MTB at night in forest on very cold nights - bad for the lungs ?

uberalles

Is biking in dark, damp, foggy forests at night time asking for health problems?

Are there flu and bacteria waiting to attack?

C3PO

uberalles wrote: »

Is biking in dark, damp, foggy forests at night time asking for health problems?

Are there flu and bacteria waiting to attack?

Are you for real?

meercat

uberalles wrote: »

Are there flu and bacteria waiting to attack?

id be more worried about bears waiting to attack

kenmc

LOL. thread of the year.

Inquitus

uberalles wrote: »

Is biking in dark, damp, foggy forests at night time asking for health problems?

Are there flu and bacteria waiting to attack?

It's the roots and the mud that are out to get you

reallyunique

No. Although these viruses can survive for many hours outside the human body they are not airborn. Unless somebody riding in front of you sneezes you should be fine. It is highly unlikely that you will fall and put your hand or face in infected material as most of the viruses that cause colds and flu die or become weak enough to not be infectious after a few hours. That said, don't pick up tissues you find lying on trails and low your nose with them!

It is far more likely that you'll fall and hurt yourself or get cut and contract a dangerous infection that way. Broken limbs, concussion, hypothermia and even death seem far more likely than catching a cold.

The most likely place for you to catch colds and flu is through direct contact with an infected person either at work, at home or in a public area like a shop. Thankfully colds and flu are rarely dangerous so I'd leave the biohazard suit at home for now.

Tenzor07

RPL1 wrote: »

Are you for real?

Have you not heard of the "Were-Squirrel of 3-Rock"??

Beasty

reallyunique wrote: »

Broken limbs, concussion, hypothermia and even death seem far more likely than catching a cold.

There you go OP - nothing to worry about ...:D

Roger Hassenforder

thankfully you didnt ask was riding a bike in dark, damp, foggy forests at night time asking for health problems?
we'd have had to discuss protection

marketty

There's something terrible on the moors Father

billy.fish

Stay at home. Its better for everyone involved.

*facepalm*

Hungrycol

You could contract fungus lung. But be warned it's not a fungai.

Icyseanfitz

this thread is brilliant werewolf in ballhouuuuuraaaaaa

deandean

Cycling hard in cold misty weather is gonna distress your lungs. It cools them down. If you have asthma, if you are prone to chest infections (or any hard exercising where you're breathing really hard, outdoors that is;)) , I recommend you avoid cycling in these conditions.

It is really dangerous to exercise hard if you have a virus, you can do your heart serious damage - google this topic for more info.

But stuff like viruses and bacteria - you pick them up from other people.

Tenzor07

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

this thread is brilliant werewolf in ballhouuuuuraaaaaa

Ah now the 3Rock Weresquirrel can fly!

uberalles

deandean wrote: »

Cycling hard in cold misty weather is gonna distress your lungs. It cools them down. If you have asthma, if you are prone to chest infections (or any hard exercising where you're breathing really hard, outdoors that is;)) , I recommend you avoid cycling in these conditions.

It is really dangerous to exercise hard if you have a virus, you can do your heart serious damage - google this topic for more info.

But stuff like viruses and bacteria - you pick them up from other people.

Ive got a chest infection now and I think it was caused by freezing fog (temps of -5 to -10) as I could feel my lungs freezing too. Breathing really deeply biking on a track in the mountains in the night. Im on anti biotics. It may have asthma I don't know.

kenmc

doubt it.
you probably picked it up from another human on a bus or in a shop or in work or something. since we had no winter this year, the bugs didn't get killed off like they should have.

IrishHomer

I am a normal average healthy person, anytime I ever did winter cycling I used to always get chest infections. I avoid winter cycling now and never get any more infections.

ednwireland

i always get them when i dont cycle

Beasty

ednwireland wrote: »

i always get them when i dont cycle

I never get them and don't not cycle ...

Turnstyle

uberalles wrote: »

Ive got a chest infection now and I think it was caused by freezing fog as I could feel my lungs freezing too. Breathing really deeply biking on a track in the mountains in the night. Im on anti biotics. It may have asthma I don't know.

You need to become more in tune with your surroundings and go a bit Bear Grylls. Next time your on the trail in hardy conditions stick a few twigs of pine needles in your backpack. Once home, make up some pine needle tea and scoff it down, should help

C3PO

IrishHomer wrote: »

I am a normal average healthy person, anytime I ever did winter cycling I used to always get chest infections. I avoid winter cycling now and never get any more infections.

I'm not a doctor but I'm sure that you can't get a chest infection from cycling during the winter!
Having said that, if you are training hard, it is possible that your natural defences are lower than normal and you may be susceptible to whatever infections are going around! This is why professional athletes are really careful, immediately following hard exercise, to avoid possible "infection situations"!

deandean

OP there is one piece of kit you can get that'll keep the respiratory system warm in cold weather:
Psolar.LX Lightweight Face Mask

Linky (there are a few models)

http://www.exmask.com/psolarlx.php

I have a few of them, they are like a heat exchanger, it warms incoming air off the condensing exhaled air. It works incredibly well, BUT it does add a slight resistance to your breathing. You can pedal all day at 75% effort but you'll be pulling the mask off if you need to give it 100% escaping from the night demon. I was out with the P.Solar last winter 12 mths, prob in -5DegC and suffered no ill effects.

