Riding cool in the summer months

I ride with many different people form all walks of life, each with their own riding style and preferences. Myself, I like to wear as much gear as I can to help keep me “safe” on the road. I have been known to wear my mesh jacket with my vest over top on some of the hottest days of the year. But I don’t always ride in full jackets.

The guys will chide me sometimes and ask why I wear so much gear, including my full face helmet on these hot long rides. But you know what, it does not matter much to me what they think. I ride my own ride, and not out there to impress anyone. I just want to enjoy the ride, in my own way.

This year has been a little different for me. I have lately been finding myself comfortable just wearing a long sleeve cotton for the sunny days, and just my t-shirt on little cloudier or on shorter rides. I still wear my vest, but truthfully it is not enough gear to keep me from getting a hell of a road rash if I end up going down. I guess we all choose the amount of risk we are willing to take. But as the days get shorter and the temps a little cooler, I will be finding myself again in full leather jacket.

But what about those summer months? What are some things I should keep in mind while riding? I did get an email with a link from the AMA just a few days ago that got me thinking. Check out their article about Hot Weather Riding Tips.

A very good tip is to stay hydrated while on the ride, especially those long hot day trips. I just got back from a DC trip that had us riding all day in the sun. I did wear long sleeves to keep the moisture in and to keep my skin from frying in the sun. But I did notice that because I was trying to avoid being that one guy that stops every half hour to pee that I did not drink enough water. You know when you are past the point of needing to hydrate, because you mouth will get a little dry and your hands and arms will start to get a ‘tingle’ (not sure what else to call the sensation of pins and needles running in my hands and arms). At this stage, you really are at a bad state. Stop as soon as you can and get hydrated.

Also, make sure your bike is in good working order before each trip. The last thing you want to find yourself in, is broken down on the side of the road in the hottest part of the day. While it is inevitable that your ride will have problems, you can mitigate most of them by keeping up on maintenance.

I am sure there are some other great ideas for hot summer riding. I especially would love to hear from people that live in places like Phoenix AZ or Southern Texas. What are your thoughts on your daily riding?