Cycling in a Level Three Heat Wave

Yesterday as I cycled from Nyon to Geneva I felt my mouth become dry so I drank, felt it get dry again, and drank again. The wind that is usually cooling, or cold was warm. I was having a hair dryer ride. This is a term I use when the air is so warm that it offers no cooling effect.

We Ride at Dawn

One solution to avoid such a ride is simply to ride at sunrise like I did with Tête de Course. You wake up before sunrise and head towards the meeting point as the sky starts to gain some colour. The ride itself takes place at dawn, so you’re in 20°c rather than 34°c. It’s 10°c cooler than my bedroom so I wore layers to stay warm. If you don’t like the heat then this is an excellent way of getting a bike ride in before it gets too hot. It’s also a way of getting a bike ride before work.

Valleys and Trees

Another coping method, if you’re riding in the middle of the day is to head up into the mountains. In so doing you stay cool and comfortable. You might even feel cool. If that is not an option then riding through a forest in a valley that gets the sun later in the day is a good option. We often feel cooler air in such places.

Two Bottles – One with Water, One with Electrolytes

If you’re riding into a town then it’s good to have two water bottles. In one you have water, and in the other you have an electrolyte solution. If you’re curious about the seperation of liquids the answer is simple. If you overheat and you only have a bottle filled with electrolytes you will feel uncomfortable. With clean water you’ll feel fine.

The Water Bottle Shower

Yesterday I cycled from Nyon to Bellevue and had to stop at a traffic light. As the light can be long, and as I no longer had air flowing over me I emptied part of a bottle of water on my head. Evaporating water cooled me effectively until I got to the Bike Club Switzerland shop.

The Wet Hat

As I wear a casquette(cap) it remained wet and kept me cool for quite a while. If I had just a helmet, without the cap it would try within minutes. I think that my cap kept me cool for hours. It helps that I wet it twice, and jumped in the lake for a swim at one point.

I still drank a lot. I drank most of three 800ml bottles and I was still thirsty into the night. In such weather it is key to keep finding fountains and drinking. In some podcasts they speak about there not being a need for electrolytes in drinks, but in a heat wave, as we are having now, I believe that it makes sense to drink a lot, and to replenish salt more regularly than just with meals.

A Quick Swim

Another solution is to go for a quick swim in the lake, in your cycling shorts. This is especially easy when you’re in a group because someone can watch over your bike and other gear. You can swim, cool down and then come back to the bike, get dressed while still wet, and enjoy the cooling effect of wet clothes until you get back into a city or town.

Fresh Fountain Water

In previous years, when I went on bike rides I went with a single bottle of water, expecting to be able to refill, only to find that water fountains were empty of water. As a result of this I went thirsty. That’s why it makes sense, during warm summer rides, to have two water bottles. You can drink from the primary, and if you can’t refill at a fountain then you have the backup bottle.

And Finally

If you get up early enough you can avoid the heat. It’s usually nice and cool before the sun has risen. This is a good time for a comfortable ride. Failing this making sure to have plenty of water fountains, and water, on a route is good. It allows you to remain hydrated. If you make an effort and you feel yourself overheating then a wet cap can offer relief. It took a while for my cap to dry so it kept me cool for a while.

If the above options are not enough cycling in the shade by a river could provide some relief from the heat, and so could riding at higher altitude if you are in a country that has some vertical difference.

And finally, it’s good to listen to our body, and slow down or stop if we overheat, and find some shade, a lake, a river, or a fountain.