Great article on hot weather riding

[bajakirch]

Someone posted this link over on another forum. It's the best, most comprehensive, evidence-based description of how to decide what gear to wear (and how much to drink) in hot weather I've ever seen.

http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/ironbutt_1002_62-66_Hot.pdf

So here's a follow-up question I have. After reading the article (yes, it'll take a little while, but it's worth it) I'm wondering:  Does the fairing and windscreen on a C10 offer enough wind protection that mesh gear is OK over 93 degrees? Or would it still be better to go with a vented jacket instead?

 

[rabbott5]

With the heat that comes off the Connie engine, on hot days I wear a tech fabric shirt under a mesh jacket and tall Under Armor heat gear socks with LD Comfort shots under my riding pants.  If I can keep moving, I won't stop for a water break until I need gas (250-280 miles).  It's all good information, you just need to know your body and its limits.

 

[Old_Steve]

Good information.  Here in the Phoenix area, I don't do long rides when it's stupid hot.  I still commute to work, but it took me a while to get the gear right.  I wear a phase-change material Cool Vest under a MotoPort kevlar mesh jacket and pants.  I run with the windshield almost all the way up for the reasons described in the article.  With the PCM vest, it's cooler if I block most of the air.  I also soak down my kevlar gloves before I leave work in the afternoon - that helps a lot, too.  They're just drying out when I get home 25 miles later.  This setup is actually pretty comfortable up to 100F.  It's tolerable up to about 110F.  Above that, there just ain't no making it good.  I rode one day last summer when it was 117, and I experienced another effect described in the article - on my toasty ankles where the air blew up my cuffs.
The biggest benefit of the PCM vest is if I need to make a stop on the way home.  I can wear my jacket into a store, and actually be comfortable without the high airflow.  Same goes for stop signs and red lights.

 

[jimp]

So here's a follow-up question I have. After reading the article (yes, it'll take a little while, but it's worth it) I'm wondering:  Does the fairing and windscreen on a C10 offer enough wind protection that mesh gear is OK over 93 degrees? Or would it still be better to go with a vented jacket instead?

Good question. I have ridden in temps up to 114F. With the mesh jacket and pants I was hot and dehydrated. With a vented jacket and pants I was even hotter and dehydrated. In leathers, I was hot and clammy, but I wasn't dehydrated... less evaporation.

But one thing I did learn is that drinking water is not enough. You need to replenish your body salts. Supplement your intake with sports drinks - Gatoraide or similar. My last trip across the Mojave drove that point home for me. I wear a frozen two liter Camelbak under my jacket and have a couple of hours of cold water to drink. But after a couple of days of desert riding it reached the point where despite drinking a lot of water, my body couldn't go on. All it took is one sports drink for me to feel a huge difference.

The C10 has a barn door of a fairing. It blocks most air. Baker or Kawi airwings help, along with a cut down windshield. But when it's hot, it's hot. Question: what's the difference between an oven and a convection oven? The fan.

Of course it also depends on your body metabolism. I do better in the cold than I do in heat.

 

[fartymarty]

Thanks bajakirsch for sharing that, a very informative article.  :great: :c017:

 

[2linby]

[
But one thing I did learn is that drinking water is not enough. You need to replenish your body salts.

So the salted rim from one or more frozen margarita's should do the trick................................... :beerchug:

 

[ron203]

Good article. I (re)learned to drive the truck when it's 93+. 

 

[ChipDoc]

I was riding to work today when the temp crossed the 93 mark.  It really does make a difference.

 

[bajakirch]

That article was posted in response to a question I had about wearing underlayers in hot weather. I heard a podcast host describe how important it is to wear a wicking layer in hot weather. But she never explained the 93-degree rule. So I couldn't understand how adding a layer of clothing would actually cool you down. Did not compute.

This article did a great job of explain that, and then some.

 

[OMoaC]

It was reprinted (with permission) in the latest SW region newsletter and is a great article. More info can be found on LD Comforts website as well. Having ridden in the DEZ for many years it is very true.

