It’s ninety five degrees in the shade, but I’m still riding to work…

I grew up on the Canadian border, and it took me a few years to acclimate to sweltering summers in Tidewater Virginia. And it took a few more to ride comfortably when the temperature and humidity both topped ninety.

Most of us don't sweat as cool as Louis Armstrong. (Photo | Herman Hiller)

A quick physiology lesson is in order: when the human body converts potential energy (sugar, oxygen) into kinetic energy (movement), heat is created too. The more work done, the more heat is generated. In the winter, generating heat is a good way to stay alive. But in summertime, too much heat can kill you.

The human body operates most efficiently at an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees, Fahrenheit. Just like a car engine or a computer, overheating results in a loss of efficiency. In order to keep cool, moisture is excreted through thousands of skin glands, a process known as sweating. Evaporating sweat cools the skin, which in turn cools the blood, which in turn cools the heart, brain and throbbing thigh muscles.

Unfortunately, humidity hinders the cooling potential of sweating. The more moisture that is already present in the air, the less quickly sweat evaporates from skin. The human body still needs to cool down, so it keeps sweating, even if sweating isn’t as efficient on humid days.

With the knowledge that the human body is a water-cooled engine, it’s easy to understand why it’s so important to stay hydrated. On a hot day, it’s literally vitally important to drink water before, during, and after a ride. Failure to hydrate properly can leave you feeling like a Chihuahua locked in a Firebird on the Fourth of July: your body will run out of water to excrete as sweat, your muscles will start cramping up, your head will feel like it’s being squeezed by Joe Pesci in a vice, and eventually your brain will shut down like an overheated netbook.

‘Nuf said. Hydrate or die.

You may also find that Gatorade or other electrolyte-replacing sports drinks help you. There is conflicting evidence as to whether athletic performance is improved by consuming sports drinks before physical activity, but most studies show that a sports drink will help replace depleted minerals and electrolytes during and after exertion. A bottle of water, followed by a bottle of Gatorade is probably a safe bet. And as different people have different metabolisms, a refreshing drink for one person may taste revoltingly sweet. If so, try a different flavor or diluting with water.

1. Nice & easy does it. The easiest way to break a sweat is to ride hard & fast. Slow down, smell the crepe myrtles, and you won’t soak your shirt through with sweat. But if you do…
   

   Stopping to smell the Crepe Myrtles make for a much more pleasant ride.

2. Don’t wear your work shirt to work. Ride to work wearing a cool, light-colored shirt, and change into your business casual outfit at the office. Those riding less than five miles may be able to get away with just rolling up their pants to avoid chain grease & promote ventilation of hard-working calves, while longer-distance riders may want to bring along a complete outfit.
3. Coolmax®. Coolmax® is a man-made, “technical fabric” that wicks moisture far quicker than cotton or wool. While biking naked maximizes the evaporation potential of the human body, Coolmax® is a close second. Professional athletes such as Tiger Woods & Lance Armstrong wear Coolmax®-blended apparel in order to maximize their body’s efficiency and performance.While it was once only found on the playing field and dance floor, Coolmax® is now woven into golf shirts, socks, underwear, bed sheets and even work pants. Online, the Duluth Trading Company offers a line of heavy-duty “firehose pants” in a cotton/ Coolmax® blend that has quickly become the foundation of this correspondent’s wardrobe. Not only are they cool in the summer and roll up well to the knees, but they are also stain-resistant & wrinkle-free. 
4. Cool Downz, cool bandanas. While they were originally marketed to menopausal women suffering from hot flashes; construction workers, mail carriers and athletes have also discovered Cool Downz, a modern twist on an old idea: a water-laden garment cools the body, supplementing or even eliminating sweating. For thousands of years farmhands have dipped scarves and hats into cool water to help beat the heat. In a high tech twist, a thin scarf is lined with a pocket of water-absorbing gel. It doesn’t drip water, and can be recharged hundreds of times by soaking in water for a just a few minutes. Cool Downz can be found on eBay, at hardware stores and around the necks of menopausal women everywhere.
   

   Fashionable French girl or smart cyclist?

5. You’ll feel cooler in a helmet. Once upon a time, bike helmets were thick, hot and heavy. But when the Tour de France began requiring them, some serious money went into developing helmets that were lightweight and cooling. Because of the multitude of intake & exhaust vents, more air is channeled across a rider’s scalp than if they were riding bareheaded. More air on the scalp means more evaporating sweat, which makes for a cooler ride. The cooling effects can be compounded by choosing a white, or light-colored, helmet. And as an added bonus, with a helmet on your chance of suffering severe head trauma when run over by a hypothermic driver is greatly reduced.
6. Ride in the shade. If you have a choice between a tree-lined, shady concrete side-street and an 8-lane asphalt highway, stay on the shady side. The less solar radiation your body absorbs, the less it’ll sweat in compensation.  Plus, narrower, shady streets tend to see less motor vehicle traffics: the internal combustion engines of cars and trucks radiate heat into the black, asphalt streets, which in turn makes for a hotter, sweatier bike ride for you on those same streets, particularly later in the day. In contrast, concrete streets reflect more light, but absorb less heat. In the morning, it might make more sense to ride on a cool, black asphalt street, but in the afternoon a brighter, grey concrete street might be preferable- just bring your sunglasses.
7. All white. It’s not just for P Diddy & Michael Vicks. White, seersucker suits are not only stylish, but cooling. Wearing black is not cool. Go for looser clothing- while flapping shirttails do create a bit more aerodynamic drag, you’ll keep a slightly cooler, insulating layer of air next to your skin.
8. 

   A lovely local shady lane.

   Isopropyl Alcohol & ShamWows. When you reach your destination, make like Superman to the nearest handicap-accessible stall. The extra square-footage will make it easier to set your gear down and change your clothes. Pack a bottle of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in a Ziploc bag for a quick rubdown in the bathroom. ShamWow towels really are amazingly absorbent: your correspond says “Wow!” every time he uses it. Douse that ShamWow towel (or a paper towel) with rubbing alcohol & wipe yourself down. Not only will you kill off odor-causing bacteria, but the rapid evaporation of the alcohol will help you cool down. When you’re done drying off & wiping down, seal the soiled ShamWow back up in the Ziploc bag, along with your sweaty shirt.

9. Slurpees. According to the latest, scientific research done by Lance Armstrong’s Team RadioShack, the quickest way to cool down your core temperature is to consume ice-cold beverages. A Slurpee from 7-Eleven will do the trick, but there are also cheaper, lower-calorie options: a half-full, frozen water bottle (full water bottles tend to explode when frozen) can be topped off before your ride, and enjoyed the whole way in as it thaws. A more serious option for longer-distance riders is a “hydration system,” such as a CamelBak, frozen half-full or filled with ice cubes. The large, cold pouch on your back will help regulate your core temperature, and as the ice thaws, provide you with a cool, refreshing drink.