The Buzzard 600

[Chris S]

Looks like it could be a tough one: 30C across Salisbury Plain. Ouch! 

[caerau]

I'm looking very much like a DNS for this. My ankle is still sore and risking a 600k just 9 days after a sprain seems unwise (I've not been on a bike since I hurt it on Thursday).

Shame I was looking forward to meeting you properly this time, as opposed to a quick conversation when I was in a very dazed state at Hapsden the other week - hope the ankle recovers for LEL.

Yes, mr whiteness and easily burnable here of scottish blood (and hence poor ability to cope in really hot weather generally) is somewhat worried about the scorching temps forecast.  Lots of sunblock and shade seeking whenever possible looks in order.  I expect to get through plenty of water too...

[simonp]

I can't recall having done a 600k in these temperatures. I normally use P20 or Travelsafe Sunprotect to avoid having to stop repeatedly to apply suncream. I've ordered some of the Calypso Once a Day SPF 40 mentioned elsewhere for LEL as I don't really like P20 (too low a protection factor for all day on the bike in this weather and it's horrible stuff to apply) and I can't get hold of the much more pleasant Travelsafe stuff any more.

[caerau]

Is it worth wearing a long-sleeved base layer - sounds too hot but I wonder if the wicking might actually be cooling...?

[simonp]

Possibly - I would normally just wear a lightweight short sleeved jersey, though. I have some arm screens now which are SPF 50. Very thin and supposed to keep you cool, but not used them in hot conditions yet.

Here are some tips I've relied on when it's been hot:

If you are feeling the heat, and are wearing a cycling cap, fill it with water and put it on (I'd not use my drinking water supply for this, but if you are filling bottles at the same time then you can do this). Also, you can fill your shoes with water then put them on, splash your face with cold water. Also at controls, you could take a minute to wash the sweat out of your hair, hat, helmet over time salt builds up and then suddenly finds its way into your eyes. This is not pleasant. I've been unable to see where I'm going when a sudden downpour occurs after sweating in a helmet all day, washing all the salt out onto my face.

[Chris S]

We found burning [sic] some of our accrued time advantage up in the shade of a pub, quite beneficial last Saturday, on a 300 in similar temperatures. We were under cover between 1pm and 2:30pm, and I think that helped us quite a bit. The cold beer was nice too  .

On a 600, it might be worth trading a couple of hours in the hottest part of the afternoon for a couple of hours extra riding in the cool of the night. Provided you have the margin to play with.

[edscoble]

If you are feeling the heat, and are wearing a cycling cap, fill it with water and put it on

Sadly would not work for me, my own solution is merely a hat with big enough brim to shelter from the sun.

[caerau]

I discovered the wet sock thing myself inadvertently yesterday on a ride home from work. 
I had a loose bottle cage and it kept bouncing a bidon that had a broken mouthpiece onto my foot, thereby pouring its contents inside my shoes.  It was lovely  - if a little annoying that my drinking water was ending up on my foot 

I've been watching Froomey wetting his hands on the TdF too - might try that at a control stop too.

[simonp]

There is a system for rapid cooling of the blood which is based around gripping a bar with cold water pumped through. So the wet hands could help.

[caerau]

It's one of Team Sky's little tiny advantages so I've read somewhere - lots of blood flow to the fingers so lots of cooling apparently.  Not little advantage any more I guess - the cat's out of the bag on that one.

[Tynan]

I and another rode 685km last weekend along the LEL route almost as far as Pockington and it was certainly very hot and sunny

we used a lot of factor 50 sun cream and drank a lot of water and cold coke, other than that we were fine, on the Sunday early afternoon it was very hot indeed and at that point it started to become slightly difficult but we rode through it (some slightly mismanaged time and we thought we were on a tighter time limit than we were)

and we used baby wipes and lots of sudocream

no real problems at all, so i humbly suggest with those sensible and obvious precautions, based on our experience, there's nothing to worry about really

except perhaps watching out for melting tarmac

[teethgrinder]

If I hear anyone complainig about heat on this ride then I will have to remind than that when I rode this route in December I had a headwind for the first 300km, rain, cold and even a bit of ice before Pangbourne. I took shelter and slept briefly under a bridge in the cold.
Oh how I dreamed of hot weather!

[Glover Fan]

Nivea do a great "invisible" factor 30 spray. It is a light blue bottle. I have ridden all day in strong sunlight without burning or needing to reapply. It is not think either so you don't even notice it is on.

[JordanCarroll]

^^Haha!

[caerau]

If I hear anyone complainig about heat on this ride then I will have to remind than that when I rode this route in December I had a headwind for the first 300km, rain, cold and even a bit of ice before Pangbourne. I took shelter and slept briefly under a bridge in the cold.
Oh how I dreamed of hot weather!

Yeah well we all rode cold rides in December and you are not me and we all deal with different weather conditions differently. How hot is it allowed to be before it is allowed to be a problem? 25, 30, 40, 50?

