The 'Feels Like' Temperature is 118 d...and I need to ride home

[SlackMan]

The 'Feels Like' Temperature right now is 118 degrees...and I need to ride home from work later today. Thankfully, I should have about a 4 mph tail wind.

Is anyone else battling these totally wicked temperatures from hell? Any tips for staying cool other than the obvious? I have been doing fine so far with my bike commuting, but it feels noticeably hotter today when I went out for lunch with coworkers. Not looking forward to the ride home. :help:

[MattTuck]

Well, you obviously brought your ice vest to work, right?


Talk to me in 6 months when it is freezing here and I'm complaining about not being able to ride outside. We're complements... seasonally complementary complainers. :help:

[brockd15]

IME, tail winds on super hot days are not a good thing...feels like there's no airflow so you really feel the heat. I'd rather have a headwind for the cooling effect, personally.

How long is the commute?

[Tony]

I wet down my sun sleeves. The evaporation helps cool me down when its really hot.

[redir]

About 80 here with thunder showers that will cool it down a bit but then it's humid as hell. I don't think I could ever handle anything over 100 dry heat or not.

[sjbraun]

I commute year round in Tucson, so I have some experience.

Drink sufficiently before you leave work and keep drinking while you're pedaling.
I find the most important thing is to ride slowly. The last thing I want to do when the ambient temps get over 108 is generate additional heat through effort. My advice is to take it easy, very easy.

And find shade whenever you stop for traffic lights or stop signs.

[p nut]

Number of things:

- Pack down the bottles/bladder with ice.
- Hang out a bit longer and head home later.
- Stop for ice cream along the way.
- Take a wooded/shaded more scenic route if possible
- Man up

[seanile]

dunk your cap, shoes, socks, gloves, jersey in water then toss em in the nearest freezer?

[Lewis Moon]

Call a cab.

[SlackMan]

IME, tail winds on super hot days are not a good thing...feels like there's no airflow so you really feel the heat. I'd rather have a headwind for the cooling effect, personally.

How long is the commute?

It's only 11 miles, so I know I can make it--I just want it to be more tolerable and not arrive home with my face glowing cherry red.

RE Lewis's call a cab comment: It would be a simple matter to ride home with a colleague who lives in the same subdivision, but that would be wussing out.

And now, by the way, the 'Feels Like' temp has risen to 121*F!!

[texbike]

Call a cab.

This ^

It sounds like a great reason to work inside until at least 7.

Austin is looking nasty the next few days. I may decide to catch up on all of those recorded Daily Show episodes instead of riding!

Texbike

[Lewis Moon]

It's only 11 miles, so I know I can make it--I just want it to be more tolerable and not arrive home with my face glowing cherry red.

RE Lewis's call a cab comment: It would be a simple matter to ride home with a colleague who lives in the same subdivision, but that would be wussing out.

And now, by the way, the 'Feels Like' temp has risen to 121*F!!

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/57872067.jpg

[SlackMan]

This ^

It sounds like a great reason to work inside until at least 7.

Austin is looking nasty the next few days. I may decide to catch up on all of those recorded Daily Show episodes instead of riding!

Texbike

I thought you guys in Austin had 'dry heat,' so be thankful. Your humidity is only 28% (vs 35% here)! And your dew point is only 65 degrees (vs 73 here). That's like the mountains of Colorado or something! ;) Be thankful man.

[Louis]

What's the dewpoint? That's what I worry about. If the RH is 28% it shouldn't be too bad.

[SlackMan]

What's the dewpoint? That's what I worry about. If the RH is 28% it shouldn't be too bad.

Texbike's dewpoint is only 65, which is practically a cool fall day. ;)

Mine is 73, which is practically....hell.

[makoti]

This ^

It sounds like a great reason to work inside until at least 7.

Austin is looking nasty the next few days. I may decide to catch up on all of those recorded Daily Show episodes instead of riding!

Texbike

28% humidity?! That's either wonderful (very used to 75-85% around here) or like riding in an oven.

[Louis]

Texbike's dewpoint is only 65, which is practically a cool fall day. ;)

Mine is 73, which is practically....hell.

