...Or How to Ride Through 90º+ Temps (More or Less Comfortably)

A) Ride a minimally faired/windscreened bike.

Photo: Chandler Baker

There are several other reasons for this (Mr. Subjective) preference than heat, but below 95°F this can be a factor.

B) Wear a wetted Aerostich Silk Scarf around one’s neck.

Fold the wet scarf in half then drape it over your neck and put the two ‘free’ ends through the loop where the scarf is folded, then pull these ends until the scarf fits against your neck all the way around. The scarf is not worn loose around your neck. Lastly, zip up your jacket about 2/3rds or 3/4th of the way, so the loose ends of the scarf are well covered.

C) As the scarf dries, I (Mr. Subjective) re-wet it using a self-modified Platypus water bag worn over my shoulder bandolier-style.

Mr. Subjective's modified Platy Bag.

The bag’s cap has been replaced with a neat flip-open cap from a (stupid and expensive) ‘Fiji’ brand water bottle, which allows me to either drink directly from it (after opening my modular helmet’s chin guard) or re-wet the scarf as needed while moving.

I normally fill this container only about ½ full, which is more than enough water to get from one full-tank gas stop to the next. At highway speeds the wind stream ends up shifting it sort of behind my lower right back area. To use it, I pull the cord to bring it around to the front, then flip open the cap and go at it. The home-made cord reinforcements are necessary and involved using some 500D Cordura fabric, Barge cement and the grommet setting tool used in production at Aerostich.

D) When not in use, this water bag rolls up small enough to carry or pack away easily.

This is why it’s not covered in ¼” thick aluminized bubble-wrap or a water-absorbing fabric, which would help to evaporatively cool its contents.  In hot conditions I will use it as a kind of modernized version of a Bota bag, those comma-shaped traditional leather soft flasks used in alpine areas of Europe. I ‘sterilize’ my modified Platypus bag by letting it dry for a few days on a sunny windowsill after each trip/use.

-- Mr. Subjective, July 2022