While there is so much to celebrate about summer—longer days for longer rides, for one—the new reality of summertime cycling is rising heat and humidity.
When you head out on your bike in a heat wave, it’s smart to not only look at your local weather, but pay attention the National Weather Service’s heat index, which will let you know when it’s safe to ride and for how long. That’s because cycling in the heat can lead to dehydration, bonking, decreased performance, and if you’re not careful, serious heat-related illnesses.
Here are six tips to help keep you cool on your bike and stay safe when the temperatures seriously start to soar.
1. Get Acclimated
“The biggest hot-weather mistake cyclists make is riding in the heat without preparation,” Stacy Sims, Ph.D., exercise physiologist and author of Roar and Next Level tells Bicycling. You need to take some time to acclimate to hot-weather riding.
When the heat begins to rise, ride early or late in the day when temperatures are the coolest, and use your down time to get used to the heat. It will be warm those times, too, but the temperature won’t shock your system.
You can acclimate to heat off the bike, too. Try hot yoga or spend some time in a sauna.
2. Protect Yourself
Always wear sunscreen! Choose jerseys, shorts, and arm skins with built-in sun protection, and wear a cap under your helmet to shield your head. Don’t forget the back of your neck, too, which is exposed to the sun in the riding position.
A sunburn does more than fry your skin, Sims says. It contributes to fatigue and increases your metabolism. The latter might sound like a good thing, but it also increases fluid needs, which can be a problem on a hot day when you already struggle to stay hydrated.
3. Plan Ahead
Fill one water bottle half way, and your second bottle to the three-quarter mark, then freeze. If you’re a mountain biker, put ice cubes into your hydration pack or fill the pack to half full and freeze.
For longer rides, figure out in advance where you can restock with cold beverages. Consuming cold fluids will help keep your core temperature down and your performance up.
4. Cool Down Right
While you may be tempted to toss ice cubes down your jersey, Sims advises against it. “Ice against the skin causes blood vessels to constrict, which shoots hot blood back to your core,” she says. When you get hot, take a break from your ride, head into the shade, and pour cool water over your neck and forearms, or wipe them down with a damp towel.
Try cooling towels, such as Mission Original Cooling Towel. Just wet, wring, and snap to activate the cooling power of these towels.
5. Don’t Push It
Respect the elements and ease back on your pace and power when cycling in the heat, Derick Williamson, cofounder of Durata Training in Austin, Texas tells Bicycling. “Once the sum of the temperature in Fahrenheit plus the relative humidity gets above 130, we dial power ranges back by about 10 to 15 watts,” Williamson says. “If you’ve been doing 15-minute intervals at 220 to 240 watts, that becomes 205 to 225, or we may reduce the efforts to 10 or 12 minutes.”
If you’re racing in steamy conditions, cut your warmup time in half or more. And if you don’t track your watts, just dial back your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) a few notches—instead of riding at a 9 out of 10, fall back to a level 6 effort.
6. Hydrate Well
In the days leading up to a big ride, increase your consumption of watery fruits and vegetables, which are abundant in summer. Think: watermelon and grapes, as well as cucumbers and lettuces, Sims says.
On your ride, be sure to bring along an electrolyte beverage. Sodium helps your body hold on to the fluid you’re drinking. Aim to drink 10 to 12 milliliters per kilogram of bodyweight, which means about 20 ounces every hour for a 150-pound rider.
Postride, Sims suggests having a protein-based recovery drink to rehydrate fast. Protein pulls water with it when it travels to muscles. If you opt for plain water after a ride, pair it with a snack or meal that contains protein, carbohydrates, and sodium to replenish your energy and electrolyte stores.