Only 73*? That's downright idyllic. ;)
For one of my rides the other day the DP was 77*

I agree, though, at this time of year 65* is nothing to complain about.

[KJMUNC]

Rode in Fort Worth this morning.....at left at 4:15am, got back around 6:45, so it was pretty manageable. Think it was 89 or 90 when I left and actually a bit cooler when I got back, maybe 87.

Definitely a rude wake up call to walk outside in the dark and get hit with those temps at that hour!

[SELFdizolve]

Humidity in the 20%... don't even remember what that feels like. Too sticky in NYC

[weisan]

That's what I appreciate about my commute, it's only 3 miles or (less than 10 mins) to the train station and then I get to sit in air-conditioned train cars with comfortable cushy seats all the way home, wifi-enabled, not more fighting traffic....in fact, I am typing this from the train as we speak.

[downtube]

118, wow. that is like a blast furnace. A lot of great hot weather advice has been given, I would ad to keep doing fluids once you arrive home. Good luck and drop us a note that you have made it home safely.

[msl819]

The 'Feels Like' Temperature right now is 118 degrees...and I need to ride home from work later today. Thankfully, I should have about a 4 mph tail wind.

Is anyone else battling these totally wicked temperatures from hell? Any tips for staying cool other than the obvious? I have been doing fine so far with my bike commuting, but it feels noticeably hotter today when I went out for lunch with coworkers. Not looking forward to the ride home. :help:

I am one state over in Louisiana and dealing with much the same. Tuesday is our intervals night. The plan is to still ride but to cut back on the intensity. We will see how all this turns out. Good news for us is that tomorrow it is supposed to top out at only 96. We have been in 103-106 range for the last two weeks. Anytime you see the real feel in the ranges we have been at it causes you to reevaluate!

[texbike]

28% humidity?! That's either wonderful (very used to 75-85% around here) or like riding in an oven.

It would be like the latter... :) However, it is nice having a little less humidity. When I headed out at 6 last night to ride, it was still 101. Looks like it may be close to that tonight as well.

Texbike

[JAllen]

I've ridden on most everyday that it's hit 100+ degrees. Not that it's as hot as there, but if you take it easy it should be fine.

[Birddog]

IME, tail winds on super hot days are not a good thing...feels like there's no airflow so you really feel the heat. I'd rather have a headwind for the cooling effect, personally.

How long is the commute?

I'm in agreement with that. It just feels like someone opened the oven door.

[SlackMan]

118, wow. that is like a blast furnace. A lot of great hot weather advice has been given, I would ad to keep doing fluids once you arrive home. Good luck and drop us a note that you have made it home safely.

Thanks. Made it home safely, and the ride home was a big surprise. I hadn't realized there was a tiny chance of rain. By the time I started changing into my jersey and shorts, it had stormed a decent amount. Indeed, when I first started my rode home, I had a few rain drops here and there. By the time I made it home, it was only 89 ambient (with a 'Feels Like' temp of 96). Although still hot, I will take that any day over the brutal alternative.

As an aside, I would guess that many people reading this thread live in hot, humid climates. I thought my cool down method might be useful if you don't already do something similar. For many years, I would come home from running or biking in the heat (even in the morning) and then continue sweating for another 30 minutes. Even after a tepid shower or a jump in the pool, I would still often sweat for another 30 minutes. Now, I come home and lie directly in front of a fan while stretching (fan on the floor blowing head to toe across my body). Within ten minutes, and often within five minutes, I am totally cooled down, dry, and actually starting to feel cold. After that, I can eat, shower, or whatever and I don't sweat. I only wish I had figured this out many years earlier in life.

[NHAero]

It seems to me that in temps of >100F the air on your skin has two effects acting in opposite directions - the convection of air hotter than core temperature is heating you up, and the faster you go the more effective the convection (think motorcycle, take physical effort out of the equation for a moment). The opposite effect is evaporation from your skin, which you want to promote. So I'd say clad in wet material that promotes evaporation would be the way to go.

