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Advice for Touring in Hot Weather

AKsuited

AKsuited

New member
Most of you already know this, but it might help some who are new to touring:

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Harry
 
Keeping moist and sealed up is a good strategy for very hot weather. On my ride up I-81 to the BMWMOA Vermont rally (2006?) the temps hit 102 degrees; I sealed up my Aerostich Roadcrafter to keep the heat out and kept a wet bandana around my neck.

I also added one other cooling feature. I carried a couple of gallon freezer bags and would fill these with ice at "hydration stops" about one every hour or so. I would then place the ice packs in my large chest pocket and in a lower pocket. It was like air conditioning inside my suit!
The mantra that day was "Stop, drink, pee, replace the ice!"

It also amazed me how fast HOT pavement will wear down a tire.
 
Acclimate to outdoors early in season

Have had buds with heat stress from not prepping their body as much they do their bike and equipment
 
I've used the Moto-Jug system on long hot rides. It was created by a LA Fire Department fellow. He and his wife manufacture and sell it. See: https://www.motojug.com

Here's a photo of the system mounted on the right passenger footpeg on my RT:

IMG_3457.JPG
 
I think that there is a world a difference in a dry climate vs a humid climate. West of the Mississippi the climate becomes quite dry. I fully agree about not using mesh in the dry climate. However, in the eastern US where it is quite humid the "swamp cooler" method will not work so well.
 
I have tried to cover up on the extremely hot days and I just can not do it. I tried running my rain liner under my mesh jacket , leaving the sleeves loose and unzipped a bit, but I thought I would roast.

A mesh jacket, long sleeved t-shirt and a lot of water is my go to when the temps go about 90F. if it gets really hot I will soak down my t-shirt and wear my mesh jacket. I have ridden in temps close to 120F going across South Dakota in August.
 
PoorUB said:
A mesh jacket, long sleeved t-shirt and a lot of water is my go to when the temps go about 90F. if it gets really hot I will soak down my t-shirt and wear my mesh jacket. I have ridden in temps close to 120F going across South Dakota in August.
Click to expand...

Similar to my mode of riding in really hot weather; leave early before the sun rises, wear mesh riding gear, soaked long sleeve cotton turtle neck, soaked cap under the helmet and sipping water every five to ten minutes. Re-soak the riding gear every hour and a half or so. Cotton soaks and holds the water much longer than wicking clothes (and certainly reeks by the end of the day). :laugh
 
I recently got the long-sleeve LD Comfort shirt. I already had their shorts and short-sleeve shirts.

Anyone want to compare LD Comfort base layers with a "Hyper-Kewl" vest? I've got one of those...and didn't bring it with me to the Salt Lake City Rally: kind of dumb. Hyper-Kewl vest on top of an LD Comfort base layer shirt?

I guess one would bring a collapsible cup into a rest room to wet down shirts or vests?

I do have that hydration system with the half-gallon Coleman cooler mounted on the bike with a drink tube. I recently changed the bite valve to a right-angle bite valve to be more suitable for use with a full-face helmet.

Harry
 
AKsuited said:
I recently got the long-sleeve LD Comfort shirt. I already had their shorts and short-sleeve shirts.

I guess one would bring a collapsible cup into a rest room to wet down shirts or vests?Harry
Click to expand...

I discovered that the LD Comfort shirts do not work for people like me who don't sweat (to any degree) as do most. For me, the LD Comfort shirt dramatically increases the heat and results in my becoming sleepy.

Taking a cup to a restroom to wet one's shirt; never thought of doing that. Not being shy I simply remove my shirt and soak it under the tap. :lol
 
Paul_F said:
Taking a cup to a restroom to wet one's shirt; never thought of doing that. Not being shy I simply remove my shirt and soak it under the tap. :lol
Click to expand...

I bought a collapsible cup at Walmart yesterday for less than two dollars...I can carry it into a restroom in my pocket.

Harry
 
AKsuited said:
I bought a collapsible cup at Walmart yesterday for less than two dollars...I can carry it into a restroom in my pocket.

Harry
Click to expand...

I must admit that putting the soaked shirt on in the rest room stop does feel "yuckie", definitely not comfortable, until one gets on the bike and starts moving. Then it is like having air conditioning for an hour or two. :thumb

The gallon jug on the foot peg, filled with ice and water, also makes the extreme heat much more bearable. :)

My collapsible cup is used when I brush my teeth.
 
henzilla said:
Acclimate to outdoors early in season

Have had buds with heat stress from not prepping their body as much they do their bike and equipment
Click to expand...

That's not always easy to do when traveling long distances. 53 degrees in northern Vermont today, the warmest it has been all week. Tomorrow I set out for the rally on a circuitous route. By the time I reach Colorado on Sunday the temp will be in the upper 80s.

Pete
 
AKsuited said:
I recently got the long-sleeve LD Comfort shirt. I already had their shorts and short-sleeve shirts.

Anyone want to compare LD Comfort base layers with a "Hyper-Kewl" vest? I've got one of those...and didn't bring it with me to the Salt Lake City Rally: kind of dumb. Hyper-Kewl vest on top of an LD Comfort base layer shirt?

I guess one would bring a collapsible cup into a rest room to wet down shirts or vests?

I do have that hydration system with the half-gallon Coleman cooler mounted on the bike with a drink tube. I recently changed the bite valve to a right-angle bite valve to be more suitable for use with a full-face helmet.

Harry
Click to expand...

I take my heat out neck gaiter off, soak it, then use that like a sponge to soak the heat out long sleeve shirt. A plastic trash bag filled with 3" of water suffices to soak the heat out vest outside in the parking lot, throw it on soaking wet [ not wrung out to the point of not dripping as suggested by the makers ], then put my riding jacket on. Can got about 1-1.5 hours here in the desert heat of the summer which sometimes will reach 115F
 
glenfiddich said:
That's not always easy to do when traveling long distances. 53 degrees in northern Vermont today, the warmest it has been all week. Tomorrow I set out for the rally on a circuitous route. By the time I reach Colorado on Sunday the temp will be in the upper 80s.

Pete
Click to expand...

Oh I get that. I just returned from a definitely circuitous Western State ride. Day one leaving started in 70’s, then West TX/ Eastern NM desert heat, finished with snow in campsite in NM mountains. I was removing/ adding/ layers all day. Pretty much had minimal to heated liner adjustments each day and state. Desert to mountain at some point and back down or up.

I’m talking about being indoor climate controlled and then leaving on a trip without much outdoors time.
 
We each have cool vests in a gallon ziploc which gets water and sometimes ice at fuel stops. Most places let us fill up a big mouth sport bottle with ice and water if we buy fuel.


Using some sinks in a convenience store makes me clinch my teeth... not doing that!

We often just pour a cool water down the jacket to wet base layer while rolling thru scorched landscapes.
 
Hot

Riding to work and back on many summer days I wore a mesh jacket, t shirt under that carry a gallon zip lock to put shirt in and soak during hydration rest stops.Shirt will hold about 1/2 liter of liquid usually stop at rest areas, parks, and rural churches almost all of these places have a tap where you can fill your water bottle or zip lock.
Most times in very hot weather I also carry one of the plastic pump spray bottles from the dollar store, I than use that to spray the shirt, face, arms, head and any thing else that is overheated.
 
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