Hot Weather Strategies

[Gordon Stam]

It's getting hot. Today's ride was in the 90's. I wear compression socks, Rivendells's MUSA Cycling Baggies, and a cotton button down shirt. Yesterday I was thinking that what I needed was a little spray bottle to spritz my socks to cool by legs off. So today I picked up a not so little spray bottle at home depot and ended up strapping it to the basket on the back of the Clem. Worked really well! After wetting down the socks, when it's strapped to the rack, I can stop and go back and press the lever to spray a little mist on my face or shirt, hop back on the bike, and get some instant cooling. I like it. Looks a little clunky in the picture but I don't notice it when I'm riding. Bring on summer!

[Bernard Duhon]

I attended school for Effective Cycling Instructors in Houston.   Our teacher was a delightful man from Arizona. I forgot his name, but he was an air traffic controller.

Among the tips he gave us,  one was similar to yours, 'wear cotton beanie under the helmet and sprinkle water on it to cool down.'

He thought for a minute, "around here you probably end up with a crop of mushrooms under your helmet."😅🚲

BTW it does work but not so well as in arid climates

BTW -2 yesterday, the heat index here was 105.

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From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Gordon Stam <gds...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 11:25 PM
To: RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [RBW] Hot Weather Strategies

It's getting hot. Today's ride was in the 90's. I wear compression socks, Rivendells's MUSA Cycling Baggies, and a cotton button down shirt. Yesterday I was thinking that what I needed was a little spray bottle to spritz my socks to cool by legs off. So today I picked up a not so little spray bottle at home depot and ended up strapping it to the basket on the back of the Clem. Worked really well! After wetting down the socks, when it's strapped to the rack, I can stop and go back and press the lever to spray a little mist on my face or shirt, hop back on the bike, and get some instant cooling. I like it. Looks a little clunky in the picture but I don't notice it when I'm riding. Bring on summer!

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[Nick Lindsey]

A nice large bandana, like those Riv has in their inventory, is miraculous when soaked in water, wrung out and then worn around one’s neck.  Sort of like portable AC!  ;-)

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 24, 2026, at 5:45 AM, Bernard Duhon <ber...@bernardduhon.com> wrote:



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[Jonathan Carmack]

Riding in very humid DC, a hat under the helmet is counterintuitive for staying cool but it somehow works, and keeps the sun off your head.

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[Valerie Yates]

I like to ride with a small can of evian facial spray. It produces a super fine mist that is delightful, especially on hot days. 

[Gordon Stam]

Valerie, I actually had something like a small spray bottle in mind when the idea came to me but Home Depot, close to where my ride began, didn't have one. Maybe Walmart. But I sorta like that big bottle back there and the arrangement of the spray nozzle. We'll see how things evolve.

And it did occur to me last night that this works in arid Utah but may not be too effective in muggy Houston or New York. 

Man, it's not even July yet.

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[Kim H.]

The way I stay cooler in the heat of summer is taking a bandana and soak it with the coldest water I can find or from my water bottle and warp it into a long narrow shape and wrap it around my neck, like a cowboy. I let the water from the bandana drip down my back and neck. This is very effective.

I used to work long hours in the summer months in a large building around large noisy machinery, without heat exhaust fans on the ceilings. The heat would be very uncomfortable to work. I used the above method many times. It helped me a lot in dealing with the heat.

Nowadays, I avoid the intense summer heat by not riding in it. I wait until it is cooler outside.

Kim Hetzel.

[Ron Mc]

Mandarin oranges - stop every 10 mi to eat one

[Brian Turner]

I've been wearing all-mesh, or mostly mesh cycling caps under my helmet in warm weather. My current favorite is the Patagonia Duckbill cap, which is marketed as a running cap, but it fits well under a helmet and has a longer, wider brim (which I find preferable and more practical than traditional cycling cap brims).

In sun and heat I go full sleeved, button down shirts. Cottons and linens and seersuckers seem to work best, but I think lightweight synthetics feel better and dry faster. However, the stink factor can be an issue.

