slower when its cold?

ARob
ARob Posts: 143
edited November 2008 in Workshop
am i just lossing fitness or is there some science that says as the weather gets colder the speed will drop - i don't know air pressure, efficiency of muscles when colder of something?

Comments

  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    Psychological I think as much as anything.

    Our club ride today was as fast as normal, but when by myself I tend to ride slower when its cold.
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,073
    I've noticed a slip in performance as well, I put it down to a couple of factors, I'm wearing far more clothes including a jacket, thick gloves etc and I'm being more cautious given the wet and often muddy road conditions.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Mudguards, heavier bike, hiigher RR tyres, more and restrictive clothing, wetter/muddier roads, all slow you down.
    I like bikes...

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  • aarw
    aarw Posts: 448
    ARob hit the nail with muscle efficiency...that and your body uses more energy to keep warm in the colder weather leaving less to go into the pedals.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    aarw wrote:
    ARob hit the nail with muscle efficiency...that and your body uses more energy to keep warm in the colder weather leaving less to go into the pedals.

    I don't find it that much of a problem to be honest - the issue I have is if my hands get cold. I quite like the winter (apart from black ice, and getting dark early), as I find it easier to keep cool - even a couple of weeks ago I was finding myself heating up too much on climbs.
    I like bikes...

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  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,073
    I've already packed my normal road bike away for the winter and switched to my single speed, I'm not going to be pushing myself to the same levels just keeping up the miles and perhaps do a few hard spinning sessions.

    Roll on the summer :wink:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    I just find I ride differently, ride different circuits etc.
    This time of year it's just nice to get out, stay dry and keep warm. maintain fittness and then when the weather warms up I'm all up for timing rides to see where my fitness is. I know I'll loose a bit over winter but I'm not that bothered, this is a hobby not an occupation, I'm 50 and have had enough wet cold rides/walks etc. so I'm likley to have a session on the rollers if the weathers a bit grim.
    We can't ride at peak fitness all year round so I'll have my sluggish time in winter when it's cold wet and 'orrid. That's my thoughts on the matter any way,
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • It is absolutely normal. Muscles work at their best within a range of temperatures. It's pointless and dangerous trying to get more out of them now. You risk sprains and strains. If I were you, I would abandon hard training until spring.
    Take it easy, low gears, high revs, develop agility, which will be good for climbing next year.
    Old school suggests 39x17 in winter
    left the forum March 2023
  • Went out on the club run today on the winter bike for first time. Struggled with the pace. Mixture of heavier bike, more gear on, taking it more carefully on wet and greasy roads. More knackered now than I usually am after a club run.

    When out on own, trying to ride in lower heart rate zones which means very sedately around here given the hills.
  • Hey there,

    My performance has taken a huge hit. I can't average over 26kph anymore. That may be due to me extending my loop with a long climb though.

    I think it's easy to look at your crappy average speed and give it some gas to bump it up a tad, so I'm just going to stick a piece of tape over the speedo and ride at endurance pace until the Spring.

    Cheers
    Pedro
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  • Cold air is more dense as well. Golfers will note that there golf balls don't travel as far in the winter as the summer.
  • ARob
    ARob Posts: 143
    slunker5 wrote:
    Cold air is more dense as well. Golfers will note that there golf balls don't travel as far in the winter as the summer.

    cheers for the replies. this is facinating stuff (and yes I know i'm a geek!), how much of an effect is there from this and the muscle efficiency factor quoted by reddraggon?
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    I was certainly EVEN slower than usual this a.m. - partly the rain and standing water, but mainly I think the wind! Also tend to use a heavier bike/wheels+ tyres in bad weather. It's a combination thing rather than just the physiological effects of the temps I reckon.
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • julk
    julk Posts: 55
    Cold air is more dense as well.

    Definitely a factor in lower speeds in winter.

    On a regular commute, in summer I would freewheel downhill and top out at 25mph down a particular stretch of road. In winter on the same road I only reached 19mph. This was 8 miles into the commute, so the bike and I had had time to warm up.

    I am sure other factors will take effect in winter, but in this case I was reaching a terminal velocity where air density had to be the major factor.

