Cycling in very hot weather

[djmc]

In France one can get water at cemetaries. At the semaine fédérale at Aurillac in 2003 this was a godsend.

 

[greenmark]

If it is going to be really hot (which here it does on occasion) I stick my camelback in the freezer overnight before going out. When it's in the upper 30s you'll find the ice steadily melting and you'll be able to enjoy 0degC water. This not only makes the water taste better than when it's tepid (so you drink more), but it immediately helps cool your inner core.

 

[mr_hippo]

If it is going to be really hot (which here it does on occasion) I stick my camelback in the freezer overnight before going out. When it's in the upper 30s you'll find the ice steadily melting and you'll be able to enjoy 0degC water. This not only makes the water taste better than when it's tepid (so you drink more), but it immediately helps cool your inner core.

I quite often put my camelback and bottles in the freezer overnight - do not fill them too full as water expands as it freezes, top it up before you go.
Also, have a nice cup of tea to cool you down! OK, I'll give you a few minutes to stop laughing and to wipe the coffee that you have spluttered the monitor with! A nice cold drink may help you to feel cooler but it has the opposite effect. The body thinks "It's cold" and shuts down the peripheral circulation to preserve the heat, with a hot drink, the body thinks "I'm too hot", opens up the peripheral circulation and thus cools you down - try it next time!

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Amongst other things:

5. Wash your shorts or liners every day. Consider getting changed at the three hour lunch spot and let the shorts dry out. If you can't wash them, leaving the pad exposed to the full sun during the midday stop will kill a lot of bugs. And fleas.

.

If having lunch in an open air restaurant, hang them on the wine bottle so they catch the sun and dry more quickly. If you're sitting on a wooden chair, ask the waiter for something to sit on to avoid "splinter scrotum."

 

[rustychisel]

All good advice, and may I add one more...

your feet will swell up A LOT after 2 or 3 hours riding on a really hot day, so make sure your cycling shoes are comfortable, and with some wriggle room. Do not begin your ride with them cinched up tight. Take the time to loosen the straps at a rest stop BEFORE it becomes a comfort issue.

Oh, and what Tim said about taking some salts capsules - wouldn't be without them. I've helped numerous mates who began getting severe leg cramps after 60 or 70km.