General Cycling Discussion - do you change your ride when there is a headwind?

everyone has a normal/usual training ride they like. you know....the one where you know every pothole and crease/dip in the road.

how often do you change direction or turnoff to avoid a frightening headwind? i never used to change course and used to beat myself up into winds. earlier this year i decided to change direction so i wasn't into the wind the whole ride. i felt like i was cheating somehow, but now i find myself avoiding the wind more and more. i guess in the long run i don't feel like i am a stronger rider for having to go into the wind, especially gusting ones where you can't get a handle on gearing and form.

Avoid a headwind? How do you do that? It seems to me that all tailwinds become headwinds eventually...

Here in Montreal, the prevailing winds are westerly and fairly predictable . I usually chose to go [i]out into a headwind rather than back into one. Grinding into a headwind when you're cooked is a variety of Hell. Having said that, it can't always be avoided.

When me an ol' Blue set out for a ride, I get to the local highway where all my rides start. Then I hold a moistened finger into the air to see from which direction the gentle Nebraska breeze is originating. (Okay, really, I look down on the ground to see whch foot I had to unclip to keep from being blown over!) Then, that is the way I go, right into the wind! Work my butt off, (and I still have a lot to work off!) but the ride home is worth it! Heart rate barely into the aerobic zone, working the tallest gears I have, and having a ball! Someone on this forum once said that hills and headwinds build character....I must be one of the biggest characters around!
That is what works for me...try it, you might like it!

No


Koffee

Why would anyone want to avoid a headwind? On most rides I head in a direction into the wind from the start (unless it's coming from the ocean or something), and hope they turn around so that I get a headwind from the finish.

The only things better than riding into a headwind are riding up hills or riding in the rain.

No... do you turn around when you see a steep hill?

:rolleyes:

In the Bay Area, the winds are predictable -- from the north in the afternoon, and strong.

I usually go north and west on weekend rides from where I live. This gives me an opportunity to use a stairstep approach to cut across the valley. In doing so I get a good workout but in phases; I'm not "cooked" by 20-30 miles of non-stop, fierce, winds but rather am able to take a breather between headwind segments. It's a lot long, elongated intervals.

On my commute home I always get a tailwind in the summer but can face some terrific headwinds in winter. In the latter case, I'm stuck -- I live due south from where I work ... no escape !!

Originally posted by Chris L
The only things better than riding into a headwind are riding up hills or riding in the rain. How about riding uphill, against the wind, when it's raining?

But the best is riding uphill, against the wind, when it's raining AND the temperature is below freezing. Nothing beats that.

That's even better than riding in a blizzard.

In those cases I'd rather NOT be on my road bike.

Cheers

No, it doesn't bother me, the more head winds I encounter, the better, more hills to climb, make my bike riding enjoyable...

Originally posted by JRA
That's even better than riding in a blizzard.


Unfortunately, blizzards don't happen here. I say unfortunately because instead we have to put up with stupid heat, ridiculous humidity and pointless bushfires :(

Chris... I don't think you'd like riding in a blizzard... No visibility, no traction, no road... it really isn't very pleasant.

As for the headwinds debate... what I really dislike is a strong crosswind.

Originally posted by velocipedio
As for the headwinds debate... what I really dislike is a strong crosswind.

A strong wind will keep me inside as it will eventually turn into a crosswind. When the spokes start singing. . .

Somedays, though, I feel like I'm at the center of the universe with a headwind all day. . . how can that be????:confused:

Woody,

Seems to me that here in Texas we have headwinds no
matter what direction I ride.
For more on Texas winds see Its Not about the Bike
Lance talks a bit about the wind here
(funny enough we are windier than Chicago, the windy
city).

Marty

I'm with the "velo" guy, crosswinds are worthless.

I hate crosswinds with a passion. But headwinds, I just hope for the "payback" part of the route.

If I'm feeling especially Cranial-Headed, I'll go into the hills on days when I know the normal route has an all day crosswind.

Great posts Riph, keep'em coming......

no I just keep riding. MAny times iLL go out and back into a head wind and thinking it will be nice to ride back with a tail wind BUT about the turn arround point the wind changes direction I bet this has happen to others too.

