Masks when riding

[Jewbacca]

Loads of people complaining about using a buff... what do you guys do in the peak of winter, probably stay indoors and not ride cos you not that serious about cycling.

Look hey.... I generally don't feel the cold, so in deepest darkest winter I have been known to wear regular cycle clothes but just with some no finger neoprene gloves....

 

I am not used to having anything covering my face at all. I abhor long sleeves and can't stand not feeling the wind on my face and fore arms.

 

I prefer to have pointy nips and icy ears than cover up! With that said, I made some masks out of Tech fabric that breathe well and have a light framework in them to keep them away from my mouth.

 

It makes it tolerable.... Being out there makes up for any discomfort though 

[Rigardt@Scott]

Look hey.... I generally don't feel the cold, so in deepest darkest winter I have been known to wear regular cycle clothes but just with some no finger neoprene gloves....

 

I am not used to having anything covering my face at all. I abhor long sleeves and can't stand not feeling the wind on my face and fore arms.

 

I prefer to have pointy nips and icy ears than cover up! With that said, I made some masks out of Tech fabric that breathe well and have a light framework in them to keep them away from my mouth.

 

It makes it tolerable.... Being out there makes up for any discomfort though 

 

 

Same here.... my winter and summer cycling kit is exactly the same - bib, baggy, and thin moisture wicking t-shirt, gloves, and a buff under the helmet to keep sweat out of my eyes. I don't ever wear long sleeves even in the middle of winter on a rainy day. The once or twice I have worn a jersey of sorts I have taken it off in the first 5mins of riding. I rather suffer in the cold for 5mins till I heat up than carry around a bunch of extra clothing.

 

I tried the buff, felt like I was being waterboarded and suffocated, tried a few different masks and they were even worse. Everything I have tried is drenched in sweat within minutes. That said, I am sticking to the rules (mostly). I wear a buff around my neck, have it pulled up on public roads, and then just around my neck as soon as I am on dirt - I just pull it up again when I see someone approaching or am about to pass someone. Luckily 95% of my loop is on dirt and out of view of any cars and the general public. Quite honestly I don't see how anyone can breathe through a buff or mask.

 

I have given up on any form of eyewear with a buff/mask - fogs up like crazy. Not the end of the world though, I don't mind riding without glasses.

 

I have ordered some fancy Ciovita masks, from all accounts they are quite comfy to exercise in. I hope that's the case...

[Veebee]

you guys are hard core...

 

During my time in JHB, winter mornings would get to around 4-5deg and a few times around the cradle I got to -4 on some parts of the ride. Not a chance in hell I would ride without a buff. Guess we need some cement pills.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

you guys are hard core...

 

During my time in JHB, winter mornings would get to around 4-5deg and a few times around the cradle I got to -4 on some parts of the ride. Not a chance in hell I would ride without a buff. Guess we need some cement pills.

Yup. In the middle of the English winter I'd be on my bike with my scarf around my face, beanie on and in very warm clothing. I like the cold, but I'm not a dumbass. Mostly... 

[Rigardt@Scott]

you guys are hard core...

 

During my time in JHB, winter mornings would get to around 4-5deg and a few times around the cradle I got to -4 on some parts of the ride. Not a chance in hell I would ride without a buff. Guess we need some cement pills.

Haha when I lived up in the flatlands I used to ride Cradle mid winter in summer kit too. Not trying to look hardcore at all, the fiest 5 - 10mins is rough... but after that I am warm. I prefer to suffer for a little and then be comfy over being comfy for 10mins and suffering the rest of the ride.

 

Flipside is I really struggle in summer when everyone else is enjoying the warm sun.

[Pieter1]

I shaved my glorious beard to just above 5pm shadow. It holds the buff quite well. My shopping mask was a bust for riding.

[DieselnDust]

Same here.... my winter and summer cycling kit is exactly the same - bib, baggy, and thin moisture wicking t-shirt, gloves, and a buff under the helmet to keep sweat out of my eyes. I don't ever wear long sleeves even in the middle of winter on a rainy day. The once or twice I have worn a jersey of sorts I have taken it off in the first 5mins of riding. I rather suffer in the cold for 5mins till I heat up than carry around a bunch of extra clothing.

 

I tried the buff, felt like I was being waterboarded and suffocated, tried a few different masks and they were even worse. Everything I have tried is drenched in sweat within minutes. That said, I am sticking to the rules (mostly). I wear a buff around my neck, have it pulled up on public roads, and then just around my neck as soon as I am on dirt - I just pull it up again when I see someone approaching or am about to pass someone. Luckily 95% of my loop is on dirt and out of view of any cars and the general public. Quite honestly I don't see how anyone can breathe through a buff or mask.

 

I have given up on any form of eyewear with a buff/mask - fogs up like crazy. Not the end of the world though, I don't mind riding without glasses.

 

I have ordered some fancy Ciovita masks, from all accounts they are quite comfy to exercise in. I hope that's the case...

 

 

I'm using the BUFF till my WindWAterWaves masks arrive. They're super cool. 

I don;t have an issue with the buff but having Asthma doesn't make it a pleasant option.

[Frosty]

you guys are hard core...

 

During my time in JHB, winter mornings would get to around 4-5deg and a few times around the cradle I got to -4 on some parts of the ride. Not a chance in hell I would ride without a buff. Guess we need some cement pills.

When I ride in your neighbourhood in winter, I sometimes don’t even need arm warmers, let alone a buff. How I would give to have your winter and our summer.

