Too small to cycle against the wind?

wander wheels

I'm having trouble keeping up with my fellow cyclists on windy days - does anyone have any tips for smaller cyclists. On calmer days I keep up fine but as soon as there's a headwind I'm having to work at my limit to stop being blown backwards.

softlad

wander wheels wrote:

I'm having trouble keeping up with my fellow cyclists on windy days - does anyone have any tips for smaller cyclists. On calmer days I keep up fine but as soon as there's a headwind I'm having to work at my limit to stop being blown backwards.

sit behind them...

wander wheels

Thanks - I already sit behind them as much as politely possible but I guess for a lightweight 5ft sometime girl I'm just going to have to try a bit harder!

softlad

I probably should have been clearer - what I meant to say was, you should be sitting on their wheel. Always keep an eye out for the wind direction - and where the nearest 'big fella' is in the bunch..

Tom Butcher

Yes sitting behind a big bloke is the best thing - follow the wheel quite closely - tell people you are suffering and can't take a turn. There's not much else you can do - get fitter and make yourself more aero maybe.

chill123

yup, sit on the wheel (assuming there is a head wind) of the big guy. keep your body position as low as possible (in the drops)

ut_och_cykla

As well as all the obvious stuff - follow a good wheel etc - try focusing training on developing more power. You're probably kicking ass on hills due to your lightness, but suffering in the wind - I'm the opposite Also -if you're newish or youngish - it will get better with time - both the tactical stuff and the power ... don't give up tho'!

sub55

Without being brutal, it has nothing to do with your body size . But everything to do with your power to weight ratio. Fundamently , your not fit enough.

dmch2

sub55 wrote:

Without being brutal, it has nothing to do with your body size . But everything to do with your power to weight ratio. Fundamently , your not fit enough.

Not quite true, a smaller person has relatively more area to catch the wind than they have volume to be made of muscle. Plus the bike will be roughly the same area to make things worse.

Of course, the payback comes on the hills (although the bike weight is still a factor then)

All of us could be fitter and would then be faster.

softlad

dmch2 wrote:

Not quite true, a smaller person has relatively more area to catch the wind than they have volume to be made of muscle. Plus the bike will be roughly the same area to make things worse.

Of course, the payback comes on the hills (although the bike weight is still a factor then)

All of us could be fitter and would then be faster.

you may have misunderstood what sub55 said. It is all about power to weight - and whether you know it or not, you have just made the same point....

Bronzie

Surely on the flat, sheer sustainable power is more important rather than power-to-weight (or at least power to frontal area x coefficient of drag)?

kettrinboy

I should,nt think there would be many male riders who would mind sheltering a small female rider from the wind to help her to keep up with the group.

lucan

Equally, I shouldn't think there would be many male riders who would mind riding behind a small female rider sheltering behind a male rider helping her to keep up with the group.
:shock:

graeme_s-2

softlad wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

Not quite true, a smaller person has relatively more area to catch the wind than they have volume to be made of muscle. Plus the bike will be roughly the same area to make things worse.

Of course, the payback comes on the hills (although the bike weight is still a factor then)

All of us could be fitter and would then be faster.

you may have misunderstood what sub55 said. It is all about power to weight - and whether you know it or not, you have just made the same point....

On the flat isn't it more about power than power to weight? I've ridden a few times with an excellent climber who must have a much better power to weight ratio than me. Any time we hit a hill i struggle to keep up, even when he isn't trying. On the flat it's an entirely different matter and I can make him hurt by holding a high pace on the flat. This is also why the best climbers (with the best power to weight ratio) arrant the best TTers or roleurs.

Murr X

Graeme_S wrote:

softlad wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

Not quite true, a smaller person has relatively more area to catch the wind than they have volume to be made of muscle. Plus the bike will be roughly the same area to make things worse.

Of course, the payback comes on the hills (although the bike weight is still a factor then)

All of us could be fitter and would then be faster.

you may have misunderstood what sub55 said. It is all about power to weight - and whether you know it or not, you have just made the same point....

On the flat isn't it more about power than power to weight? I've ridden a few times with an excellent climber who must have a much better power to weight ratio than me. Any time we hit a hill i struggle to keep up, even when he isn't trying. On the flat it's an entirely different matter and I can make him hurt by holding a high pace on the flat. This is also why the best climbers (with the best power to weight ratio) arrant the best TTers or roleurs.

dmch2 is correct in that the smaller rider will tend to not do so well on the flat or into a strong headwind. Up hills it tends to be a different story.

Top climbers may well have the highest sustainable power to weight in the pro peloton but will often be beaten on the flat by more powerful heavier riders that have lower power to weight. Larger riders are usually better suited to flat ground - think, why does Contador not dominate Paris - Roubaix? It has little to do with the cobbles and everything to do with the flat parcours (thus more wind resistance to deal with) which will favor heavier riders.

Hope that helps, but this is really basic easily demonstrated stuff that all should know and I don't have the time or will right now to go into any detail. Maybe somebody else will.


Murr X

dmch2

softlad wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

Not quite true, a smaller person has relatively more area to catch the wind than they have volume to be made of muscle. Plus the bike will be roughly the same area to make things worse.

Of course, the payback comes on the hills (although the bike weight is still a factor then)

All of us could be fitter and would then be faster.

you may have misunderstood what sub55 said. It is all about power to weight - and whether you know it or not, you have just made the same point....

On the flat into the wind weight has no direct effect. It's about power to drag.

And since drag scales with area and power with volume (ie amount of muscle) a smaller person IS at a disadvantage.

going up a hill power to weight is entirely where it's at.

galaxyboy

It sounds to me that both are about power then

oldwelshman

Forget about th science just get behind the fattest arse you can find, then drop them on the hills if they complain

Bronzie

galaxyboy wrote:

It sounds to me that both are about power then

Yes indeed, but there is a big difference between a 50kg rider with an FTP of 4W/kg and a 75kg rider with the same power-to-weight.

In theory, both should be able to perform at the same level on climbs, but on the flat, 200W will never beat 300W.