I used to try not to ride on windy days, but when i started touring i changed my attitude on that. Rode so many headwinds with a full loaded bike that i just go with it now.
catfish:beer:

I can be hard to change the direction of a commute... If the commute goes West and there are Westerly winds, then I am going to get a head wind, not much I can really do :p

I usually leave a note indicating which route I am taking before I leave (you know...cuz sh1t does happen after all) and about 99% of the time that is dictated by either my mood, wind speed/direction,or all three. How many times have you flown right along with a good strong tailwind, gone a little farther than originally planned and turned for home. Creeping along at 8 mph can make you realize how far that actually is. This can actually be a dangerous thing to do if it's cold enough out, and anymore that is my only limiting factor in the wintertime since snow here is rare anymore.
As far as wind, I don't care how hard it's blowing unless it's the kind that usually comes in heavy gusts at about a 45 degree angle to my front tire. That sucks, especially when you're trying to watch your backside for traffic.

No, I ride head wind or not.

My ride is 14 mile golf trail, so whatever i do i will end up in the wind some time. I like days with a strong wind! makes me work harder!

Jared

uummmm.... yeah..... i never try to avoid a headwind.... i was just testing you guys.......

besides, whichever direction i turn, there it is....the wind in my face.

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
besides, whichever direction i turn, there it is....the wind in my face.

That's only because you're such a super-spanky, ultra-fast rider that you always out-pace the wind anyway! :D

i'm really starting to 'get' your humour CHRIS L

this scares me.

I have given up on avoiding headwinds. They are a horrible fact of life in Denmark. I've made my peace with them. I now view them as the perfect chance to get some ressistance training. In a falt country, wind is our mountains....

I switch my routes around so I head into the wind rahter than switch to go with the wind. :D

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
i'm really starting to 'get' your humour CHRIS L

this scares me.

Not nearly as much as my humour scares me!

When riding alone I tend to just grin and bear it and right into the wind. On pleasure rides with my wife though, we tend to go laterally through neighborhood streets to moderate both wind and hills.

I tend to think of this as cheating a little. However, it usually ends up being a longer ride. Guess it evens out in the end.

Carl

I live for headwinds. If I get a tailwind, I avoid it.

:)

Actually, I can't change course, I'm either going to work, or going home.

Originally posted by LittleBigMan
Actually, I can't change course, I'm either going to work, or going home.

Well, if you really wanted to, you could always find a few hills to block out the wind.

How about riding uphill, against the wind, when it's raining?

But the best is riding uphill, against the wind, when it's raining AND the temperature is below freezing. Nothing beats that.

That's even better than riding in a blizzard.

In those cases I'd rather NOT be on my road bike.

Cheers

You left out heavy traffic splashing slush all over you continuously, plus lots of dead rotting carcas stench and severe lightning, when the lightning and thunderclap are nearly simultaneous. I pedal really really hard when that happens.

I hate the way headwinds change to the opposite direction soon after the rider changes directions. How does that so often seem the case. I figure that headwind makes you stronger for hills.
Sometimes, headwinds seem to offer more resistance than actual hills.
If I changed directions to suit the wind's direction, I fear it would be a really long way home.

The prevailing wind in the afternoons here comes in the direction of home. Many times I've ridden 5 miles past my house into the wind just to get that sweet, sweet tailwind for the end of the day.

Most rides are out and back so pretty hard to avoid a headwind unless the wind switches mid ride. I ride early mornings. During the week i am usually up against the clock to get to work so i try and plan my rides so i have the tail wind with me on the return trip. Doesn't always work and really is only a factor if the wind is STRONG.

Wind is a fact of life here. Except for the hottest days of summer, we have a constant 8-15 mph wind. I avoid the strongest winds by riding in the early morning. One of my favorite rides places me next to the coast with no protection from the wind. It's a beautiful place to ride, but the wind really gets annoying. My other favorite route is less windy in the morning, but there's plenty of hills. I'd rather tackle the hills.

Wind. No problema. Rain. Never.

i'll "change" it..... in that i'll do my out ride into the wind and my home ride with the tailwind! but i really have no way to totally avoid wind! (well.... unless i just don't ride!)

I'm up with the ppl who prefer headwinds to crosswinds - riding once with SEVERE crosswinds wasn't very pleasant especially when I was blown off my bike! Give me a headwind anyday unless of course it's so strong that I'm pedaling forwards but going backwards...

everyone has a normal/usual training ride they like.

no they don't

Wow! This is an old thread....

But...no. I don't.

Wow! This is an old thread....



D'oh! I hate it when I reply to a Lazarus thread....

most days here the winds are from the "NNW" (north/northwest)

about 3/4 my old commute was pretty much a straight line heading southeast to the UMD campus, which meant tailwinds on the way there and headwinds on the way back. no way to avoid em really in that case.

hard to say with my new commute cause I don't have one yet... still looking for a job

I tend to adjust my route so I mostly head out into the wind and let it push me back.

If I have any choice, sure. I rarely have a choice as most of my riding is commuting.