# Dopers who bike to work, how do you deal with helmet head/sweatiness? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389 "2005-07-21T00:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/21 "2005-07-22T00:53:18Z")
> [@xbuckeye](#): > > [you didn’t look here!!](http://www.cdta.org/bikeable%20bus.html) > If you ride the 10, 12,24, 29, 52, 63, 70, 85, 86, or 90 you’re in luck! > > In all fairness, I didn’t know if it was a turban Indian, or a feather headdress Indian, but I guess neither would be very practical in most work environments ;). I profess no knowledge of either Indian culture, or appropriate head apparel. Maybe you could embrace your inner redneck and get a John Deere ballcap. Or…you could distract people from the hair with a nice Bindi. I have a coworker who occasionally wears one, and I admit, I probably wouldn’t notice her hair on days she has it on. > > nothing in this post is meant to insult any ethnic goups, besides, perhaps, John Deere ballcap wearing rednecks OH! You are the BESTEST! I’m so happy - I ride the 90! Woohoo! _does a happy dance_ And if I was going to do any of that, I’d embrace my inner redneck and go with the John Deere - I mean, I luuurve pot-bellied pig-racing. ---
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/22 "2005-07-22T01:48:07Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I mean, I luuurve pot-bellied pig-racing. Now you’ve made me go and shed a nostalgic tear for my childhood memories of my homeland, where you could go to the state fair and watch some pig racin’ every hour, on the hour. I worked a tea stand nearby, and them piggies squealin’ and runnin’ was the best! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/23 "2005-07-22T14:00:03Z")
Only thing better than a good pot-bellied pig race is a demolition derby! My SO is appalled. He can’t believe he lives with such a hick. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/24 "2005-07-22T14:08:55Z")
To cut down on sweating you can get a personal cooling device. Usually they are devices that fit around the back of your neck and pull bodyheat out of your neck. [http://www.mscooling.org/coolinggarments.html](http://www.mscooling.org/coolinggarments.html) I notice when I wear mine that I still sweat, but not nearly as much. And this is for someone whose normal body temp is about 99.0, and I was mountainbiking in 90F weather. Without it I was covered in sweat, with it I was just dapped with sweat. What I have also tried is small bags of ice attached to the groin or armpits. Alot of bodyheat passes through the groin & armpits so putting a small bag of ice there lets alot of the heat from exercise get used up thawing the ice instead of covering you in sweat. At least that’s what _I_ do. ---
**Author:** ![PhoenixFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@PhoenixFire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhoenixFire)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/25 "2005-07-22T14:11:28Z")
i used to bike to and from work, it was simple, i packed a back pack with my work cloths, and a second set of cloths (in case of rain or snow) plus deodorant and baby wipes, yes baby wipes, i learned of their joy in drama and they still help. Never wore a helmet, prolly should have…should still but I’ve got a hard head, i would pity either the dar or the ground that got hit with it ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/26 "2005-07-22T14:12:24Z")
Jesus H Christ **Wesley**! I looked at the first thing on that link, and it was $3000! Luckily, I kept reading, and there’s some cheaper ones. But check this out: Special MS system includes active cooling unit with hooded vest. Integreated cooling with variable air pressure improves cooling efficiency. Temperature control. Very portable unit. Operates with ice and water. Can be used in a variety of situations including office and home. Priced about $3,000. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/27 "2005-07-22T17:45:55Z")
I basically do what **PhoenixFire** does, meaning I pack a bag with work clothes and some deodorant and clean myself up and change in the bathroom. Unfortunately my face is still going to be red for the next hour but I figure it’s a minor embarrassment. I usually just pull my hair back, and I guess it never looks its best but again I think I need the exercise more. Actually I had never thought about baby wipes. That’s a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/28 "2005-07-22T18:09:07Z")
I wear bike clothes and keep a full complement of work clothes (and deoderant, and hair product) in my cube. About the hair: I had the same problem, it’s not exactly Indian (in either sense) but it is fairly long and gets crazy frizzy if it’s the least bit wet. What I do is wash it before I leave and tie on a bandana so it’s all covered, and protected from rain/being tangled up by rubbing against the helmet. (When it’s long enough I ponytail/braid it.) Then when I get to work it’s still a bit damp and very flat. I shake it all out and run wet hands on it (if necessary), then apply product and style. (If I used a blow dryer I’d probably take it to work and use it at this point.) Panting and sweating - definitely. Hence the full change of clothing. With the way the air conditioning works around here, though, it takes three minutes before the sweat starts to freeze on my body so the discomfort doesn’t last too long once I’ve changed clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389/29 "2005-07-22T18:42:13Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Jesus H Christ **Wesley**! I looked at the first thing on that link, and it was $3000! Luckily, I kept reading, and there’s some cheaper ones. > > But check this out: > > Special MS system includes active cooling unit with hooded vest. > Integreated cooling with variable air pressure improves cooling efficiency. Temperature control. Very portable unit. > Operates with ice and water. Can be used in a variety of situations including office and home. > Priced about $3,000. Yeah I know, thats what I figured you’d say when you first saw it as price goes down the further down you scroll (it was my first thought too). What I thought looked good was [this one](http://www.msolutions.org/bodycoolingTI.html), the vest, wrist straps, hat and neck band for $50. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-bike-to-work-how-do-you-deal-with-helmet-head-sweatiness/313389.md?page=1)