[tiretrax]

It's been cloudy all day in Dallas. I went out at 4 pm and heard some thunderclaps, but no rain fell. It probably evaporated at 1000'. Nice part is that the high is in the low 90's. I might ride when I get home.

[Louis]

I was going to get a bonus ride in today (moved a business trip from today to tomorrow) but the stupid traffic is nuts, so there's no way I'd get home in time.

We finally have some decent weather for a few days and I'm going to miss it.

[Hawker]

I was doing so well this Spring and then June, July and August arrived in Atlanta and I am nothing again. Heat never good but the humidity always in the 90% range is just debilitating and depressing to me.

[bikinchris]

I have been many places in the US during the summer. It is downright funny what people in the north think is hot. I have been to places like Arizona and even there pales. What other people call hot is a joke to people who live on the gulf coast. From Galveston to Pensacola, a humidity of 60% or less means get the Chapstick out. Yesterday, the heat index was 128. Today, thunderstorms kept the heat index to 100.

For some reason, further south, the heat doesn't seem as bad.

Florida water on an iced scarf on your neck after a good soaking will keep you from dying quit as fast.

[Tickdoc]

The 'Feels Like' Temperature right now is 118 degrees...and I need to ride home from work later today. Thankfully, I should have about a 4 mph tail wind.

Is anyone else battling these totally wicked temperatures from hell? Any tips for staying cool other than the obvious? I have been doing fine so far with my bike commuting, but it feels noticeably hotter today when I went out for lunch with coworkers. Not looking forward to the ride home. :help:

Right there with you, but my ride home is usually with a headwind...and uphill. Ugh.

[oldfatslow]

Our highs today were well over 100. My ride today felt as though I was riding in a microwave oven. https://www.strava.com/activities/366580441


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[Bstone]

I have jammed a bunch of ice inside my jersey pockets. Pain in the ass but it works pretty well.

[bcroslin]

Heat index was over 100 at the start of our ride tonight and the humidity was about 90%. Hell on wheels.

[jimoots]

The only thing you really need to be cautious of is drinking enough water in summer. My commute is about 30km with a cat 1 climb, takes about 50-80 minutes depending on pace.

One time last summer I didn't carry enough water, ran out at the base of the climb and was severely dehydrated. Like, HR at 95% putting out 200 watts on the climb. Filled up at the service station at the top, covered myself in water and my heart rate went back into line.

Was actually quite scary.

[SlackMan]

I was doing so well this Spring and then June, July and August arrived in Atlanta and I am nothing again. Heat never good but the humidity always in the 90% range is just debilitating and depressing to me.

It's not 100% mental, but a big fraction of it is. Just make yourself get out and ride. That's one of the reasons I commute to work by bike. When it's crazy high temps I ride in, and when it's crazy low temps I do too (assuming no ice on the road). Once you have a couple of rides in really awful conditions, everything else seems easier. I hate to sound like a Nike commercial, but just do it.

[msl819]

It's not 100% mental, but a big fraction of it is. Just make yourself get out and ride. That's one of the reasons I commute to work by bike. When it's crazy high temps I ride in, and when it's crazy low temps I do too (assuming no ice on the road). Once you have a couple of rides in really awful conditions, everything else seems easier. I hate to sound like a Nike commercial, but just do it.

Do you have a shower facility at your work? If I commuted in this heat, and I have, I just feel dirty and sweaty the rest of the day.

[SlackMan]

Do you have a shower facility at your work? If I commuted in this heat, and I have, I just feel dirty and sweaty the rest of the day.

Yes, not in the same building, but very nearby. I am very fortunate on that dimension.

Without that, I could probably still make it work because I don't ride very hard in the morning and it's relatively cooler. A 'lavatory bath' or a few wet wipes would do the trick, along with keeping hair short enough so it doesn't look crazy after that. Just a couple of weeks ago, I arrived, got busy immediately, and three hours later was still in my shorts and jersey. Given I was already well into the day, I just skipped the shower and all was still okay. Of course, I didn't have important meetings that day, or otherwise I would have definitely showered.

