Cycling UK Forum

Hi. It's getting warmer and my rides are getting longer in prep for a St David's to Lowestoft tour. I've found recently that sweat is getting into my eyes which stings like billyo. The top of my cheek bones are also affected.
Does anyone know of a way to reduce the effect of sweat around the eyes? Or even if I'm not the only one suffering.

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outthere999 wrote: ... sweat is getting into my eyes which stings like billyo. ...

When I was affected by the stinging bit, I belatedly realised that what was happening was that sweat was being absorbed in the forehead pads of my helmet and drying out. Then it was happening again repeatedly so that eventually the sweat getting into my eyes was extra salty. The stinging really was bad. I cured it by thoroughly rinsing the pads after every ride and drying them out. Luckily, they were attached with Velcro so easily detachable. Still plenty of sweat on subsequent rises but no stinging eyes.

Never had that problem. Is it a helmet thing?

I can only say that I sweat profusely, especially grovelling uphill in warm weather but the stinging eyes experience was a one-off for me. It was during a long - for me - ride of 160 miles round the West Yorkshire Cycle Route. Riding up one of the steep hills near Hebden Bridge (the word steep being redundant here since there's no other type of hill near Hebden Bridge) I experienced bad stinging in my eyes. I only managed to get any relief by buying a large bottle of mineral water from a service station and rinsing my head with it. Back home and recovered from the ride, I investigated and then rinsed the pads. No further trouble.

These things completely stop sweat running into my eyes:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00KGTT ... ref=plSrch

I didn't buy them for that reason but there's a ridge running across the top which completely blocks sweat running down.

It's only at the end of a ride when they're removed that a gush of sweat runs down from my head and into my eyes, so I keep them on until near a washbasin or similar.

With cycling clothing and accessories I've found that the most comfortable things are the things you forget about once you've put them on and these glasses are no exception. They're the only glasses I've ever had which can be worn all day long without starting to rub, ache or become uncomfortable.

Whether they're worth £80 is questionable but for £20 they're brilliant.

sweatbands - Alice hairbands - like dire straits used to wear. Very 80s retro, very uncool. Seemed to work

For under a helmet, I wear a Buff - cut in half. This absorbs most of the sweat, but I also take a spare as they can become water/sweat-logged. I also find that not wearing too many clothes helps reduce the sweating. I normally cycle in an undervest/bibshorts with a S/S cycle top on top. If it's warm then I'll not wear the undervest.

tradditional peaked cycle cap. can be worn under a helmet as well. if you are working really hard you may find sweat dripping off the peak, but at least its away from your face.

Halo sweat band or bandanna - has a gutter to pull sweat away from eyes. Very effective so long as helmet pads don't bridge the gutter. Just done 3 weeks riding and running in France in high 20s/low30s and not had issues using the sweat band with my helmet, and the run cap on my runs.

greyingbeard wrote:sweatbands - Alice hairbands - like dire straits used to wear. Very 80s retro, very uncool. Seemed to work

+1 on these, can get them cheap almost any sports shop. I use them just above my eyebrows, keeps them away from my specs and clear of the helmet. Carry two,wear one and have the other dangling from the handlebars drying out!

I've only ever had sweat drip in to my eyes back when I wore a helmet. Now I tend not to, problem largely solved.

A trad cotton cap will naturally tend to mop up your brow because cotton absorbs moisture.

Pete.

Stop plucking your eyebrows so the sweat doesn't get to your eyes.

irc wrote:Never had that problem. Is it a helmet thing?

Seems like it. Double win for the junk sellers - sell something that causes problems, then sell something else to address one of them!