Originally Posted by
OldsCOOL
Headwinds are like riding hills horizontally. This, is an added workout on any bike, much moreso if you are on a bike you may not be totally conditioned to.
First, are you conditioned to this bike? If not, you will already have a challenging ride. Get used to that bike first. Then the headwinds wont matter so much.
If you are already conditoned to the bike then you will do much better with judging where those pains are coming from
Personally, I find headwinds to be a pain in the butt first and a pain in the neck second.
Headwinds can be worse than hills. You'll eventually reach the top of a hill and hopefully be able to descend. A headwind can go on for miles. On a hill, you can alternate between sitting and standing. In a headwind -- standing is not a good choice. Headwinds take as much prctice as climbing -- its best to stay as low as possible, in the drops and keep you elbows tucked in. Obviously on a TT or Tri bike, you're already pretty low. Keep a steady pace, and don't fight the wind. If you are having neck pains, or whatever, it may be because you are in a lower position -- one you are not accustomed to.
In Texas, the wind is aways blowing -- the only think that changes is the direction and how hard.