Today's high was 113 degrees in Phoenix. As I was leaving my building today, I had 3 people comment to me how hot it would be outside - this was not news to me. But what struck me was the realization that most people would not even think about biking in this heat.I thought to myself: "Are they afraid of hot weather? Are they afraid of sweat?" I came to the conclusion that it is not necessarily fear that keeps people from being outside when it is hot, but rather a lack of education.
Yes, 110+ degrees is hot. But it is not necessarily harmful, as long as you are prepared. So today I will list what I think are the most important steps to staying safe while bike commuting in extreme heat.
- Water, water, and more water. Probably the most important step to stay safe in hot weather is to stay hydrated; and this does not mean to simply drink once you get thirsty. On hot days, you should constantly be taking in water, both while riding to/from work AND while you are at work. By the time you actually feel thirsty, your body is already slightly dehydrated. What I do is keep a 40 oz. Nalgene bottle at my desk at work. I fill it at least twice a day. Be sure to carry at least one water bottle on your bike. Fill it up with ice water (if you have access to ice) right before you leave. I prefer to use an insulated bottle (Polar makes a good one you can find at almost any bike shop) so the water actually stays cool throughout my ride. Another good suggestion is to pack a 2nd bottle in your backpack/panniers as a reserve.
- Protect your skin. As much as we cyclists can be proud of our jersey and bike short farmer's tan - those sorts of things develop over time. Be sure to wear sunblock when you will be riding in the hot afternoon sun. The suns rays are the strongest in the afternoon and early twilight hours - the same time most of us are headed home. Be sure to slather on a nice coat of SPF 30+ before you leave the office, allowing time for your skin to actually absorb the stuff before you sweat it off. Wearing a long sleeve shirt (made of lightweight and breathable fabrics) can also be a good idea, because it will reduce the amount of skin that is exposed to the sun.
- Take it easy. The heat will only get worse if you over-exert yourself. Pedal in an easier gear and allow yourself more time. Afterall, rushing to get to work or to get home will not do you any good if you have a heat stroke. Try and stay relaxed. As you approach red lights, look for shaded spots to wait for the light to turn green. I would also suggest limiting the amount of time you are exposed to the sun. If you have a long commute, find a stopping place somewhere along your route where you can get out of the sun and refill your H2o if need be.
- Stay cool. This is where you can get creative. There are many ways to keep your body cooler on hot days - and you can pick and choose which ones you prefer. I always wear light-weight clothing that is designed to "wick" away sweat. Surely you've seen some sort of work-out clothing that advertises its ability to do this. Some even have built in SPF protection. The key is to wear light, breathable fabrics that help move the sweat away from your body, thus allowing your body to remain cooler. Even wearing long sleeves can be beneficial (see #2). Other remedies include pouring water on your head or wrapping a cold/damp piece of cloth around your neck. You can buy a specialty bandana that you soak in water, or just fill your under shirt with ice cubes, roll them up, and drape that around your neck. Just remember, the majority of heat escapes through your head and other extremities - so they get first priority for keeping cool.
- Protect your eyes. Sunglasses. Use them. They protect your eyes from damaging UVA and UVB rays, as well as allow you to see the road more clearly. More visibility means less accidents. Wearing a headband or bandana under your helmet to keep the sweat from dripping into your eyes is a good idea also.
Feel free to post comments with any suggestions of things you do on those really blistering hot days, and if they are really good, I will add them to the list.
Happy riding and stay safe, so the Velorution can live long and prosper.
4 comments:
Thanks for the ideas! NPR actually had a story this morning (August 14) on handling the heat in the Phoenix area--the story was part of their year-long series on global climate change (global warming). They noted that our bodies acclimate more effectively to heat when we spend more time in the heat by producing special heat-shock proteins. One's sweat composition also changes so that one conserves more salt when sweating.
Thus, people who spend all of their time in air conditioning will never adjust properly to be able to cope with hot temperatures. Altogether, this suggests that it's best to start out with shorter trips and gradually adjust to longer trips outside, in case that wasn't already obvious.
Also, do you think there's a temperature maximum above which you think it would be unsafe to bike for a given period of time, say, 30 minutes? I spent an hour on my bike commuting between downtown Phoenix and downtown Tempe in the middle of the day a while ago, and my bike's odometer/thermometer registered a temperature of 117 degrees. I was able to cope with the temperature, but felt like I was definitely cutting things close, and I wouldn't have recommended biking at that temperature to most of the people I know.
-Rebecca
Rebecca-
This is AWESOME stuff! One of the drawbacks (if the only one) of biking to work is I no longer get to listen to NPR on the way in/home. Thanks for sharing this with me. I will certainly find this info on their website and add it to the blog.
Thanks for all your useful suggestions!
Another way to avoid sunburn is to wear a long-sleeved shirt. That may sound crazy in 100+ degree heat, but if you get one that breathes nicely it's not a problem. You're probably thinking of things like UnderArmor and such, but fabrics like seersucker are very cool and breathable, plus if you leave them unbuttoned they flap around, creating extra breeze for you.
And here's a thought about missing your NPR: NPR and other radio networks do podcasts, now, and if you have an iPod or other MP3 player you can download those and listen to many of the same broadcasts at your leisure. iTunes and other podcast software actually will subscribe to podcasts, automatically downloading the latest episodes for you to put on your MP3 player. Very cool stuff. I use my Motorola phone with iTunes on it and that works great for this very sort of thing.
I'm glad you're accepting comments now, because this is a really good blog and there's a lot that you're learning that further discussion can add to. I've been bike commuting in Ohio for several months now, throughout last fall and winter and this whole summer. I won't change back ever.
Jeff -- another way to still listen to NPR on your way to work is to get a MP3 player that has a radio too. I've got a little Samsung MP3 player with a radio tuner too, and I always listen to NPR on the ride to work!
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