Hello have just joined here as have heard so many good reports about this site.
I thought I would begin with asking a question if that is ok as I plan a trip in the summer to the USA with my brother.
The main question I have is.. With the weather being so hot where we are going I really need some advice on comfortable protective clothing for what will be stifling weather.
I watch Henry Cole on his travels on tv and the mesh vest with the body armour he wore on his trip around route 66 is just the kind of thing I was thinking might be ideal but wondered if there are any other altneratives around to give me a choice? ANY advice on clothing e.g. trousers, neckwear, basewear, footwear etc or indeed anything else for touring in hot weather would be extremely appreciated.

Cheers.
tony

I suggest that you read the thread linked below:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...layering-84365

Thereafter, there are earlier discussions on the matter of riding in hot conditions, but the one above is the most recent example.

to the HUBB for your first post!!

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Dave

I suggest a light coloured mesh jacket, trousers with mesh bits, laced up booties (loosen laces when feet are roasting, cotton tshirt and boxers, light coloured helmet (not matt black!). Start early in the morning and take a looong break mid afternoon. Everywhere is air-conditioned

PS route 66 is bloody awful compared to other cross country alternatives

I made a line accross linking national parks and places of interest like Nashville etc.

My basic approach for summer riding: stay north, aim for higher elevations, wet down my clothes and hair (what's left of it) frequently, and stay moving. That last bit means I steer clear of cities in favor of wide open roads--nothing worse than being stuck at traffic signals or rush hour jams during sweltering weather.

There are also regional weather patterns which need attention: anyplace exposed to Gulf of Mexico moisture will be ridiculously humid in addition to hot, so there's no way in the world I'd ride through the deep South or Texas during summer; the southwestern deserts will fry you in June, but by August are prone to seasonal monsoons which help make them more tolerable; etc.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Some northern cities are good in summer, liked Portland, Seattle, obviously San francisco, Chicago is special, Detroit is scary
could go on and on; but the altitude comment is very true and useful

Hi Tony

What time of year are you planning to go? When we were planning our just completed US trip we were advised to avoid the heat of the summer - June, July and Aug. May was too early for us so we went west in September and came back east in October. Even so we were still getting close to 40C in New Mexico and Nevada and over that in parts of southern Arizona on the way out.

I took a lot of my regular UK biking stuff over with me but after a few 35C days in New Jersey it got left behind and I did almost all the trip in jeans, T shirts and an armoured jacket with ventilation zips. The ventilated bit was really important; without it I'd have baked and probably taken the jacket off. Most of the other bikers we met (including bike cops) were just in T shirts / shirts. "All of the gear all of the time" would just have been a quick way to heat stroke. One of the things we did use all the time was a silica gel filled bandana that you soak in water and tie round your neck - this kind of thing:

Amazon.com: JellyBeadz Cold Therapy Cooling Neck Wrap Bandana / Cool Body Scarf: Health & Personal Care

While we didn't aim to do Route 66 we did end up riding along bits of it and touristy though it is it was fun to follow for a few miles. Compared to the traffic on I40 it was a pleasure to ride as in Oklahoma, NM etc it's more or less empty. Henry Cole does leave an awful lot out and missed some of the best bits (IMHO of course)