Cooling of motorcyclists in various clothing during winter in Britain

Abstract

Skin and ear-canal temperatures of seven volunteer motorcyclists have been measured during control periods and during rides of up to 161km at air temperatures below 10°C. While wearing their own clothing in air temperatures between 2·6 and 10 C the riders showed changes in heat storage of - 438 to - 1611 Wm⁻². The average of the three lowest temperatures (°C) recorded from selected sites from different subjects (and the means of the laboratory control values from all seven subjects + standard errors) were: foot, 14·7 (30·6 ± 0·93); shin, 21·4 (32·2± 0·40); thigh, 17·8 (31·8± 0·36); abdomen and chest, 25·3(34·7 ± 0·26); forearm, 28·8 (33·8±0·19; hand, 15·5 (30·8±0·58); ear canal, 36·1 (37·2 ± 0·7). The rate at which riders' feet cooled was not closely related to the rates their bodies cooled. Even when there was no body cooling, their feet cooled by at least 3°C hour⁻¹, while riding. The thickness of motorcycle clothing and its wind-proofing are both important in preventing cooling. Zip fasteners need special protection beyond that needed merely to keep out rain.