Welcome to #BikeNite on Friday, July 3rd.
Thanks for joining our chat. Anyone can join, now or later. Reply to what you like, and boost for visibility.
Our intro, and question from @grammasaurus
Q1. Where are you posting from today?
It's unsafely hot in many parts of the USA, and was last week in Europe. If you must, what’s your best hot weather cycling tip?
Hopefully the scheduler is working?
A1. I am in Oakland, CA, and am prepping for a 4th of July bike costume as well as for a trip to England next week. (Part of the trip will be in London mid-week, and Iam excited!)
We have been very fortunate to not have had very hot weather yet this year, though it sometimes comes later in the year when it is wildfire season..
I don't have great recommendations other than I haven't been doing long rides in the heat for quite some time. But I did get terrible electrolyte imbalance headaches in the past, and so if I am smart about preparation, I take electrolyte tablets and electrolyte drinks, and plenty of liquid.
Jul 3, 2026, 11:11 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1: Northshore, north of Seattle, Washington State, Cascadia.
One of the benefits for me of being an eBike rider is that I can maintain a higher speed at any given effort level. This means functionally that I can make a breeze. In previous heat waves, that's extended my functional outdoor temperature to, like, 35°C, as long as I can get to a temperature-moderated space as soon as I stop moving.
On an analogue bike, I rediscovered a few weeks ago when it was hot here how important that was. Trying to make my way up a hill, I had to stop in shade to cool off over and over again. Not from the effort, that was fine: from the temperature. I couldn't move fast enough to generate effective cooling.
Jul 3, 2026, 11:14 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Toots from the inlaws' place. If it's hot, I usually try to make sure I have some kind of sport drink with me instead of just water. I've been meaning to get some water crystals (e.g. MiracleGro) to put together a cooling neck scarf/wrap. You just need a cotton bandana (or thereabouts) and about a tablespoon or two of water crystals each. They really do help cool you off.
Jul 3, 2026, 11:18 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Posting from Beaverton, OR, as usual.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and do your best to stay in the shade.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Northern Virginia as usual. It’s hot as an oven out there. Bike tips? Hah. Don’t go if you don’t have to. Stay in the shade and move as slowly as possible. #bikeNite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
#BikeNite A1:
I'm posting from Chicago while visiting the grandkids.
If you must ride in the heat, be sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and take frequent breaks, preferably in a shady spot.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite I'm in Seattle A1. I usually keep electrolyte tablets in my saddle bag so I always have some. I do keep a specific bottle for the tablets because I feel like it's a pain to get the taste out. I also bring carbohydrate gummies just in case. I wear breathable material including socks. I usually ride to heart rate so I'll be going slower to manage that with increased heat. #bikenite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #BikeNite
A1. Posting from northern NM.
I'm on a low-salt diet for a heart issue, and found recently, with the hotter weather, that I was dragging on some harder high-altitude hikes. For the most recent one, I made a point of sprinkling a little salt on breakfast, and did great. So don't forget the salt in hot weather!
Other than that, I'm doing my acoustic bike riding mostly in the morning, and taking an ebike if I need to run errands in the mid-afternoon.
Jul 3, 2026, 11:40 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #bikenite BikeTooter
central ILlinois where I forgot the sunscreen yesterday but it wasn't that long an errand...
Hydrate -- and I stick my head in the shower before I go out and get drippy.
Jul 3, 2026, 11:41 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #BikeNite A1 Melbourne, boonwurrung land. Take it easy, drink lots, think like a camel - cover the distance with minimal effort and make sure you recover afterwards
edit: stay on routes under tree cover if you can, heat on a tar road can be far higher than the "still air" temperature reported in weather readings. I've seen it vary 10℃ in my commute from along the creek to across the ten lane road
Jul 3, 2026, 11:50 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1 Posting from Ann Arbor, MI, where it has been stinking hot.
I like to ride after dark when it's cooled off some most days, and also take rides down by the river where it's often 5F or more cooler than town.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. As I am almost all the time, I’m in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where the temperature reached 32°C today, with high humidity. I didn’t ride my bike today, which is, I guess, an implicit tip 🤣🚴♀️❤️
Edit to expand: I avoid most long rides in very hot weather, but I’ll still do short utility rides like getting groceries. At least there’s a breeze while I’m moving 🤣
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite I'm posting from Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand. If any of that heat is going spare, could you send it here please? I can't cycle fast enough to keep my core temperature up early mornings this week
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1 #BikeNite From west coast Florida, where it is merely normally hot and humid. I drink a lot of water. The wind is usually decently cooling, even with our ridiculous dew point (76F right now, I think higher locally because it just rained.)