Bandanna around the neck keeps the sun off my neck and collects all the sweat from my head. Soaking them in water is a good feature as well.

Brian

Lexington KY

[Jonathan Carmack]

Duckbill looks nice I’ll have to try that, I have large head and find most brands make them too small.  

Walz are probably the brand I prefer, on the pricey side but the fit is good and they last forever pretty much, and don’t deform after being washed.

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[Roy Summer]

Heat strategies:

1. Hat under helmet - absorbs perspiration, prevents sunburn. Cycling hat works fine. No black.

2. Freeze water bottles - take 1 out 1 hour before ride; take 2nd out when you leave. Wrap 2nd in old sock - keeps it cold longer. Put bottle 1 on seat tube - defrosts faster; bottle 2 wrapped in sock on down tube. Drink bottle 1 first. I put about 2-3” of Gatorade in bottle then add water before freezing (Note: Leave some room for mixture to expand - 1/2” or so at top.).

3. Under Armor t shirts absorb perspiration are cooler while riding. Loose fitting work  fine.

4. Ride slower and shorter.

5. Ride early or late when sun is not directly overhead.

6. Ride lightest bike with lowest rolling resistance tires. It matters.

7. Check EPA app for air quality and OSHA/NIOSH app for heat index. Both matter. Adjust ride accordingly (see #4 above). These apps are free.

8. Start drinking 5 minutes after start of ride. Drink often. Drink large glass of cold water when you get home (I prefer orange juice - has vitamins and natural sugar, and it tastes good.).

9. Most important: use your head.

Roy

who rides (slowly and shorter) in 100 degree heat

[Ryan Fleming]

Those are excellent points...definitely did and do freeze waterbottles and would wear cycling cap that I would soak after soaking my head with water at any stop... ...but heat stroke/exhaustion is no joke. Also, while I couldn't necessarily do this on a tour, I definitely prefer early morning rides when it is cooler and the wind (a thing in Winnipeg) is generally lighter...  and BTW what an apt last name for the topic of hot weather riding :).

Stay frosty, friends

[Ron Mc]

S. Texas here, riding the same hills, heat and humidity that produced Lance.  

I found a perfect (and cheep) cycling tee-shirt this year - bamboo viscose:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGXNTBFN

Lighter and softer than merino, and feels cool on your skin like Egyptian cotton.  

Went back for 3 more.  

[Christopher Young]

It gets really hot and bright here in the summer, so I finally let my wife talk me into getting one of those "Da Brim" hat brims that attaches to your helmet. I got the smaller "Sporty" model, but it still looks pretty dorky. I'm finding it hard to believe they actually offer something bigger. Anyway, I'm thinking that big brim along with re-wetting a bandana on top of my head should work pretty well.  I may have to remove the brim when going down long hills, though, or risk taking flight.

A bonus of using this thing is that I'll get the pleasure of interfering with the aesthetics of the lycra-wearing, carbon-riding real bikers out there. I'm already doing a pretty good job of that with my old-fashioned looking bike with upright handlebars and a wide leather seat, my non-clip shoes, etc. Vive la différence!

Chris Young

ABQ

[Curtis McKenzie]

Hi,

The "Da Brim" is the "da bomb"!  Embrace the dorkieness of the look and soon it will be your new normal.  I have a working relationship with the Sun.  It drives the beautiful places I like to explore by bicycle and I cover up as much as possible as sun exposure results negative outcomes for my family.  Sporting the Sporty version I can zip down hill with out fear of the Da Brim separating from the helmet.

Here I am with Da Brim at the Airport in the Sky on Catalina Island off the coast of California during a three night exploration.

Stay Shady, Curtis 

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[Valerie Yates]

Curtis - Thanks for the tip! It is great to know it stays put on downhills. I am going to try it. I am super sun-sensitive and don’t find a cycling cap effective.

[Eric Floden]

I always liked R. Crumb's Mr. Natural, who has solutions for many issues...

