wind

ednwireland

just saw this on the road bike riders newsletter
couldnt agree more i hate wind

"For every uphill there's a downhill, for every headwind there's a headwind." -- Florida roadies' maxim

In RBR's poll last week, 10 times more voters said wind is a tougher cycling challenge than hills.

Why is wind such a drag?

The late cycling physiologist Ed Burke, Ph.D. addressed that question in his book, "Serious Cycling." He explained that a headwind slows a cyclist's speed by about half the wind speed. For example, if you're riding into a block headwind of 15 mph (24 kph) you'll see an average reduction in forward speed of 7-8 mph (11.2-12.9 kph).

But wind is sneaky. It doesn't need to be coming directly at you to be perceived as a headwind. It's why a headwind may not stop when you make a turn. Ask a Florida roadie.

Burke cited wind tunnel studies that showed any wind in the forward 200 degrees of an imaginary circle around a rider will inhibit speed. Only wind in the trailing 160 degrees will feel helpful.

Here are 11 tips for a better ride on the next windy day:

---Get low. Reduce your frontal area in a headwind by moving your hands to the drops and keeping your elbows bent and in line with your body.

---Gear down. Shift to a lower gear (larger cassette cog) so you can maintain a normal cadence against the wind. Yes, you'll go slower. But spinning is better for your head and knees than grinding with a slow rpm.

---Gather a group. It's a huge help on a windy day to ride with friends. You'll only need to bore into the headwind briefly before getting shelter in the paceline. Keep pulls short for maximum advantage.

---Change course. When the gale is blowing, choose a route that includes natural wind breaks such as woods, hedges, cornfields, houses, walls and so on. Make it a course with numerous turns so you're never straight into a headwind for long. If you're limited to an out-and-back route, start into the wind so it can blow you home during the second half.

---Change clothes. A blousy jacket will catch the air like a drogue chute and sound like a baseball card in the spokes. Wear form-fitting clothing on windy days, perhaps dressing in layers so you can leave your flappy jacket home.

---Change the time. When windy days are predicted, riding early or late may mean only battling breezes.

---Stay loose. Keep your shoulders and elbows relaxed to help your bike stay on course in a gusty wind.

---Stay ready. Anticipate places where the wind is likely to hit you harder. Example: when passing something that serves as a windbreak, or when vehicles pass you. A momentary lull in the crosswind could be followed by a strong blast that catches you off guard and pushes you off line.

---Keep pedaling. A bike is more stable if the rear wheel is receiving power. You don't need to pedal hard on a windy descent, but if you shift to a bigger gear and keep some force on the chain you'll feel the benefit.

---Be wary of wheels. Windy days are not the time for aero wheels with tall rims and bladed spokes. They present a larger surface for crosswinds to push against, making the bike unstable, especially on fast descents. Standard wheels with low, box-section rims and conventional spokes are much less susceptible.

---Chant. The wind is my friend, the wind is my friend . . . . Like riding hills, riding in wind can make you stronger -- if you know the tricks to turn it into a training advantage. Next week we'll have some tips for doing that.


full newsletter here
http://www.roadbikerider.com/index.htm#road_cyclist

Beasty

I hate the wind, but also feel that so long as I am fighting it, I am improving my overall performance.

The stats you quote are quite interesting. I have some data from my own regular commute that don't tie in with those in the report. There have been a few times when I am heading into a headwind one way, of around 20-30km/h, with an equivalent tailwind when heading in the other direction. I typically find my average speed into the headwind is about 3-4km/h less than with the tailwind. This report suggests the headwind alone (ie ignoring the benefit of the tailwind) should cost me at least 10km/h. In fact, whatever the conditions, the complete spread of my commuting speeds both in and out of work is only around 8km/h (between 26 km/h and 34 km/h).

I appreciate this is not a scientific analysis, and there are other factors involved, but over an extended time this has been my typical experience.

jif

Beasty wrote: »

This report suggests the..

that ^ post suggests you didnt read or understand the point

irishmotorist

Great post and very interesting but....

ednwireland wrote: »

---Chant. The wind is my friend, the wind is my friend

Never! The wind is never your friend! Unless it's the time it's behind you of course.

Beasty wrote: »

I hate the wind, but also feel that so long as I am fighting it, I am improving my overall performance.

