Originally Posted by
Campag4life
when the wind is at a rider's back the force of the wind is acting on a smaller drag coef....a convex surface versus a direct headwind where windspeed + bike speed is acting on a concave surface resulting in a higher drag coef. Putting it in more layman's term. The body from behind is less of a sail then a wind into the body. The body natively catches more air when wind is into it.
True, but only if the tailwind is faster than the velocity at which you're moving. If you're riding faster than the wind then the net wind velocity is against you and the drag coefficient is the same, tailwind or headwind.
Originally Posted by
FBinNY
So if one starts out in a headwind, and turns around when he reaches the halfway point in time, he'll ride home faster and get home sooner than he expects.
If he turns around at the halfway point
in time, then he will reach home exactly when expected. If he turns around at the halfway point
in distance, then he will reach home earlier (if he thought the out was going to take the same amount of time than the back.)