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-   -   Cheating the wind..... (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/233041-cheating-wind.html)

spiderbike 10-02-06 02:11 PM
I love the wind as long it blows me forward

lowracer1 10-02-06 06:12 PM
cheating the wind? = low racing recumbent.

http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/misc/nocom.htm

toshi 10-02-06 06:17 PM
Originally Posted by slowandsteady
Wind is just an opportunity to master your aerodynamic position.
+1. Get in a tuck and enjoy it - it's character building. I spin it up instead of mashing, personally. :D

ViperZ 10-02-06 06:25 PM
Originally Posted by AndrewP
Originally Posted by Erick L
And you know why it's so windy in Saskatchewan?

because North Dakota sucks.

Originally Posted by plainsdrifter
No. The reason it's so effin windy here in North Dakota, and possibly the reason why in Saskatchewan, is that Montana blows and Minnesota sucks. ;)
http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/...on_laughat.gif http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/...on_roflmao.gif

You guys really crack me up http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/.../icon_rofl.gif

bigbossman 10-02-06 06:57 PM
Originally Posted by banerjek
Unless you have a short way to go, the best way to deal with wind is to accept that you're going nowhere fast, drop a bunch of gears, and spin.
This has been my solution. I used to fight it and hammer hard, but it always won and wore me out. I surrendered, and now I don't mind the wind so much.

But I still hate it. :D

lrzipris 10-02-06 08:33 PM
Quote:
from the 'burbs of Philadelphia and you're complaining about wind?
sorry dude (or dudette), but you have to live in flat, boring, exposed (not to mention unattractive) landscapes to whine about the wind.

I live in S. Jersey...a burb of Philly and yes there is plenty of wind.[/QUOTE]

I also ride in SJ too, and that's exactly right. But you also get that kind of strong wind along the open fields and farmland, especially when you get up on the ridges above the Delaware River.

Reynolds 10-02-06 08:43 PM
Originally Posted by banerjek
Fighting the wind is absolutely futile -- you need to come to terms with it since it is strong and you can't do anything about it. If you insist on fighting it, you'll eventually lose unless you don't have far to go. Just as pedaling too hard with no wind burns your legs up, the same thing happens with a headwind, only faster.

BTW, the sensation that cyclists have that the wind is against them most of the time isn't just a perception. It is reality. Most people think the wind should be against you half the time and with you the other half. However, when the wind comes from the side (even from slight angles behind you), it also slows you down. Because the wind gusts and changes direction, it makes fighting it that much more difficult.

Unless you have a short way to go, the best way to deal with wind is to accept that you're going nowhere fast, drop a bunch of gears, and spin.
+ 1
You can't fight the wind. Just find a comfortable gear and accept the fact that you'll go slower.

belowzero 10-03-06 12:33 AM
wind cheat, nightrider
 
Well the ultimate windcheat is riding during dark. I do a fair bit of night riding and before dawn and its rarely windy during those times.

That's why nightriders are fast!

mollusk 10-03-06 05:05 AM
There are ways to cheat the wind. One way to do it is to find a route that is wide open going out with the wind and protected by trees or terrain coming back against the wind. Another way is to go out at sunrise against the wind. Because the winds tend to pick up later you should have a stronger tailwind coming back than the headwind you rode into. Alternately you can go out late in the day with the wind and return near sunset as the winds tend to die down late in the day. Lastly if you are very lucky you can time a cold front and get tailwinds both ways.

rule 10-03-06 08:03 AM
Make peace with it. You don't complain when it blows you forward. Don't whine then when it blows against you. Work on your aero form and you will be surprised how good you can do.

bfloyd 10-03-06 08:52 AM
Originally Posted by toshi
+1. Get in a tuck and enjoy it - it's character building. I spin it up instead of mashing, personally. :D
I too agree with the aero positioning. You can also add some time trial aero add-ons as they really help with going into the wind. You can more comfortably keep your elbows in and forearms extended out as well as keeping a nice flat back which slices better into the wind. It won't make a great difference but any help into a strong headwind is noticed. I also find that it keeps my heart lower while using them.

bfloyd 10-03-06 08:55 AM
Originally Posted by belowzero
Well the ultimate windcheat is riding during dark. I do a fair bit of night riding and before dawn and its rarely windy during those times.

That's why nightriders are fast!
+1. I used to work hours that only allowed me to ride a 5:00 am during the weekdays. I found that training at this early hour, I at first found it difficult as my legs seemed to still be sleeping. Once my legs adapted to training at this unheard of hour, I found that when I rode later in the day I would be flying!! I guess my legs were still sleeping a bit in the early hours and when they were fully awake later in the day they were stronger than ever . . . bonus.

merlinextraligh 10-03-06 09:13 AM
One nice thing about riding with a Powertap is that you know the watts your putting out. So its somewhat comforting to know that its the wind that's making you go 13mph, rather than your lack of output. So when I'm riding alone in the wind, you just find the gear that let you maintain the cadnece and power that's specified for the workout, and then the speed falls where it falls.

a77impala 10-03-06 09:19 AM
Where I live if I had to wait for the wind to die down I would never ride. The wind never blows here unless you are alone or with somebody!

aadhils 10-03-06 09:46 AM
Its a good time to let your fantasy run away from you and Imagine you're Jan Ullrich with his mouth hanging open, grimacing and grinding away and spitting to the side now and then...

http://velonews.com/galleries/Contes...in%20Scurr.jpg

TickDoc 10-03-06 09:49 AM
great replies, guys. Thanks!

SoonerBent 10-03-06 09:50 AM
Originally Posted by a77impala
Where I live if I had to wait for the wind to die down I would never ride. The wind never blows here unless you are alone or with somebody!
It's pretty much like that from the Dakotas straight south to Texas. At night it might die down a little but not much. And it's almost always gusty. 15 to 20 mph sustained with gusts to 25 or 30 is not really uncommon. However, this summer we did have quite a few days of dead-calm. Not at all normal for here.

SB

Old Dirt Hill 10-03-06 09:53 AM
Originally Posted by a77impala
The wind never blows here unless you are alone or with somebody!
Well put. I find that the wind only bothers me when I'm riding. Weird, I know.


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