are weighed start and finish of each stage...most I lost was a bit over a kilo. Most I drank in a stage was probably close to 8 litres - about 2lt per hour, and didn't pee.. Speaking of which, doctors were constantly checking on us and making sure pee was not too dark, darker pee, closer to dehydration. I was never much off daily normal for me.
At the end of a stage, a pump spray water bottle sprayed over head, torso arms to help cool down. And I made up some staminade 'slushies' that sat in the car fridge and never properly froze to help with recovery.
We were lucky - we had hot and not too strong winds - even some tail winds. In past years it has been 50deg with 50kmh head winds...that would be brutal. Apparently the record for an arvo stage was 20lt drunk!
It was an awesome event...great race, amazing environment, very very safe, but also very lonesome at times and extraordinarily remote. Tough too. Mentally as well as physically.
 
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