More irritating: 18 mph headwind or crosswind ?

Ezy Rider

I was off work today and I went out cycling for about 3 hrs. I was really motoring along and enjoying myself until the last 7 miles section to home where the wind was blowing across me around 18 mph at about a 90 degree angle . I was riding along saying will you for "goodness" (LOL) sake just eff off to that damned irritating wind. With the wind whistling straight across me , it made me feel like I was pedalling and going nowhere :x

To answer my own question, head winds are a nuisance, but damn it, stiff cross winds really get my back up.

In cycling terms, the prevailing winds that lasted throughout 2011 were a curse, I hope 2012 wont be the same.

essjaydee

Crosswinds do my head in too :evil:

Much rather have a headwind to contend with, if I had to choose :!:

RoadMeridaBen

18 mph as a crosswind wouldnt worry me even as a light rider im pretty good in a crosswind, having TT'd in 18mph+ headwinds I'd take the crosswind any day

Secteur

Yesterday I was crawling up a long sheltered climb in the rain out on the lancashire moors, however as the climb peaked, the trees etc all disappeared and it very rapidly became very exposed. There was a very strong crosswind and I suddenly found myself fighting to keep in a straight line. In fact, I was moving forwards, but leaning over to the side, into the wind. My knuckles would have pretty white under my gloves!!

briantrumpet

Crosswinds of that sort of strength only really bother me if I'm on a fast ridge descent, and there are 30mph gusts trying to flick me clean off the bike. Otherwise prefer cross- to headwinds. Headwinds might be great training, but several miles of them after a long ride do my, er, head (and legs) in, eventually. I'll admit to watching forecasts in order to avoid a long homeward slog into a headwind, if possible. It probably just means I'm not a proper cyclist.

Cool4catz

I popped out after lunch today for a 19 mile quick trip. hit a headwind on last 5 miles and totally wiped me out. The harder I pumped the harder the bloody wind blew. No fun at all, instead of a nice bike ride I got a punishing workout. Crosswinds please!

Ezy Rider

what really got on my nerves was that the whole ride apart from that infernal crosswind affected last 7 miles was great, yeah i could feel wind around me and i didnt think about it. the last 7 miles was like feeling a whoosh blowing straight across the front of the bike and the ease of forward motion made 10 times harder. i punished my leg muscles in that section as the damned bike just seemed glued to the spot :x

crosswinds = big time ride spoiler for me

headwinds = you know its gonna be hard and personal bests arent on the cards

pilot_pete

Paa, 18mph?

This is a crosswind! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_z2LtHrn9Jw

PP

ddraver

On my own, I'd take the cross wind, In a group (where I can hide) I'd take the head wind. The Dutch seem to be born with some innate ability to deal with the wind and I just can't work out how to ride in echelons, I seem to be working twice as hard as everyone else Headwinds in groups, by comparison, are easy.

bianchimoon

one mans crosswind is another mans headwind.. i think

ToeKnee

For one journey I'd take the crosswind. If I will have, or already have had, an 18mph tailwind, then I'd take the headwind.

bompington

In theory you shouldn't have to work any harder in a proper crosswind (i.e. perpendicular to your line) but it always feels to me like you do. Is this a genuine effect, given that an exact crosswind will feel like a headwind that is closer to head-on the faster you are going?

Or is it that your route is seldom exactly straight, so a crosswind will sometimes be a headwind and sometimes a tailwind?

And as we all know that tailwinds are rare as hens' teeth, so that must make a crosswind a headwind on average.

But what gets me is that while we should all really be grateful for headwinds for the training - coming to work into a force 6-8 this morning was like going steeply uphill for 25 miles (and I won't go into what the actual uphill bits were like...) - why does it never, ever feel that way?

Peddle Up!

I don't mind a steady crosswind as it's possible to brace against the gusts passing farm gates etc., but a strong blustery crosswind is an absolute pain. I'll take the pain of a headwind against that any day.

ddraver

bompington wrote:

In theory you shouldn't have to work any harder in a proper crosswind (i.e. perpendicular to your line) but it always feels to me like you do. Is this a genuine effect, given that an exact crosswind will feel like a headwind that is closer to head-on the faster you are going?

No, it does slow you down, although I'm not sure how. I read in a book once that some study had shown that you are negatively affected by the wind in something like a 200 degree arc, so the wind direction can be very slightly behind you and still slow you down (although it will be a small effect).

