When do you consider it to be to hot to ride?

[CA G-Man]

Man, a bunch of you guys are a lot tougher than me. Like someone said earlier, I'll take cold over hot any time (barring ice, that is), as you can always add layers.

My wife and I went through the desert of interior BC (Kamloops area) on the way home from a trip earlier this week. Bike thermometer maxed out at 36 C (97 F) and, being an ATGATT rider I can tell you the only reason I kept riding was that it was the only viable option. I'd heard about the "warm hairdryer on the throat" sensation but that was the first time I experienced it. Lots of stops for ice cream, A&W Root Beer (in air conditioning!) and any patch of shade we could find made it bearable, but it certainly wasn't what I'd call enjoyable riding. Fortunately I'm likely to encounter those temps only on my long trips, and will consider buying something like the Macna vests for the next one. Great to read about our options here!

 

[HotRodZilla]

Haven't seen hot weather yet that I won't ride in. I just don't worry about it like that I guess. I prep for the ride accordingly.

TIMK, I saw your post above. Gotta tell you, unless that insulin was already in its way down, there's no way it degraded that fast in that temp. If the insulin started out good, I'd suspect the infusion set going bad before the insulin. But even that us pushing it.

Been at that game for 25 years now and I've only ever had it go bad once. That was after a week of high temps on a bike trip and it just made it hard to keep BGs in range. Nothing crazy.

 

[Erik]

Above 30 I'm very reluctant to ride. Fortunately temps that high are uncommon here. I've never experienced above 35 (95), either riding or just existing.

Above 30 I'm very reluctant to ride. Fortunately temps that high are uncommon here. I've never experienced above 35 (95), either riding or just existing.

 

[LKLD]

No rain! So went on a group ride from the dealership to Dade City, FL. To watch motocross races. Mid 90s and typical central FL. humidity. Drank lots of water, but stayed soaked the entire day. Shirt wet, sweat dripping from my hair, never dried out. It's uncomfortable, but doable. Would I meet the wife for dinner out afterwards? Hell no! I will jump in the pool when I get home though.

 

[ctfjr]

I usually ride to work each day provided its not raining. However this summer has been really hot & humid and I ride with full gear including the Cycleport mesh kevlar jacket. It may be mesh but its heavy and its not so great going into the office with my shirt wet & sticking to me

That said the worst I've ever ridden in was the start of a long ride several years ago. I got into NJ and it was triple digits with unbelievable humidity and one unforgiving sun. After 100 miles or so I had to lose the jacket and make frequent 'wet down' stops. Wasn't a lot of fun.

 

[Chuck35]

With the temps hitting the 90's (100's to come) I have shelved the mesh suit and am wearing my stich. I am cooler when moving and on my work commute (30 miles) not as thirsty when I get home.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Riding in heat is not fun period. A cool vest can help that out real nice, but sustained riding gets old in heat regardless. When it starts hitting 90 I'm thinking real hard about my cool vest. I've only had to ride shorter distances thru the San Joaquin Valley form the coast back to the mountains near Lassen (Hwy36). That little jaunt it was 109 and my friend was in full leathers, I had my summer mesh jacket and shorty windscreen, I was semi ok but couldn't wait to get back to 4500 feet and the high 80s.... aghhhhhhhh. We blitzed back PDQ to get out of the heat.

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

 

[AVGeek]

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

^^^^This is key to sustained riding in high temps. I switched over to the insulated hose for my Camelback, makes a world of difference with the first few sips. I also have the right angle bite valve, so I can bring the hose up into my helmet without opening the shield. Refill with ice and water at every stop! On my trip to Colorado, I had a water bottle with me that I used to refill the bladder, then filled as full of ice as I could and topped it off with water. I put the bottle in the bag with the bladder, and the added ice volume helped keep everything cooler longer.

 

[jmdaniel]

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

This is key. Made a run back from Big Bend a couple of years back, about 7.5 hours, temps in the upper 90s, CamelBack on my back, no issues. Filled it with Gatorade and ice at every stop.