 

[tundra tom]

Cool vests are a MUST for hot weather just as heated gear is for cold. They pack very thin and not only provide evaporation to cool your core temp. but keep you hydrated in part because they "sweat" for you. This one has lasted many years and miles and inexpensive at $35
http://www.techniche-intl.com/catalogus/hyperkewl-cooling-sport-vest.html
I've found they actually work just fine with a (well) vented jacket and retain their effect longer than with mesh gear. When dry they can also be used as a insulating layer for colder weather.
For travel keep it in a two gallon zip lock bag. When stopping for fuel and the ensuing bathroom break I bring the vest in the bag to the sink and fill it with cold water to re-soak it. Typically taking the excess and dumping it over my head when I get back to the cycle. Another consideration is a cold Poweraid zero/Gatorade G2 at gas stops to replenish electrolytes (the low/no sugar because they are less of a diuretic)  Between this and a hydration pack to sip on as you are riding, rather than chugging allot of water between stops, really make a difference in fatigue and recovery for the next day. Here's picture of the set up I ran for the TN national. Hydration pack clipped to the top of the tail bag D rings with spring loaded S hooks and a rock strap for further stability (can be quickly removed for hiking, refilling etc.)
I ran the hose through a larger S hook clipped to my Jacket and the bite valve through a D rind on my tank bag. Keeping the pack off your back allows better venting. Stay cool out there!

 

[Daytona_Mike]

For the really hot days I run full LD comfort gear. Long sleeve shirt, helmet liner and shorts. The shirt  holds pretty much  4 - 12 oz bottles of water to get the shirt fully  soaked..one for each sleeve- one for the back another for the front.
I do not wear  mesh and  use little to no  venting. I learned this from speaking to the folks at LDcomfort. The idea is to create a micro-climate  and keep that cool air within  my Aerostich gear. Too much venting and you loose the cool air. Mesh will not work for this. My mesh pants and jacket went in  the garbage. I had no more use for them.
I have one Aerostich jacket and one pair of Aerostich  pants which I wear  for all seasons and all weather. On hot dry days I get about  2 hours out of the shirt before having to recharge the shirt with water. Plus I have a 3 liter  pressurized hydro-pack (pumps up with a bulb) with Ice and water. Besides drinking  it is also used to spray cold water on my neck and face if I have to. I rode to Idaho  Falls and back last year to the Nationals. The temps were very high but I was cool.

 

[bajakirch]

The evaporative vests and clothing are a great solution, as long as you don't mind putting on wet clothing. But I do.

My goal is to come up with a cooling solution that doesn't require me to douse myself or put on a dripping shirt (ick, I hate that feeling).

 

[gpink]

Have we seen this one yet?  http://entrosys.com/

 

[mcfly]

Have we seen this one yet?  http://entrosys.com/

I've actually read up on this before.  very cool (pun intended) system, but I don't care for
1) the large unit on the pillion that robs cargo space for long rides, and 2) price... (ooch)
and 3) the added power use is big for a C10.

The evaporative vests and clothing are a great solution, as long as you don't mind putting on wet clothing. But I do.

My goal is to come up with a cooling solution that doesn't require me to douse myself or put on a dripping shirt (ick, I hate that feeling).

In one respect, I look at being soaked with sweat, or soaked with water intentionally, and the latter just seems better to me.

There are 'dry' cooling vests available (one example): http://www.twistedthrottle.com/macna-dry-cooling-vest
Though I haven't used one yet, reviews are mixed (as usual) so it's a big investment to try it out.  The macna seems to
be the most promising, as it claims to work in up to 80% humidity.

 

[bajakirch]

In one respect, I look at being soaked with sweat, or soaked with water intentionally, and the latter just seems better to me.

You bring up a good point. As I'm noodling around with this concept, I'm coming to the realization that I should be making a distinction between cooling and comfort.

In my eyes, cooling is ultimately the more important of the two. And, when it comes down to it, I'll douse myself or welcome the perspiration as a way to make sure I don't get sick (or worse) from the heat.

What I guess the intent of my original post was going for is greater comfort while riding in hot weather. I don't like putting on wet clothing or dumping water on my head. I don't enjoy hopping off the bike sticky from sweat. These are just my own personal issues, I know. But if I can incorporate an external source of cooling that can help keep me from sweating, I'd be a happy rider.

I've seen the articles on the 'motorcycle air conditioner'. Without doubt, it's too expensive for someone like me to consider at this point. However, I believe it to be promising technology that you could see incorporated on bikes as an option or even stock item as the technology improves, the units slim down and the costs decreases. Some riders in hot climates might see cooling to be nearly as important as ABS or traction control. And it sure would largely remove one of the big arguments against ATGATT ("It's too hot").