By Austin Wallis
The temperatures are rising out there, which brings up a whole new list of concerns for bicyclists. Overheating, dehydration and sunburns can really take the fun out of riding your bike in Reno’s hot summer climate, so here are a few tips to keep you happy during your sunny bike riding experience.
- Bring lots of water! This one seems like a no brainer, but it’s easy to forget to fill up your water bottle before you leave your house on your daily commute. Water is essential, even if you’re taking a short trip. You can also combat dehydration by drinking lots of water before you get out on your bike. Never leave home without a full water bottle.
- Wear sunscreen! I always seem to get one gnarly sunburn at the beginning of the summer because I forget about the sun and get on my bike without any sun protection. The burn usually happens on my nose, and I end up looking like Rudolph for a week. Mom says that those burns can add up and eventually lead to skin cancer down the road- so make sure you’re putting sunscreen on before you leave the house!
- Wear clothing that has built in sun protection. They make jerseys and shorts that are built to help protect you from the sun, but even a lightweight long sleeved shirt can help keep the sun off your body.
- Ease into it. If you’re training hard as a cyclist or even just starting out as a new bike commuter, you want to acclimatize yourself to the heat before you start pushing your limits. Take a few rides that are shorter than normal to get your body used to the heat.
The temperatures are only going to keep rising so make sure you’re filling up your water bottles and lubing up your face with sunscreen before you hit the open road. Stay safe out there folks.