*blows a raspberry*  some of us don't deal with heat well.  I'm not sure I wouldn't rather it was cold :-P

[teethgrinder]

Yeah well we all rode cold rides in December and you are not me and we all deal with different weather conditions differently. How hot is it allowed to be before it is allowed to be a problem? 25, 30, 40, 50?

I wasn't exactly overwhelmed by people asking to join me on a December 600. I guess you were all doing 200s or something.
 

25 is just a bit warm.
30 is quite nice.
35 is definitely hot but 40 really is scorchio.
Anything over 40 is probably going to be challenging.

[caerau]

I have trouble dealing with 30 when I'm not doing anything let alone cycling a long way.
Frankly I don't care what you think, sorry but like I said, some of us don't deal with heat well and I make no apologies about being concerned. I'll probably be alright but I think it's reasonable to ask advice on dealing with it when I haven't done it before.

My first 100 mile ride took place on Dec 29th against storm force winds and all-day torrential rain. It wasn't much fun at times but I did it and I expect this wont be remotely as bad and I expect it will be OK. Nevertheless, I have been sunburnt in less than 15 minutes in Scotland before now in the sunshine. For me this is a major concern so - with respect - just because YOU have no issue with it - it doesn't make that a universal fact of human reality.

[Ian H]

I have trouble dealing with 30 when I'm not doing anything let alone cycling a long way.
Frankly I don't care what you think, sorry but like I said, some of us don't deal with heat well and I make no apologies about being concerned. I'll probably be alright but I think it's reasonable to ask advice on dealing with it when I haven't done it before.

My first 100 mile ride took place on Dec 29th against storm force winds and all-day torrential rain. It wasn't much fun at times but I did it and I expect this wont be remotely as bad and I expect it will be OK. Nevertheless, I have been sunburnt in less than 15 minutes in Scotland before now in the sunshine. For me this is a major concern so - with respect - just because YOU have no issue with it - it doesn't make that a universal fact of human reality.

There are ways and means.

[caerau]

   I was vaguely wondering if I should wear one of these



Not that I'll look much like that if I do

[L CC]

. Nevertheless, I have been sunburnt in less than 15 minutes in Scotland before now in the sunshine.

So have I.
In all seriousness, hot¹ riding on the flat isn't too bad, you generate a breeze and if you remember to drink enough, it's not too bad. When you stop, stop in the shade and take on cold fluids (Chris recommends Stella, I'm more a glass of ice with orange-and-lemonade kind of gal). Don't push hard on any climbs because that's when you'll fry- you're not going fast enough to cool and your sweat wont do its job. Stop-start riding through traffic in the heat is also a bit pants, for the same reason.
Wet buff/cap (under your helmet if you wear one), wet gloves and high SPF suncream.

And enjoy it, by next December it'll just be fading tanlines in the memory.



1:For UK values of hot

[Hillbilly]

Some random thoughts that spring to mind:

Wear a top with a full zip that can be fully undone.
Pack a long sleeved top just in case arms start to crispen up.
Take a handkerchief.  For wiping sweat out of eyes and also it can be soaked in water and tied around the neck for cooling.
Similarly a cycling cap can be dowsed and used.
Take advantage of the shade - bus shelters are the randonneur's friend both night and day 
At controls, add washing your face with cold water.
If possible, add ice to water bottles.  Bags can be bought in supermarkets etc for around £1-£2.  If riding in company, you can share them.

On sun lotions, I rate Riemmann above all others that I have tried.  P20 has been adequate for me, applied twice if riding all day (10am and 1pm usually).  Those more prone to burning might be better suited to P30 or even P50.

[edscoble]

Only just realised this is my first ever Audax that actually have some proper temperature and sunshine, finally!

[mattc]

I have trouble dealing with 30 when I'm not doing anything let alone cycling a long way.
Frankly I don't care what you think, sorry but like I said, some of us don't deal with heat well and I make no apologies about being concerned. I'll probably be alright but I think it's reasonable to ask advice on dealing with it when I haven't done it before.

Sounds sensible to me.
There are remnants on this thread of the old British attitude to take hot weather lightly. Even the Australians have been ahead of us in this area.

Also I don't think we should conflate sunburn with other heat issues. Your core temperature could be soaring even though your sun-toughened skin is showing no signs of burning (and vice versa).

You could cover every inch of skin and still die from heat-exhaustion.

[caerau]

Indeed.  I should stress that I'm not *that* worried - just concerned* - I have been tapering my riding in the last couple of weeks but deliberately did an intense speedy ride in the heat on Monday evening to get a bit of a feel for things and found that I got *very* hot on the moderate climbs on route  (as fboab pointed out).

Thanks for all the advice anyway 


And I'm definitely not complaining about the weather!  It's lovely 



*Plus I've noticed a pattern of me crapping myself about stuff before each new step up in distance - this is becoming now limited now I'm getting to the real major distances.  Hopefully I'll stop whinging now as I'm starting to annoy myself.

[simonp]

South facing climbs in the afternoon with a tail wind FTW.