 

Anyway, a buff is helpful in summer too - in December in Durban, I’d wet it on a MTB ride, keep it around the neck. Makes for a bearable your hot summer’s day rides. The only problem is that it dries in minutes.

[Rigardt@Scott]

I'm using the BUFF till my WindWAterWaves masks arrive. They're super cool.

I don;t have an issue with the buff but having Asthma doesn't make it a pleasant option.

I feel your pain, also an asthmatic...

[Dirt Tracker]

An excerpt from a round table discussion on exercising, masks and the rest. Seems sensible but is never going to be happening in any city without opening more areas up. 

 

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Because breathing harder may release more virus into the air, Ben Levine, physician and director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, told NPR we should double our distance while exercising outside.

 

Are you shedding a large flume of virus on your bike?

Alex McDonald In short, yes. Taking deeper and harder breaths when exercising likely causes more viral shedding, especially if exercising outside where the wind can blow and dissipate the virus. Taking that into consideration, it is likely that due to increased viral shedding individuals that are exercising should probably be more than 6ft apart.

 

Jessalyn Adam We don’t have an answer. The recommendation of staying at least 6ft apart under normal circumstances is actually based on what we know about the flu. While coronavirus behaves differently, we’re doing our best to make inferences.

 

That said, experts are recommending that while running you stay at least 13ft away from others. To minimize the risk as much as you can, put as much space between yourself and others as possible while biking.

 

Do you need to wear a mask if you’re on a mountain trail?

Adam If you’re totally alone or just with people from your own household then that’s fine to go without. However, if there are other people on the trail, wear your mask as you approach and while passing and do your best to try to put as much space as you can between you and the other person. If the terrain doesn’t allow you to put a lot of distance between yourself and the other person, turn away while passing so you’re breathing in the opposite direction.

 

If you’re just passing another person and particularly if you’re just walking and not breathing heavily then I think it’s pretty low-risk.

 

Kelley Vargo The purpose of the mask is more to prevent you from spreading the virus as opposed to keeping you from getting it. If you are feeling sick or “off” you should forgo going on a public trail. Consider exercising at home until you’re feeling OK, because this isn’t just about protecting yourself from the virus – we also don’t want to infect other people.

 

Does exercising with a mask provide performance benefits?

Vargo Training with a mask, especially a homemade mask or an N95 mask will not replicate the effects of altitude training. If you really want to get an edge on your cardiovascular performance as it relates to altitude training, you should train at high altitude.

 

Jessalynn Adam is a double board certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation and primary care sports medicine

 

Alex McDonald is a family physician and former pro triathlete

 

Kelley Vargo is exercise and nutrition sciences faculty at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University and the founder of Sweat and Social Distance

[Dragu]

What is the latest regulation on wearing a mask while riding? (social or training on road)

 

Many wearing and many not...

[DieselnDust]

What is the latest regulation on wearing a mask while riding? (social or training on road)

 

Many wearing and many not...

its not been required to wear one when conducting vigorous exercise since Level 3.

You can even ride in groups as large as 50 and the distance between riders seems to have fallen away as well

[Dragu]

its not been required to wear one when conducting vigorous exercise since Level 3.

You can even ride in groups as large as 50 and the distance between riders seems to have fallen away as well

Thanks for the confirmation DieseInDust!

 

Next time that wingnut screams at me to wear a mask I'm going to have some choice responses 

[Vetplant]

Thanks for the confirmation DieseInDust!

 

Next time that wingnut screams at me to wear a mask I'm going to have some choice responses

Not having a go at you specifically, but is there not a space in our interactions with people out on the road to have a calm chat about things?

 

We are not motorists, having to yell over the drum of traffic and engines. We can chat about this in a calm voice.

 

Then again, don't know if the guy yelling at you will be open to a calm chat to be honest...?

 

Will a calm chat have any positive outcome? Yelling expletives surely won't. Maybe best to Ride On and leave the guy to sulk in his crappy nappy?

[ChrisF]

Thanks for the confirmation DieseInDust!

 

Next time that wingnut screams at me to wear a mask I'm going to have some choice responses

Few thoughts ....

 

 

YES, while exercising you dont "have to" ware a mask.

 

 

Our trail rides are not simplistic though ....

 

 

People stop to open gates .... I hold back and only pass when proper social distancing is possible ... by this point hart rate is high and hard breathing ... not nice to wear a mask under these conditions, BUT also a high riskbsituation to pass close to others without a mask.

 

When passing others with no safe distance option .... I pull up my mask. Some others also do this, I make a point of thanking these riders. No, I dont ask others to do so.

 

The rides itself is okay.

 

 

 

Frankly the only danger is at the coffee stops .... less and less people keeping their distances ... most of these dont have any drinks or eats, just ignoring the use of masks.

 

 

 

I also dont like masks .... but either I stay way out of the groups, or I wear it. (when not riding) this is not about "rules". We all know the benefits of wearing masks - despite the obvious discomfort. Our behaviour will hugely impact the "second wave", which is clearly visible in many other countries

[ChrisF]

Not having a go at you specifically, but is there not a space in our interactions with people out on the road to have a calm chat about things?

 

We are not motorists, having to yell over the drum of traffic and engines. We can chat about this in a calm voice.

 

Then again, don't know if the guy yelling at you will be open to a calm chat to be honest...?

 

Will a calm chat have any positive outcome? Yelling expletives surely won't. Maybe best to Ride On and leave the guy to sulk in his crappy nappy?

A "choise response" to somebody that is already "shouting" cant end good ....

 

 

Pity the first person sees a need to "shout" ...

 

A harsh reply, no matter how "correct", is unlikely to defuse the situation.