Hello Riders
My wife is getting too hot on these NEW hot days about 1/2 way thru a long ride...She is OK the first hour.
Looking for suggestions for a cool vest that works.
She does not need it at the start ...only 1/2 way thru on HOT days
I'm looking at Amazon Evaporative Cooling Vests
Do these work?
Thanks!
Evap cooling vests don't work in humid conditions. Make sure head is well ventilated if possible. Cover all skin, while maximizing air flow over upper body. Drink lots of water. Wear light weight and light colored clothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Genradman
Good luck.
Start with the cheap and easy, a COOL TIE. Harbor Freight had them, maybe they still do. They work well for us. Cycle Gear's Heat-Out underliners work well too. Forget Amazon, Jeff doesn't need your money, but your neighbors at HF and CG do. CG has cooling vests and mesh jackets and good advice. You won't get good advice from Amazon. Did I say I prefer to buy local?
The problem with evap vests and cooling neck wraps is they only provide some cooling while they are wet and cold. Once they heat up or dry out, there's little to no benefit. Also, as noted earlier, they are inefficient at evaporation when the air is already saturated with moisture.Quote:
Originally Posted by RICZ
Drink lots of water and promote natural cooling by getting air movement (but not sun) over as much skin as possible.
Air movement over the skin is good..... up to a point. After the temperature exceeds mid 90s it becomes counter productive. (Think...Air Fryer). You NEED to hydrate way more than you probably think. And, that begins the day BEFORE you are going to ride in hot temperatures. Then drink LOTS of COLD water during your ride. I have a neck wrap that I freeze before use that helps a bit. I also have a spray bottle of water that I will use to spray my body and clothes while taking breaks (often). Consider carrying a cooler with cold wraps and drinks. I know of one couple that uses ice bags. The wife will hug the bags between herself and her husband. Most importantly, stop and get to a cool place at ANY signs of heat issues such as light headiness. Heat problems will sneak upon you quickly. Nothing good will ever come from trying to "tough it out". When riding in temperatures of 100+ I will stop about every 1/2 hour to completely cool down. Get in the shade, spray my body down with cold water and drink lots..... Jim
I have found that a full face helmet with a mirrorized shield, mesh jacket and pants over thin cotton, long sleeve T-Shirt and pants is the best way to stay cool in hot weather. As others have mentioned, humidity and slow speeds can increase your heat. You can also reduce engine heat on your body with some mods. And hydrate. If you wait until you're thirsty to hydrate. You are already 18-24 hours behind the curve.
I 2nd UtahPete's comment.
In the summer my wife and I wear Textile mesh jackets in a light color and we've been able to cope with some shockers of hot days (40+) on my RTL. We both had dark colored Kevlar jeans and I bought a pair of light colored Kevlar chinos which I wear over the jeans, and it made a pretty big difference to heat absorption. Because my wifes Kevlar tights and jeans came in any color you wanted so long as it was black, she bough a pair of light colored thin tights that fit neatly over them for hot rides.
The only down side - besides looking a little dorky - is that the serious heat creeps up on us. We had been ring all day and had to venture thru a city, got caught in traffic, and realized it was 47 deg C, we had to stop and wait til the temps or traffic eased.
Why not wear the chinos, something about them irritates the heck out of my skin after a few hours wear, whereas the Jeans dont.
Agree with bajaron and asked. Good light grey mesh jacket. In the hottest weather I will sometimes wear a wind mesh shirt/ jersey that is dampened and mesh jacket and never get overly hot. Drink lots of water.
Guess HF doesn't stock the 'cool tie' now, it did not come up on a search. Try looking at this, 'Fly Racing Cooling Vest', my riding friends use it in Florida and have a good recommendation. I would have posted the link, but it's way long. Do a search on Amazon, and scroll, easy to find, then you can read about it. It's not an el cheapo, but buying an el cheapo will leave you disappointed. Been there, done that.Quote:
Originally Posted by RICZ
Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerbillone
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...SAAEgJ3jvD_BwE
https://www.techniche-intl.com/products
Before we found this evaporative cooling vest option one day in west Texas we got caught in 107* trying to get home. Stopped at a Dairy Queen to cool down. We were highly considering getting a motel room and leave EARLY for home the next morning. However, there happened to be a do-it-yourself car wash next door…hhmm…. We left the bikes parked and took ourselves to the car wash where we looked like idiots spraying each other down with the rinse cycle. The people at Dairy Queen were all gawking and clapping…. Got on the bikes and dang-near froze to death the first 10 miles in 107*. Clothes began to dry out….stopped at the next town’s car wash and did it again. Same thing…freeze to death for a while til the clothes began drying out… did this 3 times before we finally got home.
I use the evaporative cooling Hyperkewl vest here in the hot and humid hill country of Texas also. As long as the vest is wet and the air is moving over you one can stay a lot cooler than without anything. One of the tests to see if it is really working is to feel your skin underneath it… it will be cool to the touch. If it dries out stop at a convenience store or car wash to wet it down again. The instructions tell you not to put it on dripping wet. But its ok for it to drip on you some…they are just trying to keep you from making a mess across the floor or dribbling down the bike.
Wetting the shirt under a mesh jacket works really good too.
