Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Wind - how to beat it?????

I will always be a clydesdale because I am 6'3". I know I will struggle with this for the rest of my biking life, but there has to be something I can do. Do I use a lower cadence and force through it or jump gears and go to a 100+ cadence. Today I had wind gust that would slow me down by over 3mph in seconds according to my Garmin with the same gear and same cadence.

It actually felt best for me to be running around an 85 cadence and force myself through rather than spinning up two gears and feeling like I was going nowhere very fast.

THoughts????

Get a recumbent with a fairing? <GDRLH>

All you can really do is just use a lower gear than usual and/or push through it. It's another challenge in the path of life for a cyclist. :D

Think of it as a horizontal hill and spin accordingly :thumb:

Think of it as a horizontal hill and spin accordingly :thumb:

+1:roflmao2:

i use prayer.....but never do seem to beat the wind. Just curse it till its done doing its thang.

Get in the drops, keep your head down, and your cadence up.

If the wind is only slowing you 3mph, it's not much wind. Don't worry about it. You could get a TT bike though if you were looking for an excuse to spend money.

I count down the miles till the turn around point and a tail wind home. Then I find that the wind has died or reversed and I still have a head wind.

turn around :D

I count down the miles till the turn around point and a tail wind home. Then I find that the wind has died or reversed and I still have a head wind.

Tell me about it. On my 10 mile loop it seems the wind changes all the time and usually against me.

I just complain under my breath. It doesn't help, but it does give me something to do while I'm spinning a billion rpm going nowhere.

Get in the drops, keep your head down, and your cadence up.

^^^^^^^^This.

Just push through.....

Headwinds make you stronger. (I know, but it sounds good. :p)

If it makes you feel any better, when I was crewing RAAM for Rob Lucas, he had to ride almost 500 miles of headwinds before he got a break and the wind switched late on day 2 to a quartering tailwind. His only comment was, "It really doesn't suck, finally catching a tailwind".

Don't we, as Clydesdales/Athenas just have a bigger surface area? Doesn't that make us more susceptible to head winds? It's just harder for us to go forward, am I right? So, we should either always travel in reverse or be happy with the progress we're making!! That's probably not what you were looking for, is it?

First thought - You can't. :p

I used to look at it like that, until I figured out to drop a gear or three and enjoy the scenery. Look at it like life is helping you work for your goal. That way when you achieve it it will be that much sweeter.

Get in the drops, keep your head down, and your cadence up.

+1

What is even more frustrating is when you have a power meter and you're putting out 400+ watts and you're crawling along at 10mph when you should be going over 20mph at that wattage.

Bah! The wind! I rode about 12 miles of my 25 mile trip out with a headwind, then half the trip back it was blowing directly sideways. I was all set to get the wind behind me too.

When it happens, at least you can be thankful that (most times) it's not happening so you have to spin while you're going down a steep hill. I've had that happen 3 or 4 times.

Just accept the fact that you are working harder to go slower and ride for the same amount of time and call that good. Or ride slower for the same distance and say that you got more of a workout than usual.

I had such a head wind the other day that i cut 7 miles of my normal route and it still took me an extra half hour...I was whipped.

When I'm commuting and it's windy, I ride busier streets. Seriously, when you're contending with traffic you forget all about the wind.

Get a recumbent with a fairing? <GDRLH>

Exactly. Fully faired you will laugh at the wind. Something like this Lightning F-40 would do nicely:
http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/lightning/images/lightning_f40_race_lg.jpg

Be a bit rough with a side wind, though. Also, what happens when he stops? I don't see any way to hold himself up or get his legs out. Prolly has to pull up to a tree and hope it falls that direction.

So, I should be spinning through the wind.... I really feel like I am working really hard and not going anywhere to keep my cadence over 100 into the wind. But, between 80 and 85 I feel like I am getting somewhere. I have aerobars, but that only gains me about .1 mph into a wind from my experience, so I have tried the drops and there is not much difference there either.

I think you want to do whatever gives you sustainable speed. I'm usually riding by the coast where it's always pretty windy and rolling hills. I tend to keep my cadence around 100-105 regardless and just ride a bit slower if there's a strong headwind, but try to keep my output consistent. I'm usually riding alone as well.

-spence

Don't we, as Clydesdales/Athenas just have a bigger surface area? Doesn't that make us more susceptible to head winds? It's just harder for us to go forward, am I right? So, we should either always travel in reverse or be happy with the progress we're making!! That's probably not what you were looking for, is it?

I ride with many very fast skinny riders and they all love having me out in the wind, yes more surface area but harder to slow my momentum. Not sure if it's true or not but I seem to struggle less in the wind than my skinny friends.

I'll tell you what, climbing a hill and getting a good burn in your quads makes you feel alive and is very rewarding when you reach the top. Riding into the wind totally sucks @ss.

Exactly. Fully faired you will laugh at the wind. Something like this Lightning F-40 would do nicely:
http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/lightning/images/lightning_f40_race_lg.jpgWhoa! What happens if it's a side-wind? :eek:

Today I had wind gust that would slow me down by over 3mph in seconds according to my Garmin with the same gear and same cadence.

THoughts????Yeah, I have thoughts...your Garmin is lying. If you're in the same gear and at the same cadence, your speed has to be the same.

Wind - how to beat it?????

Buy windsock. Catch wind and put into sock. Beat sock with baseball bat. Wind is now beat. :D

Seriously, that's about all you can do other than just put up with it (and/or mumble under your breath about how unfair it is).

