Headwinds suck

Lots of posts today about the wind and I don't think I've seen any about tailwinds :P

So, what is the best way to deal with headwinds?, stay low on the drops and keep aero, spin a low gear and hope for the best, or do as I did today and sit behind a big bloke and bludge all the way home.

I saw four guys on new looking bikes riding/walking up the bike path towards Hallett Cove this arvo as I was walking the dog, it was blowing a gale, I'm guessing those shiny new bikes will end up in the shed soon. The struggle painted on their faces was heart breaking.

Did anyone get a tailwind today? We copped a headwind both ways to OH.

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Permalink Reply by Jilden on April 6, 2012 at 20:02

Hehe the winds hardly touch the ground when deep inside the Wirrabara Forest... :)

Permalink Reply by A.V.O. on April 6, 2012 at 20:58

Headwinds are hills training without having to get into the hills!........

Head down, spin the legs and enjoy the burn.

Permalink Reply by Michael Wetherley on April 10, 2012 at 11:23

+1

Permalink Reply by Darren Bosanko on April 6, 2012 at 21:28
Love the head winds...perfect training session! Get down on the drops and go!
Permalink Reply by Pete Roberts on April 7, 2012 at 16:47

Yep Love it too...

Just like hitting the red lights. That way you get to accelerate up to speed again. All good training in my book :)

Permalink Reply by Brian Jenkins (BJ) on April 6, 2012 at 21:30

Belair NP, Sturt Valley, Mark Oliphant CP, Scott Ck, Bradbury, Mylor - the hills blocked the wind - just normal up and down.  Lots of debris to dodge on the roads, and one branch that hit my arm before I escaped the city.

Permalink Reply by colin ware-lane on April 6, 2012 at 22:10

cant say i noticed any headwinds today !! maybe coz i was in the car.

Permalink Reply by rossmg on April 8, 2012 at 15:04

Friday, riding down The Parade was like riding up, riding up The parade was like riding down :-)

Permalink Reply by Brian Jenkins (BJ) on April 8, 2012 at 21:35

There's always something a little bit wrong with having to pedal downhill ...

Permalink Reply by heather on April 9, 2012 at 18:29

:)

Permalink Reply by RD6 on April 9, 2012 at 17:56

yes, experienced em today along Milang-Finniss- Currency creek = murder with WINDS, damn you weather GODS

Permalink Reply by Richard on April 9, 2012 at 18:34

Riding from Salisbury to Croydon this morning - stinkin' head wind all the way and most of on exposed roads. Yes, I was on the Hillbrick so my 'headwind gear' is to go onto the drops and for once, this wasn't enough. Ave speed was only 20km/hr which, with my gearing, equates to a cadence of 60. Not fun (or overly good for you). After watching my son's match at Croydon, I got him to give me a lift home - I could have ridden it but sometimes, it's better not to risk injury ... and just imagine how much fun Expressway Hill would have been after fighting that head wind for another 25km just to get to the base of it.

For those that don't know, my Hillbrick is fixed gear and I've geared her at 66 gear inches which is fairly low relative to a lot of riders - those who don't like spinning and run gearing of 80 gear inches or more are running real risks on rides like today's. Yesterday, on the ride out to Salisbury, (55km from home) also featured a lot of head or quartering winds but it wasn't as bad and I was able to keep my cadence around 90 or more, much more efficient and I arrived without any real weariness - I was quite impressed with that, I expected to be knackered.

Sodding headwinds

On a geared bike, you go into a lower gear, spin like blazes and feel like you're going nowhere.

On fixed gear, you go onto the drops and concentrate on your technique and can usuallly maintain a decent speed ... up to a point when all them clickity gearity thingamebobs start to make a certain manic sense.

Bah humbug, I'm off to devour an easter egg.

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