 

[DragonflyTN]

Living in the south we do have some superior summer temps. I generally won't start a ride with temps above 90, but I certainly have finished many rides with temps in the 100s. As I've gotten older, I notice the higher temps more, and I certainly have to pay closer attention to hydration.

 

[CA G-Man]

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

This is key. Made a run back from Big Bend a couple of years back, about 7.5 hours, temps in the upper 90s, CamelBack on my back, no issues. Filled it with Gatorade and ice at every stop.

Despite my minimal hot weather experience I have to agree. I found on my one really hot day of riding (by my standards) that I got dehydrated partly because I didn't notice myself sweating as much as I normally would (because the sweat evaporated before it could really accumulate). I was tipped off to this phenomenon when I noticed a nice chill for the first 4 or 5 minutes after a stop, during which the sweat had a chance to "catch up."

 

[FJRBluesman]

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

^^^^This is key to sustained riding in high temps. I switched over to the insulated hose for my Camelback, makes a world of difference with the first few sips. I also have the right angle bite valve, so I can bring the hose up into my helmet without opening the shield. Refill with ice and water at every stop! On my trip to Colorado, I had a water bottle with me that I used to refill the bladder, then filled as full of ice as I could and topped it off with water. I put the bottle in the bag with the bladder, and the added ice volume helped keep everything cooler longer.

Where can I got one?

I really hated the first couple gulps being hot then ice cold. Although when we got to the coast is the reverse. first few sips were cold and then it got warm.

I have the right angle mouth piece too.

One thing I also notice riding hot and with a mesh jacket (with or without a cool vest) and noted above by CA G-man, you lose so much water in that heat and the hot air flowing thru your jacket you don't even sweat. It's just dry and it pulls the moisture right out of you, faster than snot. I've downed my full 3 Liters of water in the Camelback and never peed. I knew I was dehydrated at that point.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Where can I got one?
I really hated the first couple gulps being hot then ice cold. Although when we got to the coast is the reverse. first few sips were cold and then it got warm.

I have the right angle mouth piece too.

https://www.rei.com/product/812021/camelbak-insulated-tube-director
Also, quick and easy trick that you have to remember till it becomes habit...when you finish drinking, blow air back into the hose which blows the water back into the icy cold bladder.

At a recent gathering where we saw temps up to 106F I'd left my camelbak on my seat to go check out the highly farkled new 2013 FJR and when I came back I sucked a huge mouthful of hot water out of the hose. I turned and spat it out and a guy on a bike next to mine had a full stomach from lunch and was out in the heat and thought I puked and almost puked up his lunch too. LOL!

 

[AVGeek]

Also have a camel back or other hydration system with ice water in it.

^^^^This is key to sustained riding in high temps. I switched over to the insulated hose for my Camelback, makes a world of difference with the first few sips. I also have the right angle bite valve, so I can bring the hose up into my helmet without opening the shield. Refill with ice and water at every stop! On my trip to Colorado, I had a water bottle with me that I used to refill the bladder, then filled as full of ice as I could and topped it off with water. I put the bottle in the bag with the bladder, and the added ice volume helped keep everything cooler longer.

Where can I got one?

I really hated the first couple gulps being hot then ice cold. Although when we got to the coast is the reverse. first few sips were cold and then it got warm.

I have the right angle mouth piece too.

One thing I also notice riding hot and with a mesh jacket (with or without a cool vest) and noted above by CA G-man, you lose so much water in that heat and the hot air flowing thru your jacket you don't even sweat. It's just dry and it pulls the moisture right out of you, faster than snot. I've downed my full 3 Liters of water in the Camelback and never peed. I knew I was dehydrated at that point.

I got mine at Cabela's. I'm not sure who in the OC would (haven't lived there since 2007), probably one of the big box sporting goods stores or Walmart.

 

[FJRBluesman]

https://www.rei.com/product/812021/camelbak-insulated-tube-director

I got mine at Cabela's. I'm not sure who in the OC would (haven't lived there since 2007), probably one of the big box sporting goods stores or Walmart.

Thanks gixxerjasen and AVGeek! I have an REI a couple miles form me. I'll shop around too.