The stats you quote are quite interesting. I have some data from my own regular commute that don't tie in with those in the report. There have been a few times when I am heading into a headwind one way, of around 20-30km/h, with an equivalent tailwind when heading in the other direction. I typically find my average speed into the headwind is about 3-4km/h less than with the tailwind. This report suggests the headwind alone (ie ignoring the benefit of the tailwind) should cost me at least 10km/h. In fact, whatever the conditions, the complete spread of my commuting speeds both in and out of work is only around 8km/h (between 26 km/h and 34 km/h).

I appreciate this is not a scientific analysis, and there are other factors involved, but over an extended time this has been my typical experience.

When comparing your speed and reduction, I assume (or do I?) the original report took effort into account. Speed is not and cannot be the only factor to see what difference wind makes. I know that wind can add, say, 15% to my time, but the effort is higher and I'm more tired even at this time expense. My HRM will show a higher average HR for the cycle, but I've got no stats to pinpoint this.

Edit: I love the quote about the 200 degrees/160 degrees. I never thought of quantifying it and it's good to see a figure, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was slightly more 'against'. When I'm cycling in the vicinity of flags, there's many a time that I could swear that things should be feeling much easier.

xz

I dont mind the wind, as I am big and strong enough for it, however........hills...pahphooey, I hate them. Normally on a windy day on a club spin,I seem to end up at the fromt a lot, theres plenty of me to hide behind:rolleyes:

Jawgap

In the last few weeks I've been coming aound to the idea that the wind gets a bad rep.

I've decided that the headwinds are a good opportunity to build strength and stamina - which is not to say I enjoy headwinds!

I'd still take hills over wind any day - at least you know when a climb ends and a descent begins......

Beasty

irishmotorist wrote: »

When comparing your speed and reduction, I assume (or do I?) the original report took effort into account. Speed is not and cannot be the only factor to see what difference wind makes. I know that wind can add, say, 15% to my time, but the effort is higher and I'm more tired even at this time expense. My HRM will show a higher average HR for the cycle, but I've got no stats to pinpoint this.

On the specifics of Heart Rate, I find my own average actually falls when there is a headwind (my average with a headwind in 151, and with a tailwind 155). I think it's because I feel slightly less motivated if I know there is a strong headwind. I am also in the saddle longer, which helps lower my average for the full journey.
It's early days with my power meter, and I have much less data in this area, but I am currently finding my power output is 5-10% less with a headwind than with a tailwind, supporting the suggestion I actually put less effort in with a headwind. I appreciate others may take a different approach.

As I mentioned above, there are plenty of other factors here. Prevailing winds, for example, are from the South West which means I typically encounter more headwind on my journey into work, when I am not properly warmed up, and the weather is often colder. However this would exacerbate the impact. Clearly my journey is not in a straight line, and hence I have taken a prudent view of the wind speeds in my comments above. I have sometimes faced winds of over 40 km/h (with higher gusts and equivalent tailwinds). Overall my journey is pretty much North/South. If the winds are South Westerly at 40km/h, the average actual headwind is around 28km/h.

In addition, I commute alone, with very little drafting opportunities. I am also quite a large build, and adopt an upright riding style (I hardly ever use the drops), which would increase wind resistance.

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

]On the specifics of Heart Rate, I find my own average actually falls when there is a headwind (my average with a headwind in 151, and with a tailwind 155).

Check your cadence stats. You may be trying to hold a higher gear, which can be more efficient (but more tiring) and may cause your HR to drop.

edit: sorry, just re-read "my power output is 5-10% less with a headwind than with a tailwind, supporting the suggestion I actually put less effort in with a headwind".

irishmotorist

I'd tend to try to maintain as high a speed as I can with a high cadence into a headwind which probably answers why I'm banjaxed and hate the wind so much!

Lumen

irishmotorist wrote: »

I'd tend to try to maintain as high a speed as I can with a high cadence into a headwind which probably answers why I'm banjaxed and hate the wind so much!

I've read advice that you should never fight the wind in a time trial, i.e. put in larger efforts going up hills and with tailwinds where your efforts are not disproportionately eroded by drag.

The only problem I have with strong headwinds is the shame factor. I imagine the car drivers (unaware of the wind in their metal cocoons) mocking me for being so slow. "Haha, look at that Fred, he can barely exceed 20kph!".

irishmotorist

Lumen wrote: »

"Haha, look at that Fred, he can barely exceed 20kph!".

Obviously being a cyclist, I'm keen to see what cyclists are up to when I'm in the car.

I often wonder though, what do the non cycling drivers think of our speed. If I'm booting it with a good tailer I never seem to get applause or even dropped jaws of awe.

Raam

I love riding into a head wind on training spins/commute. Perfect for a good workout. However, at the end of a 150km epic, they ain't much fun.

petethedrummer

I don't mind the wind either, despite having the most un-aerodynamic bike position.

