oldacura

Out for a 32 mile ride last Sunday. Niwot, Colorado to Jamestown & back. Heading out on Niwot road, we encountered a gusty headwind. Going up Lefthand Canyon toward Jamestown, we had more gusty winds with the climbing. In the past the return trip down Lefthand was pretty fun (downhill with sweeping curves) but the gusty (sometimes crosswinds) and some road damage made it a bit sketchy. When we got back down to Niwot road, we had a raging tailwind. About 5.5 miles with a slight downhill. A straight shot due east with only one stop sign and few intersections. I'd guess the tailwind was about 30 mph. We were in top gear (54/11). We didn't even gear down for the rolling hills. Other single bikes were cruising along with big smiles. We blasted by holding a pretty steady 37 mph. Silent. The only sound was the tires on the road.

I love tailwinds even more than downhills.

79pmooney

This years Cycle Oregon: We had an unprecedented course change mid route. Evening of day two, it was announced that we would not be going on to our next stop as there was a multi thousand acre fire happening right outside that town. So days 3, 4 and 5 were different, back tracking to our starting point. Then we rode to our planned day 6 city but going north instead of southwest. We climbed to 4000', then did an incredible descent for miles. Not super fast, but fast enough to be serious fun. Rest stop, then more miles of descending with a building tailwind that almost matched the declining grade. On the flat, it was another 10+ miles of wow! Every deciduous tree had its leaves peeled back showing the silver undersides.

I was riding a fix gear. Put on the 13 tooth cog at the top and rode it the next 20 miles and 42 x 13 was never higher than just right. 87" gear mile after mile riding alone!

(Every Cycle Oregon I have done fixed I have had fun with the tandem crews, I point out that I am a captain from the waist up, stoker from the waist down. Likewise the front of the bike is captain, from BB back stoker. Captain chooses the gears (but will only change gears at stops) and captain never coasts. Stoker does all the work. The tandem stokers get it!)

Ben

jnbrown

Where we live a lot of our rides go north / south along the coast and the wind can be either direction or cross wind.
Its always better to have a tailwind heading home.
The most memorable tailwind was on vacation in Maui heading across the valley on Hwy 30 from Wailuku towards Maalaea its a very slight and straight downhill for a while and think we were close to 50 Mph. One time we did that ride in the opposite direction, wasn't fun at all barely moving.
Like you said you only hear the tires.

zonatandem

Tailwinds seem to elusive most of the time . . .

dwmckee

At those speeds tail winds never last that long!