Touring in hot weather

[barbagris]

@laraza

Dropped you a PM with some notes on this years weather in Spain (and Southern French Atlantic) - which is so far atypical.

Just noticed you're in So'ton which is just down the road from my mum in Wimborne.

Poole-Cherbourg crossing? - If so try and find a quiet corner on the boat to kip. It's Wessex after all - get thee Far from the Madding Crowd.

A botty option or two

Treat Lite2 Motorcycle Comfort Seating – Dan Medica South Ltd - not tried this on a bike but have it on my office chair. No sweaty botty. Get the biggest one.

Honeycomb All Weather 3D Mesh Non Slip Seat Cover – Dan Medica South Ltd Have these on both my bikes. It will require some "persuasion" to get over the R3 seat (did on my classic anyway) - But do not go for this if you ride in THIN trousers. You will get a mesh pattern in your bum.

 

[laraza]

Thanks all for your replies, really useful stuff!

 

[2012cliff]

I find having water handy while riding is necessary. Half gets drank and the other half i use to spray myself(it e evaporates quickly but sure does cool me down. Another thing is to wear a helmet with a different colour than black. I have a white helmet because of heat.

 

[budman]

http://www.ldcomfort.com/pdf/LDComfortOnePage2013.pdf

 

[Joesmoe]

Extra warm day here today, and really appreciated having the Kewl Texas vest, with the hydrocarbon ice packs in the pockets. My arms perspired and my core was comfortable.

 

[sonny]

All week 95 degrees plus around 1:30 in the afternoon. Ride to work about a hour and 15 minutes. Today 104 degrees with about 80% humidity. Very tough today. Bike seems to handle it better than the rider. All in all not bad. No special gear but did switch to brain bucket helmet. Better than the three quarter. In a couple of months will look back and think **** it was better than this cold weather. It is all a state of mind.

 

[barbagris]

I find having water handy while riding is necessary. Half gets drank and the other half i use to spray myself(it e evaporates quickly but sure does cool me down.

OK - now at the risk of this getting all cosmetic and girlie. And aimed at UK/EU audience coming to Spain.

Optrex do a small spray that is sprayed onto your CLOSED eyes - blink a couple of times and you're off. I use it for extended PC work. They also do one for "prickly" eyes - not tried it. If my eyes are that bad I wash fully with eyewash and stop.
One thing with water on hot sweaty face - use a lot or it washes the salt into your eyes. Face first - eyes second.
Also Spanish supermarket chain "Mercadona" has a spray with "Avena" (Wheatgerm) - which has a pronounced cooling effect on skin. This from Mrs Barbagis who despite being a native Iberian HATES the heat.

But riding here I would say one of the most expedient factors is AVOID heat. Start at about 6AM (just before dawn)and ride until 2-3PM then stop for the day. And find a pool. For one trip I would not buy a new lid, or jacket, or pants - unless you had already planned to. Isolate, insulate and hydrate. And just don't rush it.

It's also key that in the 2000kms drive south the weather conditions will change so the gear has to cover ALL conditions. It could easily be cool in Normandy - "muggy" in the Aquitaine, drizzly (and cool) in the Basque Pyrenees and a blistering desert in Central Spain. It was when we drove that route last September. Cooling off near the south coast. Or any combination.

The weather this year has been atypical. We've had temps fall 10°C during the day. Actually rise overnight. Some of the heaviest summers storms ever recorded. We saw a peak of 400mm/h.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

What I can recommend is air in your tyres - 78% nitrogen anyway.

I think nitrogen in anything but a race tire is the biggest waste of money since bottled water. One of the proposed benefits is that nitrogen molecules are larger and don't leak out as quickly. Following that line of reasoning, the other gases (oxygen etc.) would leak out first. After a couple refills all that would be left is nitrogen anyway.

 

[dawb]

These guys covered it all above. Enjoy.

 

[Tripps]

I think nitrogen in anything but a race tire is the biggest waste of money since bottled water. One of the proposed benefits is that nitrogen molecules are larger and don't leak out as quickly. Following that line of reasoning, the other gases (oxygen etc.) would leak out first. After a couple refills all that would be left is nitrogen anyway.

Yup, exactly what I always said.