Beat the Heat: Cycling Through the Dog Days

By George Roman Babiak 

She couldn't pedal another yard. Anne pulled her bike over and collapsed onto the cool green grass of a lane divider. Her energy was gone, completely drained by the 60 miles we'd already cycled from Manhattan. "This is it," she said, "I can't go any farther." Unfortunately, our destination in Pennsylvania was still another 25 miles away.

My partner was a very experienced cyclist. Although the ride was long, we had covered distances like it before without mishap. The difference was that on this particular day the temperature was well above 90°. Anne did not function as well in heat as I did. I was uncomfortable, but she was in misery. Also, Anne was not drinking enough water.

So what did we do? I went to a nearby store, bought Anne a quart of juice and an ice cream, and we sat in the shade and waited. After an hour or so, she began to recover her strength. We climbed back on our bikes and continued riding at a snails pace. Luckily, the roads were now tree-lined and shady. When we reached our hotel, Anne jumped into the swimming pool.

The Risks

It could have been much worse. According to Sports Injury Assessment and Rehabilitation by David C. Reid (Churchill and Livingstone, 1992), there are four different levels of heat illness that can strike an athlete:

• Heat Cramps. You experience muscle spasms, heavy sweating, and fatigue. The body temperature stays normal.
• Heat Syncope. Your blood pressure temporarily drops, resulting in light-headedness or fainting. 
• Heat Exhaustion. Extreme weakness, exhaustion, headache, dizziness, nausea, profuse sweating, cool skin, rapid pulse, and sometimes unconsciousness. Again, your body temperature remains normal.
• Heat Stroke. Headache, nausea, confusion, and a loss of physical control. Your skin is hot and dry, your body temperature extremely high. There can be collapse and unconsciousness, and, in extreme situations, death.

Although it is unlikely that the average cyclist will be stricken with the most serious forms of heat illness, most of us are still concerned about riding in the heat. So how do you keep from frying when it's 98° in the shade?

H₂0: Your Best Pal

It's obvious: Water, water, and more water. Drink plenty of it before, during, and after your ride, whether or not you feel thirsty. The important thing is to keep yourself fully hydrated. Even water that has become lukewarm will replenish the precious body fluids that pour out of a rider's body on a hot summer day. Other tips on fluids:

• Have a water bottle attached to your bike; touring cyclists should use two or three bottle cages.
• Energy drinks and electrolyte replacements can be useful for sustained exertion and competition. Most health experts agree that salt tablets are unnecessary, if not detrimental. In general, though, water is still your best bet.
• Commuters should find the best places to get water along their daily routes. Fresh tap water, piped straight from the Catskills, can be found in most public parks.

Wear the Right Stuff

• Do yourself a favor by buying a good pair of shorts. The padded crotch will protect you against chafing and the lycra used on most shorts today will allow perspiration to seep away from your skin.
• There are still a few people out there who think they can lose weight by sweating it off in heavy garments or even (shudder) rubberized clothing. This is wrong and can even be dangerous. Perspiring too much dehydrates the body.
• In general, wear comfortable garments made of materials that absorb moisture, such as cotton.  Remember not to overdress.  You'll be getting warmer as you ride. So why not make yourself comfortable? And what the hell, why not treat yourself to some water? 

Protect Yourself From the Sun

• Use sun block, with an SPF of at least 15, on exposed skin. A waterproof brand is more effective against dilution by perspiration. Putting it on 20 to 30 minutes before going out will make sure it penetrates the skin well. 
• Helmets shield the delicate scalp (as well as the even more delicate brain) very well. Although one of the arguments made against them is that they trap too much heat, helmets are now lighter and cooler than they've ever been.
• Don't forget the sun's effect on your eyes. You don't need the latest $75 high-fashion eyewear, but do use a pair of sunglasses with a high anti-UV rating. Warning - the $5 ones street vendors hawk can actually be worse for your eyes than no sunglasses because they cause the pupils to dilate, letting even more UV rays into the eye than without the glasses.
• Remember to bring your water. GET USED TO IT - SLOWLY Few people have a natural knack for riding in extreme heat, but most can improve with practice. If you're planning a century ride in July or August, be sure to get in lots of shorter warm weather rides before you tackle the big 100. In short, acclimatize yourself. Training is always important, but it is especially valuable for helping your body get accustomed to heat. Oh, and be sure to drink plenty of water.

Tips from the Vets 

All the veterans we spoke to, incidentally, recommended drinking copious amounts of water. 

John Benfatti, New York City's Bicycle Coordinator, uses any extra water in the bottle to douse his head regularly throughout his 30-mile roundtrip commute.

Hal Ruzal, co-founder of Bicycle Habitat, used to shuttle regularly between New Haven and Brooklyn to visit his parents, a ride of almost exactly 100 miles that he did at least once in 100° weather. Hal's recommendations: "Ride early. Select a higher gear and use a lower cadence than you normally would. That forces you to breath easier and keep cooler. Anytime you pass someone washing a car, ask them to hose you down. And if you pass any lakes, jump in!" 

Christy Guzzetta is a former president of the New York Cycle Club who is also a suit-and-tie commuter. Guzzetta, the self-described "fastest bike in New York City" on weekends, recommends commuting at a slow, sedate pace. "You don't get there much faster if you rush," he says. "Sometimes I'll see some rider zoom past me in the Park only to see the same guy just a bike-length ahead of me at Grand Central." Christy rides an old three-speed with a front basket to work every day. On hot days he puts his folded suit jacket in the basket "nice and neat," loosens his tie, and slowly pedals to his office. Christy finds the alternative (the sweltering crush of mass transit) to be far more uncomfortable. 

The most original heat-beating technique we've heard of is a device fashioned by Phil O'Reilly, former president of the Five Borough Bike Club. Bucking conventional marketing wisdom, he simply calls his creation "my invention." Take a standard square bandanna and fold it diagonally to make a right triangle. Turn it into a pocket by stitching the sides and leave a three or four inch opening at one of the comers. Stuff a couple of handfuls of ice cubes through this opening, forming a sort of frozen, cloth-covered samosa. Loosely tie the bandanna around your neck and aim the point with the ice in it down your backbone. The "invention" will not only shield the back of your neck from the sun, it will cool it. As you ride, the ice will melt and cause a slow rivulet of cold water to dribble between your shoulder blades and down your spine, cooling your entire upper torso. Phil recommends wetting down your jersey before donning the "invention" so as not to attract too much attention to yourself. 

By the way, did we mention that you should drink a lot of water?