Riding in HOT weather
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 940
Likes: 3
If you're wearing a helmet, you can put some icewater into the helmet and squeeze it into the sponge rubber of your helmet liner. If you've got a doo-rag, soak it too, then put your helmet on (let the excess water run down the back of your neck).
This method kept my head cool for about 100-150 miles at a stretch in triple digit temps.
This method kept my head cool for about 100-150 miles at a stretch in triple digit temps.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 285
From: Green Country Oklahoma
Hot gear UA T shirt 2 hydration vest 2 neck cool bandannas initially soaked for few hours then keep in the ice box change em every stop also soaked Home depot all purpose gloves in ice water gets you very cold for few minutes but then it is comfortable.Also I use mesh jacket on top of every thing. Only feet and legs are hot but rest of the body is very comfortable.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 318
Likes: 1
From: Central Texas
Yeah that's how I enjoy riding, soaking freakin wet. A t-shirt and half shell on really hot days is fine. If I am riding all day in the high sun then a long sleeve cotton shirt to prevent sun burn. When riding becomes work or uncomfortable then admit maybe you took up the wrong hobby and quit riding....
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 234
Likes: 1
From: southern california
most of my mid-life riding has been in ca, az, nm. if it's going to be over 100 i try to put four 32oz smart waters in the freezer the night before. they go in the bags frozen and are still cool at noon. a couple of times it's been around 120 and i've put an ice bag on my shoulders for 20 mins or so when i've stopped during the hottest part of the day. other than that it's what everyone else has posted - soaked tee-shirts and helmet liners, vented mesh, gatorade, and b-vitamins. love riding in the heat so no big deal.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
I wear the mesh jacket and when it gets real hot on a road trip I will stop every hour or so and soak the jacket good as soon as I stop and let it drip dry a couple of minutes before hittng the road. It sure is refreshing and when you are burning the miles to get somewhere it heps keep you healthy.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 19,982
Likes: 6,111
From: Florida
Oh come on; hydration vests,cooling vests,Gatorade,face rags--JUST MAN UP & ride the friggin' thing. Or take the cage & run the A/C.
Can't wait till y'all start complaining about the winter!
Can't wait till y'all start complaining about the winter!
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 6
From: Mid Michigan
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Just got back from trip to ozarks. It was 95 + everyday. Lots of streams along the routes (if they weren't dried up). We actually threw our tshirts in the rivers/lakes and took off with wet shirts. I actually got cold at one point. Mind you the underarmour type shirts held up very well. The all cottom tshirts looked like something left behind under an overpass but it worked. Drank all sorts of water and never relieved ourselves. I could tell when I was getting dehydrated, not with it so to speak, slight headache, groggy if you will. When I paid attention and stayed on top of water intake I never had a problem.
It has been a hot summer of riding here in the northeast but I keep thinking that soon I will be putting the liner back in my jacket. Summer passes so quickly I try not to complain about a few hot days and not limit my riding.