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View Full Version : Man it's hot down here


mrlmd1
06-12-2009, 12:49 PM
It's been hot down here in the Panhandle of Florida, even right on the coast - 90-95 for the last week or two and no let up in sight and it's not even Summer yet.
Not bad riding at 50-60mph, but when you stop at a light or for a minute or two or for something else, you could slowly melt.
I've been thinking of wetting down my mesh jacket with a hose before going for a ride, (the inside is all wet anyway after a ride), or wearing one of those water soaked jell neckbands to try and stay cool, but it would be nice if some helmet manufacturer would make a summer riding helmet open in areas around the top and sides, like a bicycle helmet, to try and keep your head cool. But that would undoubtedly not be as strong or as impact proof as an solid intact helmet.
If I did wet down the jacket it would probably be steaming when sitting on the bike at a light.
They should make AC for bikes, or you could put a small 12v powered fan on the bars to turn on when stopped.
The basic thing is to go out for a ride and not stop 'till you get home again.

Moedad
06-12-2009, 02:26 PM
They do make cooling vests. Don't know much about them, except that they are available.

alanmcorcoran
06-12-2009, 05:29 PM
(It's not the heat it's the humidity.)

It hasn't been that hot out here yet (in fact it's been in the high 60's low 70's for a while now.)

Like Moe, I used to do a lot of bicycle riding in hot weather. Never found a real cure for the air conditioning wish, but I still have a funky ice tray I bought at a bike shop that makes eight six inch cylindrical ice "tubes." These ice tubes fit in the neck of a Camelback bladder. They are much larger than regular ice cubes and take longer to melt. The camel back holders are designed to insulate the bladder, but maybe you could just install a bare one in the back of your MC jacket. Get an hour or so of cooling, and, with the tube, you can get drink when you are at a light.

mrlmd1
06-12-2009, 06:31 PM
Great idea, to have an ice cooled vest under the mesh jacket, as long as it's water tight and doesn't leak all over you.
Could probably easily make something out of those gel filled ice packs they place in coolers or over a bad sprain. Just pop it in the freezer so it's ready when you want to ride. Could also interchange the ice packs for those heat packs you put in the microwave to warm up, for those cold winter rides.
I'll be back with some photos when I do this.