How hot is too hot?

[needles]

So, I'm having my morning Coke Zero in Happy Camp and thinking about my return route on Monday. Plan A was to hit 96, Sawyers Bar, 3, and into Redding. Go from Redding to Lassen, then onto South Lake Tahoe.

But, it's going to be 108 in Redding. Plan B is to hit the coast.

When do you just say this is too hot and change plans?

 

[BillSmith]

Just south of you, same heat wave. For me, it goes like this...

+100F = no ibuprofen

Regarding your route, high temps are pleasant as long as you are moving. Those darn one-way automated or flagman stops are buzz kills. Stop on the shade side of a big vehicle.

Edit to add: given the discussion, 'needles' is an apropos name!

 

[Das MotorRad]

Good question! “How long” is another variable in my opinion, along with humidity. My riding plan in 108F for an hour would be different than 108F for four hours. Once temps are above 95 or so you are better off covered up and insulated, using a soaked t shirt or similar to get some evaporative cooling. Unless it’s too humid, then I just stay home

 

[NorCalBusa]

Coast Hwy 1 is closed for the Woodside Fire (Skaggs south for a few miles) and there are many other fires in NorCal. Jump on https://app.watchduty.org/ for fantastic/current look at wildfires.

 

[budman]

I am a 95 too fucking hot man. The fun fades quickly even with a cooling vest.

Really anything more than 85 is not great.
My airbag vest makes hot ~ hotter.

 

[augustiron]

I'm with you at 85, at speed.
Around town or slow ride, even that's a struggle.

Drove across the valley last night, saw 106 in Roseville.
I don't know how or why people endure that

 

[CDONA]

I would run the coast, or sierras, stay out of the Central Valley.
Past week monsoon left, heat came back, 116 Phoenix, 111 Cottonwood.
Excellent last night, Gazebo in use, 5 bats clearing the dance floor of bugs, Clarkdale's summer series
Humidity due back next week, make some monsoon.

Shorts & T- shirt, will dry me out, riding into a blow drier, plan my hydration stops, (bars) ?
Living with heat works with open water, Havasu, Bullhead, doable, here the river is a bit thin, no deep & cool
pools.

Out here in Az. monsoon,
Pick a hat, , ,

 

[bikewanker]

Rode 88 to Kirkwood yesterday and thought I’d go home via the south side of Lake Tahoe to keep cool. Most of the Carson valley was at the lake and an incident before hwy 50 forced me back to 395. I packed a wet T-shirt and kerchief water to soak my helmet and managed the 70 miles home with some dampness left.
All in preparation for getting through Redding Friday.

 

[CDONA]

Last nite I was noticing a dark stain on my right hand, wiped it twice,
& found out why.
My grips have gone septic, about year three for this to surface, anything soft will go septic with enough heat applied
Scott grips

 

[greenmonster]

I'm a wuss. Riding is supposed to be fun but over 85-90 degrees it isn't.

 

[Climber]

Hydration is super important, the wind does relieve over 105, it just dries you out faster.
I'd recommend a camelbak type hydration system for the ride. Also, a cooling towel around the neck will make a big difference.

For reference, I ride my bicycle in 105+ temps all summer long, I've ridden up to 115 for 38 minutes at a hard pace. What saves my life is 2 cooling towels, refreshed at least once and a camelbak that I take a bunch of swallows at each mile. I also pre-hydrate for hours before.

Also, when it's going to get to 108, it doesn't do that until about 3:00 pm. Start riding earlier and you can avoid most of the heat.

 

[J-Boat]

Yep. When I rode cross country I’d fill my camelback with water and a liquid IV and freeze it every night. It felt so good on those hot days through Az, NM, TX, and OK.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Anything above 90 sucks, but, if you can stay moving and or stay hydrated it's fine. I've ridden through sand washes in Nevada when it was 115. It wasn't my favorite thing to do, but once we realized we did in fact know where we were headed it felt a lot less like we were gonna die

 

[ST Guy]

I once rode up to Moscow, Idaho for a gathering of ST’s. On the way there, temps reached 115. I survived (barely) by soaking my T shirt, cooling vest, and Levis with cold water and packing the pockets on my black Darien with as much ice as they could hold. It wasn’t fun.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I think the absolute hottest I've done was crossing through vegas in July one year. It was 120 and it was hotter if I opened my jacket vents. I had to mind my speed because the engine temp was staying rather toasty even on the highway. No one died, but I'd say tire life was a bit less than usual.

 

[Blankpage]

80-85 is getting too hot for me. When I lived in Sac I barely rode but when I did if it was for more than 30-40 minutes I’d carry water bottle with a pinhole inside my jacket to give myself a squirt every 10 minutes or so.

 

[two wheel tramp]

When it’s over about 115 I say fuck it. If I’m on the road, I’m on the road and will slog through it. But I’ll also absolutely find a place to jump in the water and get cooled down.

 

[Blankpage]

When it’s over about 115 I say fuck it. If I’m on the road, I’m on the road and will slog through it. But I’ll also absolutely find a place to jump in the water and get cooled down.

Better not crash in those temperatures. At 115 air temperature, asphalt in direct sunlight is 150+, skins will burn in seconds if it comes in contact with surfaces that hot. Like touching the hood of a black car sitting in the sun on a hot day.

(Begrudgingly converted to Fahrenheit for this post)

 

[two wheel tramp]

Better not crash in those temperatures. At 115 air temperature, asphalt in direct sunlight is 150+, skins will burn in seconds if it comes in contact with surfaces that hot. Like touching the hood of a black car sitting in the sun on a hot day.

(Begrudgingly converted to Fahrenheit for this post)

‘Nough said.

 

[ST Guy]

(Begrudgingly converted to Fahrenheit for this post)

You likely were not raised in the USA.