    Based on this, it is no wonder those hot continental races average such a high speed!
  • Interesting stuff above. I've been training using the hills to keep out of the wind, rather than my normal blat along the dual carriage way. On Sunday the weather improved (alot warmer and drier and no wind!) so I went out in shorts, knee warmers and a l/s jersey. Set my 2nd fastest time of the year on this particular flat course I use.
    So I agree with the comments above, denser air, more clothing, caution due to wet greasy roads and a slight dip in motivation probably all contribute. Still only another 6 months 'till spring!
    I think another contributing factor was because I'd swapped to the hills, my legs have become stronger - don't know but it works for me!
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    julk wrote:
    On a regular commute, in summer I would freewheel downhill and top out at 25mph down a particular stretch of road. In winter on the same road I only reached 19mph.
    There's not that much difference in the air density between summer and winter (gas laws would suggest 10% difference between 0 and 30 degrees C, which would result in ~5% difference in terminal velocity)! Must be something else different which is having a far larger effect than air density.
  • aracer wrote:
    julk wrote:
    On a regular commute, in summer I would freewheel downhill and top out at 25mph down a particular stretch of road. In winter on the same road I only reached 19mph.
    There's not that much difference in the air density between summer and winter (gas laws would suggest 10% difference between 0 and 30 degrees C, which would result in ~5% difference in terminal velocity)! Must be something else different which is having a far larger effect than air density.

    It's not density of the air per se, the humidity in winter is difficult to penetrate. It's a phenomenon well known by sprinters in athletics. On a humid day it's practically impossible to get a good time.

    But this is not the main reason for slowing down, which is a lower efficiency as the body uses lots of energy for keeping warm, plus muscles never get warm enough (and here is the danger if you push).
    Infact PROs don't race in winter, so why should we?
    left the forum March 2023
  • Steve I
    Steve I Posts: 428
    It seems to be received wisdom that we use more energy in winter just keeping warm, could someone explain the process to me how this works? As far as I'm aware the body can only generate extra heat by shivering, which is the auto response when body temperature starts to drop too much. Shivering needs lots of energy as it is intended to raise body temperature quickly. Personally, it's rare that I ever get cold enough to shiver, perhaps when I've had a really bad cold or flu in the past.

    I would argue that riding in cold conditions does not mean we use more energy just keeping warm, unless we get cold enough to shiver. Like many cyclists I generate a lot of heat, and even in the coldest conditions (night riding in mid winter) I will still usually have to ventilate my clothing to prevent excess sweating. I'm not burning any extra energy on top of that "just keeping warm".
  • My theory on this is that the cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict, in order to reduce heat loss. When cycling, there is extra wind chill, so the legs never get properly warmed up. This means the blood vessels never relax to their 'summer' state, so blood supply and hence delivery of O2 etc, and removal of CO2 etc is never at its normal state. As a result, you can't cycle as quickly.
  • Jeff Jones
    Jeff Jones Posts: 1,865
    It's not density of the air per se, the humidity in winter is difficult to penetrate. It's a phenomenon well known by sprinters in athletics. On a humid day it's practically impossible to get a good time.
    Hmm, it's the opposite in time trialling. Humid conditions = fast times because the air is less dense. Warm humid conditions are the best.
    Jeff Jones

    Product manager, Sports
  • Jeff Jones wrote:
    It's not density of the air per se, the humidity in winter is difficult to penetrate. It's a phenomenon well known by sprinters in athletics. On a humid day it's practically impossible to get a good time.
    Hmm, it's the opposite in time trialling. Humid conditions = fast times because the air is less dense. Warm humid conditions are the best.

    Don't be silly, how can humid air be less dense? Maybe on a humid day in summer you have less wind and that's why you get better times...

    ANyway, this discussion is getting academic. In winter is normal to be slower, for a series of reasons, full stop.
    left the forum March 2023
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    Jeff Jones wrote:
    It's not density of the air per se, the humidity in winter is difficult to penetrate. It's a phenomenon well known by sprinters in athletics. On a humid day it's practically impossible to get a good time.
    Hmm, it's the opposite in time trialling. Humid conditions = fast times because the air is less dense. Warm humid conditions are the best.

    Don't be silly, how can humid air be less dense? Maybe on a humid day in summer you have less wind and that's why you get better times...

    ANyway, this discussion is getting academic. In winter is normal to be slower, for a series of reasons, full stop.

    No nothing on the subject but a quick google gives this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_density

    Seems to agree that humid conditions reduce air density.
  • Lower temperature = higher air density = more resistance to forward motion.

    There are calcs. VERY complicated, and only for saddos.