 

[Christopher Young]

Curtis,

Thanks for the encouragement and that great photo! What a wonderful place to ride!

I will indeed embrace the dorkieness.

Chris

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[Garth]

I wear l lycra clothing riding and I find the more form fitting the better. Once it gets wet the evaporative coolong effect works wonders. Long sleeve summer weight jerseys are a plus but not easy to find suitable ones these days as most are of a collarless design. I don't get that, as a raised collar helps keep you cool. Arm sleeves with a SS jersey are terrific otherwise. Pretty much any type will do, I even like wearing relatively thick Defeet Armskins in the heat. The thick fabric block the sunlght and they are cooling once I start sweating. 

I wear Voler cycling caps up top mostly, they are one of the few I've ever worn that has generous crown depth. Gloves are Glacier Ascension Bay fingerless fishing Gloves that go up over the wrist. I always get multiples and rotate them. They added some great colors this year ! https://glacieroutdoor.com/products/ascension-bay-sun-gloves?variant=46299358003387

[Christopher Young]

Hey All,

I just did my first ride (33 miles) with "Da Brim" on a bright, hot day. It was great! Not only did it keep the sun out of my face, but it also shaded the back of my neck and upper back a lot, too, which kept me cooler.

The brim is so light compared to the bulk of a helmet that you quickly forget that it is on, except that you aren't getting so much glaring sunshine in your eyes. I wear wraparound sunglasses, but still take in a lot of light on a day like today. I think there were just a couple of times when I was going a little faster and there was a crosswind when I felt the brim pulling a bit.

Going down a long hill at 20+ mph would be another matter, but for that situation, I may just pull it off and put it back on at the bottom (it takes just a few seconds to install/remove).

Bottom line: this is way better than any hat or drape I've worn under a helmet, and it doesn't interfere with the vents in the top of the helmet.  It's going to be part of my standard gear for summer riding.

Chris

[Jonathan Carmack]

I ordered a duck bill hat and just used it today, very nice suggestion.  The adjustable strap on the back is a ridiculously well done feature.  Thanks y’all 

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[Brian Turner]

Glad the duck bill worked out, Jonathan! I’m thinking about ordering another one because I love my current one so much for cycling.

Brian

Lexington KY

On Jun 27, 2026, at 5:12 PM, Jonathan Carmack <jonca...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Patrick Moore]

One reason I use cycling caps in addition to dark sunglasses is precisely the NM sun. Even when I wear dark dark glasses, I’m annoyed by the bright mile-high sun when I don’t wear a cycling cap with brim pulled sufficiently low. And then the caps block wind from your eyes and draw sweat to the brim and crown where the furious wind of your passing dries it out quickly in sub 10% humidity

As for other sun protection, I use Filipino Skin (tm). I’m 10 shades darker on exposed arm surfaces than on hidden arm surfaces, including piebald fingers (no gloves), let alone parts not exposed. Non-tight but trim cycling shorts, synthetic ss jerseys, tho’ I’ve worn merino at 98* without much discomfort. Lots of water.

Fun fact: back in Virginia last week we had an extended family gathering in a nephew’s 3 acre yard. Even when out in full afternoon sunlight I forgot to put on my sunglasses; the 3 pm June sunlight was so dim that I didn’t even think of them and they stayed perched on top of my head. 

When walking a wide brimmed hat  (Henschel Aussie Breezer) does help keep the sun off shoulders as well as head and face and neck.

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--

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Nick Payne]

I always wear a bandanna under my helmet in summer here in Australia, more for preventing sunburn through the helmet slots than anything else. In winter I swap the bandannas for balaclavas - it was -2 Celcius yesterday when we started our ride.

For summer cycling I like the long sleeve summer tops from either the local company Cycology or from GroundEffect in New Zealand. 

Cycology: https://www.cycologygear.com/collections/mens-lightweight-long-sleeve-jerseys

GroundEffect: https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/collections/summer-jerseys/men

Nick Payne