Originally Posted by
FBinNY
If Sreten was able to ride 10mph against a 20mph wind, I'll venture that he'd
be able to cruise along at 17mph or so in still air at a similar level of effort.
Hi,
Pretty much bang on the money, though the 17mph or so cruising on the
flat no wind feels easier due to their being no wind gusting. One of my
most tiring rides was into a very gusty head/crosswind, very hard work,
a lot of effort* to keep balanced, and difficult to be in the right gear.
No doubt the best conditions are no wind, unless it suits the course,
headwind downhill, tailwind uphill, and all cross winds slow you down.
rgds, sreten.
* Or continual tension in the body, doing something it usually can
do quite relaxed normally, and is not used to continual adjustment.
The obvious thing I missed is that at 10mph into a 20 mph wind
with the low gearing I'm producing enough torque to overcome the
30mph effective drag, I haven't a hope in hell of producing that sort
of torque with a gearing that would allow me to do 30mph in still air.