I had a quick google search and I can find loads on how to ride in echelon's, but nothing on the physics of why crosswinds cause a problem...

Pross

I hate crosswinds. My commute yesterday morning was predominantly headwind with some crosswind. I'm no lightweight but I was getting blown across the road. Headwind is just great training even though I hate it at the time. The ride home was fantastic though with the wind behind for 80% of the ride

sexysi

essjaydee wrote:

Crosswinds do my head in too :evil:

Much rather have a headwind to contend with, if I had to choose :!:

You want to try a 18mph headwind, up a 7 miles slight rise... Kills me and my times.

si

Butterd2

Both are irritating but coming downhill once with a front/crosswind (ie 45 degrees) at c.30mph the bike went into an almighty "tank slapper" to use a motorbike term and that was truly terrifying! Couldn't slow down and just waited for the crash which luckily didn't happen, don't know if it is a one off but I hate downhills with a sidewind now.

sungod

bompington wrote:

In theory you shouldn't have to work any harder in a proper crosswind (i.e. perpendicular to your line) but it always feels to me like you do. Is this a genuine effect, given that an exact crosswind will feel like a headwind that is closer to head-on the faster you are going?
<...>

the resultant wind is the vector sum of the head wind from your forward motion and the 'real' wind

so if you go forward at 10kmh, and there's a 10kmh crosswind from the right at 90 degrees to your direction of travel, the resultant is a 14kmh wind hitting you from 45 degrees to the right of your direction of travel

which i guess explains why echelons work, the following rider(s) will want to be on the same angle as the resultant

as your speed increases wrt sidewind, the resultant converges to your speed and the angle shrinks towards simple headwind, i.e. in the limit, the sidewind does not increase your effort to go forward

but in practice, life isn't so simple because of the complex shape of the bike/you and spinning wheels, etc., so anything could happen, for instance some wheels manage to generate additional forward thrust at some wind angles, in this case the sidewind actually helps you

itboffin

the relentless wind and cold over the last couple of years is really beginning to take the fun out of cycling for me, I suffer very badly in the cold and it only takes as you say a stiff crosswind to make the temps plummet, happened again yesterday and today.

On my ride home the final part is a 2 mile ever so slightly climbing straight road, headwind yesterday and crosswind today both bringing me to an almost stop, doesnt help if you're riding single speed as well.

Bordersroadie

Generally I'd prefer a crosswind but when it gets really strong (like this week's commuting) it can be pretty hazardous when you ride past farm gates (ie gap in hedge letting a sudden and very strong gust to hit you sideways) which almost had me in the ditch a once or twice.

Last week I did a 4 hour ride and the last 18 miles were into the teeth of a 25mph wind - pretty soul-destroying, like riding uphill even on the flat. However, great training!

notlongnow

Last 5 miles of my ride today were into a head wind I felt like I was gettin nowhere fast still enjoyed my ride though.

SimonPieman

Come to Lincolnshire, I'll show you crosswinds!! Nice if they are behind you!!

ShutUpLegs

SimonPieman wrote:

Come to Lincolnshire, I'll show you crosswinds!! Nice if they are behind you!!

hUH?

ddraver

sungod wrote:

bompington wrote:

In theory you shouldn't have to work any harder in a proper crosswind (i.e. perpendicular to your line) but it always feels to me like you do. Is this a genuine effect, given that an exact crosswind will feel like a headwind that is closer to head-on the faster you are going?
<...>

the resultant wind is the vector sum of the head wind from your forward motion and the 'real' wind

so if you go forward at 10kmh, and there's a 10kmh crosswind from the right at 90 degrees to your direction of travel, the resultant is a 14kmh wind hitting you from 45 degrees to the right of your direction of travel

which i guess explains why echelons work, the following rider(s) will want to be on the same angle as the resultant

as your speed increases wrt sidewind, the resultant converges to your speed and the angle shrinks towards simple headwind, i.e. in the limit, the sidewind does not increase your effort to go forward

but in practice, life isn't so simple because of the complex shape of the bike/you and spinning wheels, etc., so anything could happen, for instance some wheels manage to generate additional forward thrust at some wind angles, in this case the sidewind actually helps you

Well, there you go....