How to Bike Race in Hot Weather

Since race season usually runs through the summer months, you'll often find yourself racing on some of the hottest days of the year. Here are some tips to help get you through the day with a smile on your face.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sunglasses
• Bottled Water
• Sunscreen
• Bike Water Bottle/cage
• Bikes
• Cool Bicycle Clothing
• Bikes

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Start drinking water or a sports drink well before the race, and keep drinking during and after it. Hot weather and physical exertion dehydrate the body very quickly.

2. Apply sunscreen, the higher the Sun Protection Factor the better (SPF 30 or above). Since you'll be sweating quite a bit, look for sunscreen that's waterproof.

3. Freeze water bottles the night before - they stay cold longer.

4. Try to have a friend, family member or teammate help you throughout the race. In both mountain and road bike racing, there are specific "feed zones" where you can get food or drinks. A cool drink in the middle of a hot race provides a welcome boost.

5. Carry as much fluid as possible. Hydration packs are not allowed in many road races, but if you can use one, do.

6. Try to keep at least one water bottle with only water in it, not a sports drink. This way you'll have something to dump on your head to cool yourself.

7. Wear a light-colored jersey made of a wicking material, which will help evaporate your sweat faster to cool you down. Jerseys with mesh sections or zippers will open up for better ventilation as well.

8. Find a helmet with good ventilation and many air vents.

9. Wear gloves to keep your hands from slipping off the handlebars and to efficiently wipe sweat from your face. Gloves with a terry cloth or other absorbent back are great for keeping the sweat from your eyes.

10. Soak a bandana in cold water and wear it around your neck.

11. Cool off after the race by pedaling slowly for 5 to 10 minutes.

12. Eat and drink after the race to restore sugar and electrolyte levels.

Tips & Warnings

• When hydrating, stay away from fluids with caffeine in them - caffeine will dehydrate you.
• Use sunscreen even if the day is cloudy or you think you'll be under the cover of trees most of the day. Cloud cover can sometimes increase the sun's harmful rays and even sun filtered through trees can burn you.
• Don't like to use a hydration pack on your backs because it's cumbersome or heavy? Use this to your advantage - the more you drink, the less weight is on your back.
• Jerseys made of wicking material will actually keep you cooler that riding with no shirt, and they'll protect you from the sun's harmful rays.
• Studies have shown that wearing a helmet does not raise core body temperature when riding. "It's too hot out" isn't a good excuse to not wear one.
• If at anytime during a race, especially a hot one, you start to feel dizzy or light-headed, or you get a headache or chills, stop and walk your bike. You may be going into heat exhaustion, or worse, heatstroke. Seek medical attention.
• Bicycle racing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.

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on 11/22/2005 If the weather is hot, avoid wearing dark colored garments. The suns harmful rays are more attracted to dark colors. Instead, wear something lighter in color.