Effect of heat and wind on cycling

[Jaco Steyn]

Yesterday I had a true taste of the effect that heat, and wind has on cycling.

I could not join our regular club ride on Saturday morning and went out on my own on Sunday morning. I did check the weather prediction for the day, which did indicate high temperatures and 25-30km/h winds, so I decided to go out early and by about 05:15 I was out on the road. I went out on a route I have done many, many times, cycling from Sasolburg to Parys and back, a round trip of just over 80km.

The first warning sign was when I saw my cycling computer showing a temperature of 28 degrees even before I got to Parys, and constantly battling the wind, which came from the side. Arriving at Parys, I stopped and i ate a banana and had some Energade. Whist cycling from Sasolburg I regularly had a sip of my water bottel which had an electrolytes tablet dissolved in it.  Before venturing back I thought about topping up my liquids at the shopping center's toilets, but thought I had a enough to get back home. 

That bad decision was a big mistake. About 13 km from home, I depleted all of the fluids I had. And my cycling computer indicated a temperature of 34°C. Plus I had the side-wind that did not help me at all. At about 5km from home my mouth and throat were totally parched. When I got back into Sasolburg I stopped at the Shell garage, filled my 750ml bottle and completely drained it within a few seconds. I refilled it, and then took on the last 3km back to home. 

Arriving back home, I had a glass of water with an electrolyte tablet dissolved in it, and also a big glass of ice-cold water to rehydrate. I was totally out of energy when I got back home. This morning my upper leg muscles are a bit stiff from yesterday's battle against the wind and enduring the heat.

One thing's for sure, I will never ever attempt to cycle back to Sasolburg from Parys without first refilling my water bottles! My almost 62 year old body didn't take too kind to the abuse I subject it to yesterday...🫤

 

Edited November 4 by Jaco Steyn

[Ispeed_V]

I hit 42 degrees on my ride yesterday. Even got tan lines of my bib through my jersey🥵

Luckily managed to control my fluid intake as was out for a good 6 hours (170Km's).

The last 20 kays were definitely a HTFU moment.

Edited November 4 by Ispeed_V

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Jaco Steyn said:

i ate a banana and had some Energade

With only electrolytes in the bottles there's a large component of under-fueling here also. Sounds like you consumed about enough for 1 hour of moderate endurance exercise only.

[Jaco Steyn]

5 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

With only electrolytes in the bottles there's a large component of under-fueling here also. Sounds like you consumed about enough for 1 hour of moderate endurance exercise only.

I think you're right about that. Perhaps one banana probably isn't enough for a 3 hour, 85km bike ride. I admit I do tend to not eat enough when out cycling. 

[Super Sywurm]

I did a 80km mtb race on Saturday in +-40deg heat and stong winds.  Overall I did kind of OK, felt great afterwards.

 

[ajnkzn]

GMBN recently had a segment on the effect of heat - you can lose over 50% of your capacity above 35 degrees!

 

Felt it yesterday too - you have to train in the heat and really consciously slow down your effort to avoid blowing up.

 

 

[love2fly]

A Coke at the Shell garage (flattened to remove gas,) would have been better. There's not much good in an Energade either...

[ChrisF]

57 minutes ago, love2fly said:

..... There's not much good in an Energade either...

 

Uhmmmmm .... some dietitians would differ from you, dietitians with a masters degree in sports nutrition ....

 

 

Then again, they consider:

-PRE ride food intake

- DURING the ride

. WATER

. Nutrition

. Electrolytes  (Energade would only be one component of this .... for A-bunch riders certainly better options available)

-POST ride - recovery liquids and food .....

[Jaco Steyn]

Very informative reads I stumbled upon.

What & When to Drink to Ride Longer

Exactly What to Eat and Drink After a Ride

Edited November 5 by Jaco Steyn

[NicholasT]

@Jaco Steyn Even on the best days the ride from Parys back to Sasol on the R59 is a slog(I live in VDBP). It’s a long, unpicturesque, boring and pretty risky mission that is enough to take any gees you had out of you. 20x worse if you’re doing it solo.

[SSCC]

16 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

Uhmmmmm .... some dietitians would differ from you, dietitians with a masters degree in sports nutrition ....

That Energade is a good product?

[Mook]

BMI and fitness levels differ dramatically amongst individuals and these are the 2 attributes that have to answer the difficult questions when you exercise in extreme heat.

You have to anticipate more fluid loss than under normal conditions. By the time you hit the "wall" it's too late.

Being a habitual cramper myself, I have to force myself to drink more regularly rather than wait for my body to signal that it's thirsty. Scientists prescribe the average fluids or carbs per hour to be ingested, yet these are only average volumes. You have to train in various conditions and figure out what your body needs more of in extreme heat.

 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, SSCC said:

That Energade is a good product?

 

As PART of a nutrition approach.

[SSCC]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

As PART of a nutrition approach.

All sports drinks are essentially water, sugars, salt. The shitty ones add other crap like artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Energade is one of those. Plus it’s a low carb sports drink by modern standards so it fails on multiple fronts. If you’re mid ride and desperate and there is nothing else then it will do the job but its far from a good product. 

[Jaco Steyn]

17 hours ago, SSCC said:

If you’re mid ride and desperate and there is nothing else then it will do the job but its far from a good product. 

What alternatives would you recommend? I have always just used Energade because it's always readily available, but I am open to suggestions.

[Super Sywurm]

29 minutes ago, Jaco Steyn said:

What alternatives would you recommend? I have always just used Energade because it's always readily available, but I am open to suggestions.

I always used Powerade, Energede, water or Oros (depending on the ride).  My last two rides I used USN Cyto Power and I felt way better.

Then again, I never cramp.  But on my last ride, just before the end, I started cramping.  The Cyto Power might not be that good for me.  Or, it might have been the heat or not enough fluids.  I'll give the Cyto Power another couple of chances and see what it does.