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Nashville, TN. We were under an Extreme Heat Warning all week, which turns into a Heat Advisory tonight. My best suggestion is to cycle early if you can. On days where I also had to ride in the afternoon this week (commuting), I took it slow, had a lot of cold water with me, minimized my distance, and stuck to shady roads as much as possible. It was still really tiring to be out in the heat & humidity though. #BikeNite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #bikenite Posting from Carbon County Montana. We can get hot days in the summer, but the humidity is usually fairly low and it usually cools off a bit at night. I was in North Carolina a couple weeks ago, visiting family where it was 100° and really humid. Temperatures were lowest between 5 and 7 AM so I tried to ride then when possible.
Jul 4, 2026, 1:42 AM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. I am posting from the rather humid but bearable #VancouverIsland on #Canada's #LeftCoast.
A1a. First, try to ride in a temperate rain forest coastland with a cold ocean current immediately offshore…
But if that is not an option, listen to your local weather office advice: ride very early in the day, when temperatures are lowest. It is not unknown for me to be finishing my ride at 06:00.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1: Sydney, Australia, where it's winter but the promised rain has not arrived.
Drink before you ride, pee during the ride (stop and dismount if you must). Longer rides keep drinking while you ride.
Wear sunscreen, and put it on before you put on your gloves. Cycling gloves are the opposite of suncreen.
Jul 4, 2026, 9:40 PM
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #BikeNite A1. It's safe to bicycle here, though I am nursing a minor injury so no bicycling for me until that is better. However, given the heat, I have recently figured out how to get a trainer working so I can ride indoors when the weather is too hot if I want. Not that I will get very far. 🤔 #
@ai6yr @ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite definitely recommend a smart trainer if you can. @lehtimaeki made a cool android app https://indoorbike.app that can control smart trainers so you can dial in a power load and his website has a nice editor to create new workouts too.
Jul 4, 2026, 9:26 PM@ai6yr @ascentale @grammasaurus Get well soon!
@oheso @ascentale @grammasaurus Almost back to normal. Trying not to push it, lol.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1: York UK as per usual.
Hot weather cycling tip - don't if you can possibly avoid it!
If you have to cycle, don't do it in the UK when it's over 35°C and the humidity is off the top of the scale! DAHIKT!! 😁😁🥵🥵
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
London - last time I will be posting from home for weeks
From last week's experience - learn to drink on the move.
I was riding with folks who don't like to reach down and grab a bottle whilst still rolling. Multiple snags:
Stopping starting is huge effort on long ride.
One drinks less regularly.
You lose cooling effect and immediately sweat up.
Stops are when you need to drink not in nice cool spots
And
Sunscreen & correct clothing
Efficient riding
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite Bük in western Hungary.
Hot weather: get a classic cotton cycling cap, soak it in water and put it on. Depending on the heat and the wind, this will keep your head cool for an hour. Longer, if you have hair and make those wet, too.
Drink: religiously. In my case 1/2 bottle per 10 km.
Sunscreen: of course, but not the sticky kind, rather a light spray.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite and remember: walking is even worse in the heat than slow cycling.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
#bikeNite #bikeNiteA
A1
Lying in bed. Outside is the western edge of Saddleworth Moor, where Manchester turns rural.
My beloved partner has just brought me coffee. Life is good.
How to deal with this heat? Two options:
1) don't
2) if that's not an option, use an ebike, and stick to the shade as much as possible.
I'm lucky that my commute can be half done along a canal, which is a lot cooler.
Jul 4, 2026, 8:08 AM@ascentale
A1: posting from London England
If I must cycle in hot weather then hydration, pace yourself and eat ice-cream!
@grammasaurus @bikenite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Tirana, #Albania where peaceful anti-corruption protestors are on their 35th day calling for the current PM to resign and for regime change.
Hot weather cycling: Wake up as early as possible and cycle close to dawn. I cycle in a long-sleeved SPF shirt (not jersey). So I don't have to apply sunscreen as many places, it's lightweight & cool, and it dries fast after washing. #BikeNite #BikeTooter #FlamingoRevolution
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite Near Bansko, Bulgaria at the moment. The Balkans have escaped the worst of Europe’s heat, but they’re still way too hot. The key to bike touring is the siesta: ride 6:00 to noon, then 4:00 to whenever you get tired.
Jul 4, 2026, 9:13 AM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #BikeNite A1. My newly-airconditioned home in Northern New England, where Heat Indexes are hitting 105-110, this week. My neighbor gave me a small window unit she no longer needed. First time I've had aircon at home since 2012!
Best hot weather cycling tip: don't.
Second best tip: ebike.
Third best tip: ride at night. buy good lights!
Fourth best tip: hydration, hydration, hydration. and electrolytes!
Fifth best tip: frequent breaks, preferably in shade.
#BikeNite A1 the heat in Portland is usually dry, so pour a bit of water in your hat and choose a shady route to your destination. Ebikes help keep the breeze moving but how do you cool off when you stop? I try not to sit down until I've cooled off a bit, more air movement /evaporative cooling.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. Posting from Gloucestershire, UK, where it is probably between heatwaves.