Yeah, I have thoughts...your Garmin is lying. If you're in the same gear and at the same cadence, your speed has to be the same.

I know that isn't true, because I could run the big ring in the front and the rear and run at 15 mph without any wind at a 90 cadence, but with a 10 mph wind I would be less than that, probably more like 13 mph.

I know that isn't true, because I could run the big ring in the front and the rear and run at 15 mph without any wind at a 90 cadence, but with a 10 mph wind I would be less than that, probably more like 13 mph.


Your chain is slipping? You're applying so much torque that the rear tire is breaking lose?:p Or perhaps you're going downhill and coasting a bit during your no wind test.

I don't think it's mechanically possible to go two different speeds in the same gear at the same cadence otherwise.

Wind does suck, it's like a never ending hill, but it sure is nice going downwind and hearing nothing but the music of the tires and driveline.

You can try the 2-1 or 3-1 method. Two hours into the wind, one hour back. Or up it to 3 into the wind.

If you ride with a club you already know about pacelines and getting 'pulled'.
If you ride solo, do what I do.
Find a cadence (now arguably, there are times-and this season in western ny has been one- when getting off and walking finally became the only option)
Find a cadence that works for you and for your legs.
Unless you have a masochistic streak you'll find no advantage in trying to maintain the speed you can maintain in windless rides.
The idea is to come in with enough leg that going out cycling the next day is looked forward to.:thumb:

Whoa! What happens if it's a side-wind? :eek:

Why, you just turn into the wind, of course! (oh, and that bike has slits in the fabric sock to get your feet down at a stop).

Aggressive bike set up. Large saddle to bar drop. Good, aerodynamic form. Form fitting kit. I ride with a guy who is 3 inches shorter than me and has 20 pounds of muscle on me. If we coast down a hill from a stop, I'll beat him to the bottom every time. Setup is extremely important for aerodynamics.

"Fully faired you will laugh at the wind." There may be laughter involved, but I doubt that's the way it works.

I just crank on through at about 12 mph. Not much alternative on a single speed, though.

Actually, other things being similar, large people should have an advantage in the wind. As you scale things up and down, a person double the size in each direction would have 4 times the frontal area but 8 times the muscle, and should be able to go faster.

Wasn't there a Stephen King short story called "Thinner?"

Speaking of headwinds (which I face) far better to have it going out than coming back (assuming the ride is out and back on the same route)!

I will always be a clydesdale because I am 6'3".

What?? Why do you think this?

Beat the wind? Stay indoors or simply change directions... :D


:roflmao2:



.

Exactly. Fully faired you will laugh at the wind. Something like this Lightning F-40 would do nicely:
http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/lightning/images/lightning_f40_race_lg.jpg

I'd break that poor thing in half. Last time I looked at their site it had a weight limit about 50# less than me.

I guess you could beat the wind with a big stick. that might work?

I will always be a clydesdale because I am 6'3".


What?? Why do you think this?


According to Mr. Stormcrow in this thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=577322):


Why a Clydesdale? The term actually comes from the Triathlon World, for a male athlete over 200 pounds and/or over 6 feet tall. This was never a derogatory term, though. The Clydesdale is a massive and powerful charger, bred for battle originally; not hauling around a beer wagon, to carry an armored knight into combat. They were the time periods equivalent of the M1 Abrams Tank.....large, fast, and unstoppable.


Why an Athena? Look at Greek art, and the idealized form. The Greek culture portrayed the Goddess Athena as, well......statuesque. To be an Athena, you are not going to be a skinny little stick girl. Athena was the Patroness Goddess of Athens, and was not only the goddess of the gift of wisdom, she was a warrior Goddess, portrayed as a large, well muscled, strong and athletic woman that embodies the ideals of wisdom, knowledge, beauty, and strength. This term also comes from the Tri world, and is given to women over 150 pounds and/or 5'10".

Thus, because OP is taller than 6', he will always be a clyde.

Yes, I am going by the over 6' tall being the limit. I plan on gettin under 200 at some point in this year or early in 2010, but I will forever be a clydesdale.

I'd rather climb any mountain in the world than ride into the wind for any significant lenght of time. Wind is just demoralizing.

Then again, when it's behind you you feel like Tom Boonen. Sitting up, soft pedaling home at 27 mph.

Does riding down a 2 mile grade @ 15 mph into a 15 mph head wind mean I'm going the equivalent of 30 mph? It sure feels like it.:giver:

Not sure of the science but a harder gear/lower cadence is usually quicker for us bigger guys to push through a headwind. If speed is not you goal then spinning "up the horizontal hill" seems like the best technique.

run the big ring in the front and the rear and run at 15 mphMaybe I'm misinterpreting this but are you saying that you're using the large gear in the front -and- the rear? If so, you may end up with some chain problems. Look up 'cross chaining'... it's not recommended.

+1 Try to think of it as a wonderful opportunity for increased training. You don't get stronger if it's easy.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting this but are you saying that you're using the large gear in the front -and- the rear? If so, you may end up with some chain problems. Look up 'cross chaining'... it's not recommended.

It was an example and cross chaining doesn't seem to be a problem on my double in the big ring on the front. I can hear it in the small gear on the front. It isn't something I do often but I can run Big/Big and not have any chain noise. No, it is not recommended, but it also is not far out of line for the chain when I look at it in that position.