Does wind chill matter to cyclists?
 

What do you think? Many people cite wind chill, but we already have a 10-20 mph wind even when it's calm. If we have a 10-20 mph tail wind, then our net wind is zero. Although wind affects us, the published wind chill temperature really doesn't tell us much.

Proper lane positioning will negate wind chill.

I agree. With a tail wind the effective wind speed would be the difference between your speed and the wind speed; with a head wind it would be the sum of your speed and the wind speed and with a cross wind it would be the resultant wind speed which could be calculated using trigonometry.

In addition the published wind chill temperature actually only applies to exposed human skin. Assuming that when the temperature is cold enough to worry about wind chill, most if not all of your skin is not exposed, the wind chill temperature would be different from the published value.

Understand Wind Chill

The Wind Chill index is the temperature your body feels when the air temperature is combined with the wind speed. It is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effects of wind and cold. As the speed of the wind increases, it can carry heat away from your body much more quickly, causing skin temperature to drop. When there are high winds, serious weather-related health problems are more likely, even when temperatures are only cool.
The Wind Chill Chart below shows the difference between actual air temperature and perceived temperature, and amount of time until frostbite occurs.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/images/wind_chill_chart.jpg

I chose other, because I generally don't pay too much attention to it and just be sure I'm dressed right for my conditions, and have enough extras on hand should the conditions change.

It's the exposed flesh that is at risk, and I don't have a lot of it...

For some reason that doesn't sound right, I would think you get to feel windchill in both front and back when it's a tailwind not canceled to zero.

IF you have to ride into that 10-20 mph wind, you will be going so slowly that the "30 mph equivalent" wind will have a lot more time to chill you.

PLUS, if you are riding perpendicular to the wind, the percieved windspeed will be greater than your actual speed.

AND you'll get colder when you stop.

SO I think windy days are colder than non-windy. Don't forget to factor in the humidity (heat index)!



One interesting thing from vger285's graph is that apparent temperature is not linearly related to wind speed. At 0F, the difference between 50 and 60 mph is only two degrees, but the difference between zero and ten is 15. So riding into the wind half the time + with the wind half the time you'd be warmer. But if you ride into the wind, you have to go slower, so you get chilled more. Which is to say I don't know and don't really ride much below 40 degrees anyway.

See the Windchill thread I started some time ago for further information about windchill.

Other: If we're riding 15MPH with a 15MPH wind, then no, it doesn't effect us. Turn around though, and now we've got a 30MPH wind hitting us in the face, and if it's zero F, you'd better have your face covered up.

ha ha!

(i think it affects whatever skin may be exposed)

I'm sticking to my guns on this one; I've never noticed any significant chilling effect from a tail wind while cycling. Unless I'm stopped at a long red light or something.

Winds from all other directions often make me feel significantly colder.

Since a non-stop commute is one of them things I rarely get to experience, I gotta vote yes, windchill matters.

Wind chill is far less significant than the true temp. In other words, dress for the temp with a wind barrier not for the wind chill. If it's 20 f. outside dress for 20 f. even if the "wind chill" temp is going to put you below zero. A basic shell and protection for exposed skin is sufficient. And conversely if it's really -20 f. with no wind, dress for at least -20 f.

Windchill matters to humans. Most cyclists are human.

Name calling is against forum guidelines. :D

Calling someone "inhuman" as it relates to cycling was never an insult in my book.

...or was that your point?

What is this chilling you speak of? Isn't that something that is done to drinks? And you have wind? All we have is warm tropical breezes...

calling me human IS...like I am some mere mortal, humpf. (geesh, you are so sewious sometimes) ;)

No comments from the rain forest please. :p

Psst, hey Meester Gringo Patron...can I come down there and work for you?

I'm so serious, I have smilies disabled. Seriously.

Lol, does it ever dip below 68f?


"Winds stronger than 65 km/h (40 mph) are assumed to have no significant additional chilling effect beyond the effect felt at that velocity, and the wind chill phenomenon is thought to be absent altogether at air temperatures above approximately 20°C (68°F)."

That could be grounds to invade Canada ya know. :eek: :D

You can have our women, just not our beer.

Hey!!

You're the first target my dear - we ain't scared of your military, but you on the other hand, scare the crap out of us! Plus you're kinda cute and much more fun to be around in wind chill conditions. ;)