Suncream is obvious, so I won't count that as a tip. But on a related note, I opt for a bandana on hot sunny days to protect my head* from the sun that sneaks through the vents in my helmet and to keep the sun off the back of my neck.
*where there might be slightly less hair than there used to be.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. hello from Highcliffe-on-Sea. I don't have any hot weather tips. I think your bike will enjoy the warmth. #BikeNite
Jul 4, 2026, 11:35 AM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. On holiday in Umbria, no cycling available. My only tip is to go as early as possible in the day, but I cycle mostly for fun and exercise, not transport.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite #BikeNite Posting from Naarm.
A1 My silly little tip that I expect people learn quickly: Keep your but on the saddle, they heat up so fast.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. Rushford, Minnesota.
Find shade. Shade from trees makes a huge difference in the heat.
Wear long sleeves (sunscreen on your arms if you can't or don't want to).
Use Chapstick or something similar by your temples to channel sweat away from your eyes.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite Joining from north central Indiana. All of the above tips. UPF arm and leg sleeves have been the best adaptation I’ve adopted over the years #bikenite
@Brownian_motion @ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite just invested in arm sleeves, and a cap likewise. ✅
A1. Posting from the @LollaMac shop counter, for the first time in a while.
I don't think I've had to deal with unsafely hot weather. I guess my main concerns would be sun protection, hydration, and listen to your body. If you need to do something, do it slowly.
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Eastern PA.
So generally: Stay hydrated, suncreen or covered, pay attention to your body, and either ride early in the morn or ride larer and take it much easier.
We had really hot and humid weather this week and the only riding I did was a late afternoon ride to the community meeting about 1 mile away. I took it easy, prioritized shade as much as I could, and gave myself time to cool down after.
Stay safe out there.
#BikeNite
Jul 4, 2026, 6:32 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
#ChicoCA Coolest summer of my 12 years in the #CentralValley! Mostly low-mid-90s with only a couple 100F high fives.
My hot season bike tip: Get used to it, hydrate, and keep pedaling. It's the coolest summer of the rest of your life.
@n8dly @ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
And your children's
And theirs, and theirs and theirs and theirs, for probably 25-35 generations.
At least.
Good luck eh
Jul 4, 2026, 9:16 PMWeee!
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. In a city near Frankfurt, Germany.
If you're biking in sandals under the blazing sun, don't forget your feet when you're putting on sunscreen! (Written from painful experience.)
#bikenite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
Update from Germany: Since weather records began in Europe (around 250 years ago), it has never been this hot here in June as this year. Although over the past few days, we had a drop in temperatures in Germany, In southern France, like in Lyon, daily high temperatures are still at 37 °C (99 °F) and above. 1/2
#bikenite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite We've never experienced such heat in Europe, which is common in some parts of North America, Australia or Africa. People over here are not prepared for such temperatures. We hardly got air condition in private homes. People suffer. Some even collapse and die. Neither is some infrastructure. Some train lines stopped working for days…
And again. Climate scientists tell us that this will be the coolest summer of our future!
Jul 4, 2026, 8:53 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. Tokyo, Japan. I was on the bike yesterday (high of 26C), and then when I was ready for BikeNite my partner informed me we were going out.
My best hot weather cycling tip is: don't. I'd thought I was fine up to 35-36C as long as I kept well hydrated, but I nearly made myself sick on a couple of occasions. I put a stop at 32C now, and even then I'm taking it very easy. (I should probably pay more attention to WBGT -- yesterday's was 26C.)
Jul 4, 2026, 10:39 PM@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite A1. Santa Clara, CA on a Saturday afternoon. If it’s is too hot, I don’t ride (or go outside) better safe than dead.
For hot, but not too hot, plenty of water, electrolytes, food. We live in a desert climate out here, so humidity is rarely a factor, so jump in a fountain of you find one! #BikeNite
@ascentale @grammasaurus @bikenite
A1. Tucson, Arizona!
Get a linen shirt soaking wet before you start your ride, then put it on and enjoy the evaporative cooling.
If it's a longer ride in a humid climate, carry along a tube sock. Fill it with ice, and drape it around your neck for some good cooling.
And, pace yourself. No sense in overheating.
@ascentale@sfba.social @grammasaurus@mastodon.social @bikenite@fedigroups.social A1: Seattle, WA. Luckily we escaped the hotwave, and continue to once the western US gets it next week. When I do need to ride in hot weather (like 90+F), I make sure I bring enough water with me so I can drink it and pour it over the back of my neck frequently. I'll also take frequent breaks, ideally in the shade. #BikeNite #BikeTooter #MastoBikes
A1. I’m at home in Somerville, MA. I don’t have any insightful tips, but I’ve been trying to go out mainly in the morning and evening. Luckily, when I’ve been biking to and from events, it hasn’t felt too hot to me. #BikeNite