Hmmzis

Some regular vitamin C intake could help.

When you're doing hard exercise puts strain on your body (surprise surprise). When your body is under any sort of stress (physical, mental) it uses up resources a lot faster and one of the first things to go is vitamin C. While the lack of it won't affect your exercise performance it will affect your immune system in a bad way.

Have been taking extra vit C for about a year now plus the exercise of commuting and some extra spins and it seems to be keeping the bugs at bay. I used to get 2-3 colds/flus every year.

An even better solution is to change your diet plan to have foods in it that contain lots of vit C. A bit harder to do but possible. I'm just too lazy for that .

Tenzor07

Eat lots of Garlic too!

RV

reallyunique wrote: »

.... don't pick up tissues you find lying on trails and low your nose with them...!.

Really? And there was me thinking this was a good idea - recycling used tissues. Thanks for the tip; that's me finished with that habit then.

codie

Can't believe this post.What are us men becoming???Never do on the rugby field.

gman2k

I can recommend this for the OP, your own protective environment!

kenmc

gman2k wrote: »

I can recommend this for the OP, your own protective environment!

I call shenanigans. the tyres would pop in outer space.

uberalles

gman2k wrote: »

I can recommend this for the OP, your own protective environment!

Laughing here at that pic.

uberalles

codie wrote: »

Can't believe this post.What are us men becoming???Never do on the rugby field.

Im was talking about temps of circa -5 to -10 cycling through mountains at night time.

You Rugby types would be by the fire in Kielys having a Heini during temps like that, or indoors playing with balls

codie

Anyone cycling in those temps up a mountain at night is asking for trouble .Are you part of a group or are you on your own?

uberalles

codie wrote: »

Anyone cycling in those temps up a mountain at night is asking for trouble .Are you part of a group or are you on your own?

Im crying laughing here re reading this thread.

At this stage Id prefer to remain anon

Bluefoam

OP, after getting a severe case of the sniffles back in '89 I stopped cycling in wet, cold, warm, windy or foggy weather & I haven't had a cycling related illness since. Best option is to steer clear. Also get yourself an inflatable bubble to live in and always observe the 3 second rule when picking up dropped food!

Hungrycol

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Eat lots of Garlic too!

That's a myth. Newstalk said so last year! Some medical/nutrition wig came on and said it actually has no effect on colds what so ever. Story at the time that (I think it was) Brian Lenihan admitted on chomping on the stuff en mass.

munsterleinster

My own rule for the cold weather:
If it's in the head (blocked sinus, headache runny nose) get out on the bike as it generally helps relieve the pressure...although you tend to leave a giant slug trail of snot behind you.

If it's in the chest stay at home.

If you've got the flu, call your mammy as you'll be too fooked to go out.

petethedrummer

So the OP misunderstood where colds and flu come from. It is still a reasonable question to ask if cycling in very cold and damp conditions is detrimental to your lungs.

ROK ON

petethedrummer wrote: »

So the OP misunderstood where colds and flu come from. It is still a reasonable question to ask if cycling in very cold and damp conditions is detrimental to your lungs.

I live in an area that has three times the national average in terms of rainfall. It is safe to say that it is invariably cold, wet or damp.

I am on my third chest infection since Christmas. The lack of a very severe cold spell (like last year) has not helped.
My doctor has said that she is seeing more people this year with lingering chest problems, colds not clearing.

In my experience, cycling with a chest cold is a bad idea. I thought mine was clearing up and went out on Sunday. Today it is worse.
YMMV, as I am prone to chest infections anyway. However, since I have moved from Dublin to Kerry they would seem to be increasing in prevalence and length.

However this has been a great thread.

BostonB

Is the rule of thumb if its above the neck its ok, if below it then don't cycle rest it. That kinda works for me.

If I'm feeling low, with a bit of chesty cough, cycling in fog, damp night air has made it worse. Actually walking in the same air does the same. if its a head cold getting out usually helps clears it for me.

uberalles

I recall a similar looking squirrel sneezing at me in the forest that night ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs&NR=1

Icyseanfitz

a can of this always helps

Icyseanfitz

ROK ON wrote: »

I live in an area that has three times the national average in terms of rainfall. It is safe to say that it is invariably cold, wet or damp.

I am on my third chest infection since Christmas. The lack of a very severe cold spell (like last year) has not helped.
My doctor has said that she is seeing more people this year with lingering chest problems, colds not clearing.

In my experience, cycling with a chest cold is a bad idea. I thought mine was clearing up and went out on Sunday. Today it is worse.
YMMV, as I am prone to chest infections anyway. However, since I have moved from Dublin to Kerry they would seem to be increasing in prevalence and length.

However this has been a great thread.

kerry is innocent until proven guilty :P