deacon mark

Did a charity century this past Saturday. It is yearly done in July heat. I live in Illinois so flat basically rolling nothing too much. This year was my slowest I hit the 100 mile in 6:02. With 6:15 total time 16.5. I know it is not a race but I use it for pushing a Century.

So this year perfect weather 60 degrees maybe got to 70 by end. Chilly to start even. They changed the course this year and it was less hilly but a good wind the return trip home of about 10-15 mph. The corn high keep this iin check I am sure at times but it was and out and back. Well last year the course had many more hills and a few short climbs but was hot 90 and high humidity. I did last year in 5:30 at 100 5:52 total. I am about same shape but the wind just seem to nail me from getting in the last 20 miles was just pushing to get done. I did not feel as bad this year at the end but I wonder if heat is not all the factor might suggest. I drank only 65 ounces the whole ride not really thirsty at end. I had about 15 cookies at 65 miles.

FWIW I spare glycogen well and many marathons running so energy is not the issue. I can ride 100 on little replacement if I rest and load properly. I just keep thinking the wind had a real effect but mentally is destroyed my ability to push. The heat not so much. Any thoughts? I went thoughts ? i went thru 50 in 2:48 was being cautious knowing the wind was coming.

lineinthewater

I'll take hills over wind any day. Wind is the great demoralizer!

RPK79

I hate wind. At least when you're climbing you can see what you're doing. You get to look back and feel like you beat the hill. With wind it just make you feel like you're working hard to not go as fast. If it's too windy I won't ride (or I'll ride somewhere more sheltered than my usual routes).

peckma

Hills end. Wind doesn't.

cqcumber

u bet ur a$$ winds alot worse than hills!

RPK79

...although once it's at your back pushing you along.

lineinthewater

Anyone ever pull out into traffic, to take a left turn, and a strong wind gust knocks your speed down to nothing, and meanwhile the motorists behind you are getting up in arms because they don't realize why you suddenly slowed? I almost got rear ended once. Damn you wind!!

Ricanfred

+1 I hate it; a tailwind on the other hand.....

lineinthewater

What's this tailwind you speak of? Doesn't the headwind change direction with you too?

Hiro11

Wind is harder, IMO.

Voodoo76

This. Nothing spells "death march" quite like a long ride out with the wind and back into it.

KantoBoy

I had a 20-23mph head wind yesterday on my ride paired up with some hills and an unreliable Garmin GPS telling me to go the wrong way all the time. It was one heck of a 40mi ride yesterday I tell ya.

To answer OP I'd rather have some nasty hills with steep slopes than the wind. My 150lbs> arse don't like it.

dalava

Wind is like that invisible hand repeatedly slapping you in the face... I HATE wind, and I enjoy hills

dalava

Most of times when I go out by myself, I make sure I go into the wind first and with it on the way back.

RPK79

When I do this it usually shifts with me when I turn around, or I'm stuck with headwinds and crosswinds for most of the ride and then get the nice tailwind to ride UP a hill and that's about it.

DoninIN

Wind sucks. As others have said, with a climb, even if you don't get the energy back on the way down you can at least see, and feel what you're up against. With the wind, it's invisible, it's annoying, it's worse as you get tired at the end of a century, I'd imagine, as it's harder to stay down in the drops, and every time you sit up or stretch you're slowing down, or working harder.

dalava

This is the 4th law of thermodynamics

merlinextraligh

Unfortunately, due to vector physics, for typical riding speeds, most wind directions end up being an effective headwind.

In otherwords, most of the time wind hurts you, and only helps a minority of the time. It's not just in your head that winds are always headwinds.

Bah Humbug

Also, mentally, in wind conditions I'm always waiting for a nasty swirl to push me sideways. Hills suck, but you know which way gravity is pulling you, and it doesn't change unexpectedly.

RPK79

So, does understanding the physics of wind make it easier to ride in or does it just make you better understand why it sucks?

contango 

A headwind is like a hill without a soul. When you get to the top of a hill you feel the sense of achievement and can usually enjoy a view from high up. With wind you never get to the top of it, never get to enjoy the view, and never get to descend the other side of it.

TromboneAl

With hills, you always get a payoff (going back down).

The only time I don't mind a headwind, is when I get the tailwind on the way home.

mprelaw

What goes up, must eventually come down. Wind doesn't play by that rule.

Personally, I'd rather have a a strong headwind, than have to deal with strong crosswinds, which as has been previously pointed out, can be effective headwinds. And make you fight for control.

merlinextraligh

What really sucks is wind and hills. Dirty Kanza this year we had a consistent headwind in the 20's for 100miles, and 10,000 plus feet of vertical.

bikepro

If you think heat is not a factor in performance, come on down to Wichita Falls Texas and ride the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred in late August. 100+ degrees and dry, flat, no shade and hot wind. Now, you might say, "but it's a dry heat". Yes, but with the wind, you can dehydrate in no time. You sweat a lot, but don't notice it because it evaporates so fast. It's real easy to get in trouble before you know it.