I wish they made something specific you could strap onto the tops of the legs between the torso and the knees while riding.. that very exposed area. That area gets blazingly hot and I my skin is flushed red and warm there for a couple of hours after getting off the bike. I have thought about buying one of the products that has a large flat surface and taking it to an upholstery shop to have them cut and fit it to my leg and sew on velcro or plastic clips to snug it down. I have poured a bottle of water over this area….but it dries very quickly.
Ultimately, for local rides, we start out at daylight and try to be off the road around noon’sh, give or take..
Search Harbor Freight for "Cooling Towel". 13" x 31 1/4" $5.29 And they work, even in the humid south. Suggest having several. If not it will dry out feeling like cardboard in less than 100 miles.Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerbillone
Did a few 113 degree stints through Vegas and the desert. It wasn't all that bad with what I wear. But then I fought wildland fires in California for a living. Now that's HOT! Gives me a bit different perspective than most.
Got the wife a Harbor Freight for "Cooling Towel" yesterday.....out for ride Sunday...and its going to be in the 90's by lunch time!!!
Nobody has addressed this issue, but if this is a new experience for your wife or anyone else out there it is time to consult a medical professional. She may have a medical condition that makes her more susceptible to heat or the UV rays. Or maybe a medication is bothering her in the heat. Anyway this is something that should also be investigated.Good luck and Happy Trails on your riding adventure.
I have been in jungles and deserts with temps at 132 degrees. For me, the best solution has been to stay covered up with loose clothing, drink lots of liquids and keep my head covered. I was in 107 degrees recently and got quite shaking (no fluids). I stopped at a Micky D's, had a bottle of water and a small ice cream in air conditioning. When I got home I bought a Motorjug. Waiting to try it out.
Another important technique is to force fluids before you start. Once the heat gets you, you won't have to stop and pee!
There is a wealth of information in this thread. Heat issues just cannot be overstated. This morning I read an article in the news about a man from Maine visiting Palm Springs, CA who died in 117 degree temperature while walking to meet a friend at a bar. He must not have known the signs/seriousness of what his body was telling him. The news article said he puked a couple times before collapsing. When I was much younger and a recruit for the Marines at MCRD in San Diego, I witnessed a friend from my home town collapse from heat related issues. He died later that day. This is very serious stuff. I live in the desert and drink 1/2 gallon of water (with a splash of lemon juice) every morning in the first two hours i am up. I then continue to drink water all day. I don't get in the car or on the bike without a good supply of ice water.....never. Working in the yard or anyplace outside I limit my heat exposure to no more than an hour at a time with cool down breaks in between. As afternoons get hotter, I shorten my times in the heat accordingly. Some people may tolerate better than I do. But life is too short as it is to take unnecessary risks. Stay safe..... Jim
All excellent suggestions. Personally, we use our chamois shirts (heavy, long-sleeve, tight-woven flannel). Wet them in a sink, squeeze some of the excess out, put on our mesh jackets and ride COOL for the next hour and a half. Don't do this if it's under 90 degrees, you'll freeze.
Also good to note, this is the Spyder General Discussion thread, but nobody has asked which Spyder you have. What year might matter, too. I have installed the BRP adjustable deflectors under the mirrors on my wife's '17 RT-S. They are just a bit larger than the stock deflectors, but can be rotated to a mid-position to pull some air onto the passenger's lower torso, then pulled to a rearward position to dump some air into the rider's lap. Makes a BIG difference. :thumbup:
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:agree: but not sure what you mean by 'force fluids'Quote:
Originally Posted by crossbowme
What is your strategy for keeping it cool and wet on a long ride?Quote:
Originally Posted by Genradman
Put some extras in separate quart zip lock bags, pre-wet, preferable precooled with a few ice cubes in each. Swap out as needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by UtahPete
Or, if you only have 1 carry a couple zip lock bags with water and a couple ice cubes. rewet as needed
I wear mesh armored jacket, microfiber long-sleeved shirt, and soak a microfiber towel (really dripping) in cool water, throw it around my neck under the jacket. Lasts for about 50 miles, then time to stop, take a cool drink, and recharge the AC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crossbowme
Drink fluids at every opportunity, even if you hafta 'force' yourself to take in more fluids - ie, 'force fluids'! :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by UtahPete
If you only drink what you think or feel you might need, or until you're no longer thirsty, there's usually a fair bit of scope for taking in more in the way of hydrating fluids! ;) Another litre or maybe even two shouldn't be too hard to 'force' yourself to drink, but you might want to allow time for a couple of extra wee breaks early in your ryde, altho you shouldn't really need any more long breaks, and as mentioned, once the heat gets to you.... :rolleyes:
Only don't go over-board with the forcing of fluids thing - really going OTT & drinking massive amounts of water (or anything for that matter! :rolleyes: ) can be fatal! :lecturef_smilie:
Yeah, but, how does that make you not want to pee when the heat gets to you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Aawen
Another important technique is to force fluids before you start. Once the heat gets you, you won't have to stop and pee!
If it's only for later in the ride, then take a hint from my wife; she soaks her vest thoroughly then puts it in the refrigerator before the ride. Then, she uses a large zip-lock bag and carries it in the frunk until she's ready to use it. On really hot rides, she will put ice cubes in the bag with the vest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Genradman
It still only lasts about 1-1/2 hours, and then the vest is either too warm or too dry to be of much help.