Wellbeing and Safety in Heat
It's a day for cycling ! You draw the curtains (or whatever) and smile at a cloudless blue sky, the birds are singing, waves gently crash on a perfect beach, bees are humming and the world is spinning on a slightly more relaxed axis. Life is good.
You can't wait to start, to get that ‘feel good factor’. After all, if like most of us in the northern hemisphere, you’ve spent weeks if not months wrapped up in cold and wet weather gear, had to clean the muck off the the bike after every ride or looked earnestly out of the window and then at your “summer bike” pondering whether to face the lashing rain, cold winds, icy roads, snow filed driveways or just put your feet up.
Now it is time to get the “good weather” gear on, and 'fettle' your best bike, it’s going to be a brilliant day of riding, what possibly could go wrong ?
As riders we are responsible for making sure we know how to deal with heat on the long day's rides, often in remote locations.
Based on my own experiences, the below are a few tips on managing yourself in the heat, most are of course no-brainers, but that said we've all overlooked taking the suncream from time to time, so let's begin...
Rule 1 : Hydration.Drinking while riding is a strange topic. Some people are all over it, while others choose not to drink water, either because they do not have the confidence to drink while riding, or it is alien to them.
However drinking water is essential, especially when riding in the heat, It not only helps to regulate temperature, but prevents constipation. flushes out waste products and enables all major bodily functions.
In terms of logistics, with an organised event you have the luxury of being shadowed by a support vehicle that will never be too far away, stocked with snacks and vast quantities of water. So other than filling your water bottles first thing, you do not need to worry about how you will replenish your bottles on the ride. However, when riding by yourself consider where you can replenish your water bottles, consider fuel stations, shops, etc.
Assuming you've had experience of a long day's ride you'll know that you will need plenty of water. There is a lot of debate how much should you drink. One side of the argument is that you should drink to thirst, whereas others recommend drinking to a preordained strategy.
My personal view is that you should do a little of both, ie have a hydration strategy, but be pragmatic and drink to thirst whenever you feel parched. I regularly see people riding in the heat with a full bottle after a few hours of riding....that isn't healthy or wise in my humble opinion.
Drinking too much can also cause hyponatemia (ref 1), quite a dangerous condition, so don't guzzle litre after litre like it's going out of fashion. If you are overheating it is better to pour the water over your head, back of the neck or pour ice cubes down the front of your jersey.
As a rule of thumb, aim to drink 1 litre per half hour and supplement it with electrolytes when the temperature gets above 25 degrees. You may lose 4-6 litres per hour (ref 2), with the heat sapping your energy faster than you think, dangerous dehydration is always a possibility.
Before I took this lesson to heart I would find my mood getting gradually lower and lower until it was very dark, every pedal stroke was an effort, each kilometre a slog rather than a joy. So now, I make sure I take small but frequent swigs as this is better than one or two large but infrequent gulps. If I start feeling my mood lowering I grab the water bottle, and then replenish it with fresh cool water at every stop.
The danger when cycling on a sunny day is that the sweat is being wicked away from you and the breeze keeps you dry….through rapid evaporation, trust me you are sweating ! So as I mentioned before, use electrolytes as you’ll need to replace salts and minerals during the ride and possibly afterwards.
Important to note : If you find it difficult or have problems drinking "on the go", stop regularly so you can take a well earned swig or get you replenished if you run low. Your wellbeing and safety is of utmost priority.
Okay, so the inevitable part, yes it is okay to have a small beer on a long ride, as long as you stay within the law and your own tolerances. I find either a small cerveza or shandy is best in the heat, but alcohol (like coffee) is a diuretic and will exacerbate dehydration and it is far better to have that small beer after the ride, earning such righteousness is hard to come by.
Rule 2 : Suncream. I don’t really need to say too much, you all know this and have had it beaten into you, but make sure you put it on and re-apply frequently. In particular, a large dose of sunblock on the face, neck and ears, and especially the nose is essential. If light skinned or burn easily, take a small tube of sunblock.
If you are folically challenged, as i am slowly becoming, wear a bandana, it stops your skull frying or getting a lovely set of tan lines from the gaps in the helmet. A bandana also stops sweat running into your eyes and your neck being burnt.
Rule 3: Sunglasses. My advice is to use as good a quality pair of cycling sunglasses as you can afford. A couple of points to note: (1) look to get polarised lenses as these help you see better any obstacle and the road surface especially in dappled sunlight (e.g riding through tree lined roads); (2) do not skimp on cheap imitations – I face planted the road a few years ago and even under that extreme situation the lens did not shatter and go into my eyes; and (3) wear the arms of the sunglasses outside the helmet straps, not only does it look cooler (check out the pros), in the event of an unplanned dismount or fall, with the possibility of the glasses getting knocked off, they will fall away (you will want them to do this) rather than embed themselves into your face..
Rule 4: Tyres and Inner Tubes. As it gets hot and rubber expands, any cracks and cuts can become more susceptable to causing punctures. Not as big a deal as the first rules, but always check your tyres (and general safety of the bike), it just makes sense. I would also advise not to put more pressure than you normally do in the tyre, you are not going to go faster, it’ll be just a harder ride experience for a day that should be full of smiles.
If you use latex tubes be aware that when you place your bike on a rack in front of a cafe for example, with the back wheel held aloft by the rack's bar, there is a possibility that the part of the tube exposed directly towards to the sun will expand and lose air. This happened to me, Thinking I had a puncture I changed the tube, and upon inspection noticed a bulge, the latex had expanded such that it was even more pervious to air, ruined by the direct sun while outside of a cafe.
Rule 5: Remember this is Fun. Although not really a rule, when you come across a special view, vista, flower or one of life’s beautiful moments, stop and take a photo or selfie, then post it, you’ve earned being a little smug today and these photos will remind you of the hard work you’ve put, raising funds for fabulous causes was worth it, and in the winter you can look back at your achievements with pride and as little motivators to keeping coming back for even more challenges.
ciclismo seguro amigos !
References :
1. Water: How much should you drink every day? Mayo Clinic : https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
2. "Water Requirements During Exercise in the Heat"; Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM, editor. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1993.