7 Tips For Cycling In The Heat On Hot Sunny Days

Summer is coming and temperatures have already started to rise. This means that we will have even more heat and hot days ahead. For cyclists, this season requires even greater care before, during and after performing physical activities and cycling in the heat.

Therefore, in order to help you better prepare for cycling on days of hot sun and high temperatures, we are going to present some tips that will help you to ease the effects of extreme heat, so that this does not become a hindrance or greater difficulty during your training.

Although a sunny day can be a great incentive to enjoy the good weather and train, cycling in the heat can become much more tiring and even harm your performance. Follow our tips and see how to get around this problem.

Tips for cycling in the heat

Check the precautions and measures that must be taken for a better performance on the pedal, even on days of intense heat.

1 – Use Sunscreen

Above all, one of the first items you should remember before riding in the heat is sunscreen. Normally, it is already a very important item in everyday life, so when you plan to have a lot of exposure to the sun, its use becomes even more relevant.

The product will protect you from UV rays and prevent you from getting those unwanted clothes marks on your body. Therefore, abuse the sunscreen and reapply whenever necessary and, if possible, give preference to a product that is resistant to water and sweat.

2 – Wear Suitable Clothing To Ride In The Heat

In addition to wearing sunscreen, wearing appropriate pedal clothing also helps protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays and eliminate excess moisture and sweat from your body.

So, wear appropriate clothing to ride in the heat with more comfort and safety. Also, don’t forget to wear a helmet, which, in addition to protecting you in case of a fall, will also help prevent direct exposure to sunlight.

3 – Avoid Using Backpacks

Whenever you can, avoid carrying a backpack when cycling on hotter days. They can trap heat and smother your back, making you sweat more.

Transverse bags, with light weight, are a good option. However, the ideal is to avoid carrying weights and making unnecessary efforts.

4 – Work Your Breathing Well

One thing that can help your pedal a lot on hot days is the technique of breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. In this way, your own body can cool the air that enters your lungs, and the warm air that your body expels does not reheat the path that the new air will take through your nostrils.
Many cyclists claim that this technique makes all the difference on a hot day.

5 – Plan The Route

Try to plan well the route you will take on your rides.
Choose paths that are more wooded and that have a point or sale, to eat, drink ice water or even fill the bottles.
On a very hot day, a break to hydrate yourself can make an incredible difference to your performance.

6 – Choose The Proper Time

When planning your ride, avoid leaving between 10am and 3pm. During this period, the sun is at its peak and will be more harmful, as well as the heat will be more intense.

In addition, on hot days, training in the morning or evening is more pleasurable and profitable.

7 – Keep Your Body Hydrated

Of the tips we present, this is undoubtedly the most important. Those who ride know that hydration is crucial, both by ingesting water and isotonic drinks, which help to replenish mineral salts eliminated by sweat. So always drink water, even if you’re not thirsty.

To prevent the water from heating up too quickly, freeze the bottle before going out to ride in the heat. You can also eat fruits that are largely made up of liquids, such as watermelon and pineapple.

As we’ve shown so far, excessive heat requires extra attention as it can be strenuous for many people and impair their pedalling performance. So, in addition to evaluating the tips we gave, remember never to exceed your own body’s limits, especially on a very hot day.

Good nutrition influences, and a lot, the performance of the cyclist, not only when pedalling in the heat, as in the complete development of the rider.