Lumen

petethedrummer wrote: »

I don't mind the wind either, despite having the most un-aerodynamic bike position.

WakeyTyke

Cycling on the west coast the wind is a constant companion and whilst I it's not a companion I relish I can thank it for making me a strong rider.

Anyway, I would much rather have the wind as a companion rather than the traffic in Dublin :eek:

Borneo Fnctn

I like tackling hills but I hate the wind. A strong headwind and a bit of rain is spirit crushing.

Beasty

Well that was an "interesting" commute this morning - winds were 40 km/h with gusts of up to 60 km/h from the SSW, which is pretty much the direction of about 3/4 of my journey. There is a bit of zig-zagging involved, and I reckon, taking into account this and any shelter I did get my average headwind must still have been over 20km/h

I averaged 22.2 km/h for the commute this morning. Yesterday I did exactly the same journey, with the wind showing as variable at around 3 km/h (to all intents and purposes still), at an average speed of 27.5 km/h. On both journeys my average cadence was 75. Average power output was 205 kw today, and 204 kw yesterday

Clearly this was not a formal experiment under scientific conditions etc, but on this basis I reckon I am losing 1 km/h for every 4 km/h of headwind, ie about half of that shown in the study referred to by the OP.

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to the promised 60km/h tailwind on the way home tonight:)

Ryaner

jackpalance wrote: »

I like tackling hills but I hate the wind. A strong headwind and a bit of rain is spirit crushing.

Wait until you get hit with a wave from an oncoming jeep while cycling on near flooded roads. Head to toe of solid water. Felt like getting punched in the chest while on the bike

fletch

Beasty wrote: »

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to the promised 60km/h tailwind on the way home tonight:)

It doesn't work like that! The wind always manages to change direction in the evening!

Surveyor11

Beasty wrote: »

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to the promised 60km/h tailwind on the way home tonight:)

I am going in the opposite direction tonight, dreading it already:eek:

Peterx

Best commute in a long while this morning.
Massive tailwind, net downhill, millions of cars going nowhere for me to look smugly at, massive tailwind, got loads of green lights, massive tailwind:D

serendip

Beasty wrote: »

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to the promised 60km/h tailwind on the way home tonight:)

Your commute sounds like it has the same orientation as my own, and it does indeed look good for the evening:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx6;page=1;ct=31739~Dublin;sess=

Blowfish

The commute in for me is NE for most of it, which wasn't particularly fun.

Carbon bike + crosswind = getting blown into traffic lots.

stopped_clock

I was on an out-and-back spin in strongish wind a while back. With a tailwind on the way home, I was doing 50k+ uphill at times.

It got me thinking though - what's the best position to take advantage of a tailwind, presumably as upright as possible with jacket flapping in the wind etc?

seamus

I'm not looking forward to the 60km/h headwind this evening

Stupid rain & traffic meant that I couldn't even get good mileage out of the ridiculous tailwind on the way in.

Almost came a cropper too. Wind blew my front wheel onto a manhole cover and I started slipping. Somewhere in that split second I managed to lift the wheel and put it back on the road. Saved me from an embarrassing spill in front of central bank.

Probably be pissing rain too

Caroline_ie

What really irritated me today was people getting in the office from their cars, complaining about 'ohhh i got soaked walking 10 metres from the car to the building it's horrible' ... and me walking in from the bike shed with a big smug smile on my face full of HTFU feeling... ( my commute is pretty short but still ... most people who drive to work lived less than 5km away )

penexpers

Nearly got blown over a few times this morning. Stayed dry thanks to copious layers of non-breatable waterproof gear.

cdaly_

stopped_clock wrote:

what's the best position to take advantage of a tailwind, presumably as upright as possible with jacket flapping in the wind etc?

only for as long as you're going slower than the wind. Once you start going fast enough it becomes a headwind...

Beasty

cdaly_ wrote: »

only for as long as you're going slower than the wind. Once you start going fast enough it becomes a headwind...

So this evening you will need to crouch down once you get above 60km/h or so (assuming you are heading directly away from wind):D

blorg

It is rare that you will get a constant and steady headwind, they tend to be some sort of crosswind to an extent and gusty. Personally I find even with a tailwind down in the drops tends to be most effective. If you are sitting up any momentary lull in the wind will have a big slowing effect.

poochiem

I was thinking if i can somehow attach a sail to the bike tonight I should be able to pick up enough speed coming down the N11 to go Back to the Future. Do they do sails in Cycleways?