[regularguy412]

I'll add my latest experience with ridiculous heat indices. Two weeks ago today, we got on the bikes after work and hit the road just before 6 pm. The actual air temp was 'only' 96F, but the heat index was 114. We rode 37 miles in under 2 hours,,, the three of us. Yep. It was brutal. Thankfully, the humidity has relented a bit this week. Outside air temp is still in the 90s, but heat indices are under 100. Today's ride felt practically 'normal' for an August day in Arkansas.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Seramount]

I waited until 6:30p to go out tonite...ya know, give it a chance to 'cool down'..

riiiiight...air temp was 104.7F, heat index of 109F.

Texbike and I put in 20-something miles of 'riding in a pizza oven' before I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and I bailed.

HI was still 105F when I got back home...

a cool shower and whiskey on the rocks were sweet rewards for the effort.

[11.4]

Lived in Austin years ago and summertimes always had a ride leaving from the Freewheeling at 530 pm, known as the Heat Patrol. Usual route was out Spicewood and out to the northwest of town, then back in, total about 35-40 miles. Good bit of climbing and no water stops. Didn't think too much of it at the time, though every time we had newbies along we usually had an accident where they just got glazed eyes staring at a wheel and ran off the road or into a pothole. Now in Dallas and it's starting to get dryer, but the high humidity days this year rival Houston. Took a while to get acclimatized after a move from Seattle, but it's happening.

[Shortsocks]

I'm in Dallas. I was riding through and towards DFW airport. Registered in at 107 on Monday. Dallas is close to hell this time of year.

I've been having to ride at 6:30am to get in miles, and I haven't seen this many blinky lights in a long time in the A.M. It's actually miserable riding in Dallas. Seriously, I wake up 4-5 times to piss because I'm drinking so much water just to stay hydrated to ride at 6:30. It's just nasty.

I'm afraid sometimes to even leave the house at sun up without 4 bottles of water. I must look retarded. 5'9 lanky dude, in full kit with water bottles stuffed in every pocket. Looking like the Rocketeer. My bike actually has more sweat on it than I've ever seen/felt. It's gross. I pick up my Rig, and dried sweat chips off of it like a Leper with Shingles.

After a ride I Either feel great or feel like a crap. My body is having serious issues with rebounding after riding in this heat.

[Seramount]

and I thought yesterday was nasty.

today is 105.2F air, 113F heat index...

not feeling very motivated to saddle up...may have to just jump ahead to the shower and whiskey and skip the riding silliness.

[93legendti]

I use these in the Middle East desert when hiking and when riding on the hottest days. It feels like there is a large ce cube on your neck.

http://www.rei.com/product/691097/kafkas-kool-tie

[weisan]

and I thought yesterday was nasty.

today is 105.2F air, 113F heat index...

not feeling very motivated to saddle up...may have to just jump ahead to the shower and whiskey and skip the riding silliness.

Guess what, Greg pal, just in time that I finished processing the video of our ride on Saturday...kick up your leg, sit back, relax and enjoy! :hello:

https://vimeo.com/136158455

http://alicehui.com/pics/1.jpg (https://vimeo.com/136158455)

[Hawker]

Weisan, very nice job. Great quality!

[SlackMan]

Weisan, very nice job. Great quality!

+100. Very well done!

[texbike]

Guess what, Greg pal, just in time that I finished processing the video of our ride on Saturday...kick up your leg, sit back, relax and enjoy! :hello:

https://vimeo.com/136158455

http://alicehui.com/pics/1.jpg (https://vimeo.com/136158455)

Fantastic! Thanks for posting the video and the reminder that my fat ass needs to back away from the waffles and Tex-Mex and start burning a few more calories!

Texbike

[weisan]

Thank y'all...glad you enjoyed it.

[gary135r]

Guess what, Greg pal, just in time that I finished processing the video of our ride on Saturday...kick up your leg, sit back, relax and enjoy!

Nice Vid. To me riding in hot weather is OK near 100 if the humidity is down.
Was deployed to southern Spain around this time of year back in 2011. Hot, but dry. I loved it. Got to hydrate though. Dry weather can be deceiving to the bod and how much fluids you lose.