Prevailing Winds

Duffer

Is this a concept that people take seriously? I'm soon to start a 15 mile flat commute, and it's on flat, wind-exposed roads.

I'll be riding north on the way to work, and south on the way home (obviously). So by conventional wisdom, i should have the wind at my back on the way to work, and a headwind on the way home. Is this something others can relate to?

armoureddrummer

Headwind can be pretty harsh but thats one of the best things about getting out on a bike. You can feel the wind in your face.

Have you given yourself a guided tour of the route yet? 15 miles is a fair stretch to drop into cold, especially if it is daily. If it is flat it might not be so bad but flat in a car and flat on a bike can be quite different.

Either way, give it a test run at a weekend if you haven't already. I had a friend who drove half and rode half for a few weeks to build up to a long commute which also worked well.

phillipjohnson

If I have a headwind one way I prefer it to be in the morning... Coming home I prefer an easier ride.. don't mind a bit of work going in though.

Get a folder... ride in and get the bus home :-)

Duffer

Thanks for the replies, chaps!

armoureddrummer wrote:

Have you given yourself a guided tour of the route yet? 15 miles is a fair stretch to drop into cold, especially if it is daily.

phillipjohnson wrote:

Get a folder... ride in and get the bus home Smile

I'm planing to do a few dry runs over the next couple of weeks anyway. The commute will start in earnest at the end of may.

I don't have to ride every day if i don't want to. Work lays on transport anyway, or i could just take the car. So if the weather is bad, or i just don't feel up to it, i do have other options. I'm also considering the option of only riding two or three days a week. We'll just have to see how it pans out.

armoureddrummer wrote:

If it is flat it might not be so bad but flat in a car and flat on a bike can be quite different..

It's in Lincolnshire

walkingbootweather

Isn't prevailing wind down your neck of the woods from se?

EDIT : I meant the south west, excuse my typo.

armoureddrummer

Heh - wish I knew what flat felt like. There is no route anywhere in central belt scotland that doesn't see some sort of hill!

Duffer

walkingbootweather wrote:

Isn't prevailing wind down your neck of the woods from se?

Is it? I didn't realise it was different for different areas of the country...

walkingbootweather

The prevailing wind for the UK is from the SW but it is affected by local factors. On the E coast for instance there is some protection from the land mass and sea breezes can work against the prevailng wind. Where you are, in SW England, the prevailing SW winds are likely to be more pronounced.

WInd is probably the thing that the commuting cyclist worries about most. Headwinds are bad but side winds can be even worse.

cjcp

Yep, side winds are much worse.

kurako

A lot of days I get the feeling the prevailing wind direction is pointing straight towards me. I like to think its because I'm so fast I always catch up to the wind but more likely I should drink less and get more sleep

wizzlebanger

The blows in my face on the way to work.
And in my face but stronger on the way home.
I curse it every evening.
DAMN YOU WIND.

The Rookie

For commuters the tailwind is up there with Unicorns - a myth...

Prevailing wind in Lincolnshire should be around SW'ly (look at the old airfields - and you have a lot round there, main runways are always aligned to the local prevailing wind!)

Simon

rolf_f

Seriously though - you feel the headwinds far more than the tailwinds because, if you are travelling at say 15mph, a 10 mph tailwind still feels like a headwind! So, don't be disappointed when you find loads of headwinds (and they are much more noticeable in flat country than hilly areas) and very few tailwinds.

mcj78

wizzlebanger wrote:

The blows in my face on the way to work.
And in my face but stronger on the way home.
I curse it every evening.
DAMN YOU WIND.

Yep - I get this too, at times i've given up & changed down into the small ring up front on a flat, perfectly smooth road... :oops: By mentioning it, it'll happen tonight too!