Hot weather riding..!

[wiliferus]

Every crappy winter we get the thread about winter commuting, and what decent gear to buy to keep warm and avoid soggy nuts.

So, it’s going to be high 30s today. What’s your clothing solutions?

Is there a sweet spot between safety and comfort? I have the choice between an RST Blade leather jacket, or a Spada aero type jacket.
The former obviously will offer me protection if I come off, but in these temps will feel like boil in the bag. The latter feels amazing on the move and keeps me cool, but will likely let my skin shred if I end up on the tarmac.

What do you do?

[lazybike]

I go for comfort over protection...I draw the line at flip flops though.

[Jazoli]

Mesh jacket, kevlar jeans and short boots and gloves, comfort is the priority, if you are too hot you lose concentration.

[anonymous-user]

Whilst our cycling last night I saw an ambulance up ahead. The guys had shut the road to traffic but let me through on the pavement to get to where I needed to go. They’d just loaded the poor sod into an ambulance, the way it pulled away he was either fine, or gone.

On the road one trainer was 10 metres from the car with the big dent in the side, a glove at the scene along with a crash helmet. A T shirt covered in the obvious next to the lid, likely cut off? No leathers anywhere, or jacket? As is typical in Italy people ride in shorts and trainers. I have no doubt this was the same.

Looked like a big supernaked which had been T boned by this car. Up to everyone, but I’d rather be too warm than suffer what I saw last night, pretty grim.

[lazybike]

I remember riding into Cadiz in 40 degrees and I was the only one wearing a crash helmet, even the police were in shirt sleeves and no helmets, made me laugh as there's people walking about in suits and ties. I asked the police about the crash helmet thing and was told just wear it on the motorway This was 2001 I guess things have changed now.

[anonymous-user]

Jazoli said:

comfort is the priority.

Comfort should be a consideration, not an absolute priority.
Clothing needs to be a compromise between comfort and protection.

[mickymellon1]

usually either a leather / textiles jacket, kevlar jeans, gloves and boots but this morning was a revelation replacing my jacket with my 661 off road armour instead - not a drop of sweat ! - the mesh wouldn't hold up that well in a slide but for town or thereabouts it was great

[tezzer]

We waited till 7pm last night to go out, so it was at least beginning to cool off today, not sure I'll be out today though, a tad warm, even 'Oop North, where it's generally grim.

[Mr Dendrite]

About to head off taking the bike for service. Last night was a tad warm in Kevlar jeans and mesh jacket, boots etc. I’m expecting to return this afternoon with an emptier wallet and excessively sweaty plums!

[pessimal]

revit mesh jacket, aldi riding jeans, revit biking trainers.

i'd prefer better protecting stuff, but its that or bake in my over trousers and textile jacket.

[V1nce Fox]

If I have to make short trips in this heat I recalibrate my riding for the lack of gear. Journeys from A to B less than 30mph I'll ditch some kit for. Think of it as "magic pushbike" ride rather than motorbike. Anything faster than I could do on a pushbike, kit up as usual.

[klootzak]

Try the Rev-It Ignition jacket (and trousers). A mix of leather for the places you hit the ground and mesh for everywhere else, plus removable waterproof and thermal liners for cooler times.

Combined with Alpinestars SMX1 mesh gloves, they work for me throughout the NZ summer (~30 deg with 95% humidity).

k

[Hungrymc]

V1nce Fox said:

If I have to make short trips in this heat I recalibrate my riding for the lack of gear. Journeys from A to B less than 30mph I'll ditch some kit for. Think of it as "magic pushbike" ride rather than motorbike. Anything faster than I could do on a pushbike, kit up as usual.

Sounds fair to me.

[gareth_r]

I bought a Dainese Air Frame jacket a couple of weeks ago (Bristol Dainese store closing down sale). It came with elbow/forearm and shoulder armour so I had to buy a back protector as well.

Worn with riding jeans.

It's almost too cool at 50 and bearable when fitering. I wish I'd bought one last year.

Edited by gareth_r on Thursday 25th July 10:15

[Byronico]

Ive been wearing my leathers so far this summer until Monday.
Now wearing comfy textile Dane trousers which are pretty light and airy and a Dainese mesh jacket, boots + gloves.

Jacket is lovely once on the move

[TheInternet]

Just ordered a mesh jacket, it'll arrive just in time for some cooler weather & rain. Hoping it will be ok for ~18 degrees C and up and get some use for a couple of months. What temps to people make the move to mesh? I'm in town use only.

[bogie]

Was out yesterday for a few hours and perfectly fine, only start to feel hot if sat at traffic lights for a while. A well vented helmet is great too so long as the thunderflies are not about and you end up with them crawling about all over your head getting in through the vents ...arrrggghhh!!

wicking base layer t-shirt
mesh jacket with armour
single layer kevlar jeans
shorter boots

When we weret in US a few years back doing Route 66 we spent >50% of the time in +30 deg, with a few days + 40deg in desert. Same kit as above worked fine with addition of a cooling vests we were advised to buy at the start, similar to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Techniche-HyperKewl-6531-...

you soak the vest in water first thing in the morning and put over base layer, over the day water evaporates and keeps core cool. Really works well. You can top it up at lunchtime when you stop. It feels a bit soggy to wear at first and you wouldn't bother for a 30 min commute obviously ...but for all day rides in >30deg heat it works well.

[Byronico]

TheInternet said:

Just ordered a mesh jacket, it'll arrive just in time for some cooler weather & rain. Hoping it will be ok for ~18 degrees C and up and get some use for a couple of months. What temps to people make the move to mesh? I'm in town use only.

Will depend on you, I'm pretty comfy on my commute with vented leather jacket until about 25C. Anything higher I tend to use my mesh jacket.
In town and low speeds, you will be fine with a mesh jacket at 18C. Anything above 40mph you might even be a bit cold!

[bogie]

Some of the mesh jackets come with a thin windproof liner for use when its borderline hot. Say you leave the house in morning at 18deg and would be cold in a mesh jacket with just a t-shirt underneath, but fine with the liner in. Later in day when its >25c the liner can go in the pocket. I find it really needs to be mid 20s to ride just with a mesh jacket.

[boyse7en]

TheInternet said:

Just ordered a mesh jacket, it'll arrive just in time for some cooler weather & rain. Hoping it will be ok for ~18 degrees C and up and get some use for a couple of months. What temps to people make the move to mesh? I'm in town use only.

I've dug out my old Ixon mesh jacket for the commute the last few day. I wear a t-shirt and thin fleece under it and it is fine as long as the temps are over 18 deg. At speed (50mph+) it gets a bit on the cool side after a while.