Headwinds: equivalent gradient

fatsmoker

So as I battled through a 20mph headwind over about 6 miles on the way home from work today I wondered what sort of gradient that would be similar to going up. The wind had me in the 34T front ring and somewhere around the middle of the rear. About 4%?

imposter2.0

Why does it have to equate to anything? It is what it is.

davep1

They say that is how the Dutch get good at Alpine stages of the Tour, riding into the winds. So I think it is a good question!

I had a mega tail wind tonight so am one happy b@stard!

nbalcombe

I did a two hour loop the other day and had a headwind all the way, bloody weather!

Dippydog3

On the way home today I was on the small ring and pedalling quite hard to keep moving.

First time this has happened to me going downhill. Wind speed between 30 and 40 knots.

Finesilver24

Dippydog3 wrote:

On the way home today I was on the small ring and pedalling quite hard to keep moving.

Wind speed between 30 and 40 knots.

Knots? Were you on a pedallo?

norvernrob

It's currently blowing 50-60mph outside here, I wouldn't fancy trying to ride into it but all I keep thinking is how much fun it would be with it directly behind me! Getting blown into traffic doesn't really appeal though.

bendertherobot

My casual ride home takes me 1 hour 5 minutes or so.

Today it took 1 hr 40.

mfin

fatsmoker wrote:

So as I battled through a 20mph headwind over about 6 miles on the way home from work today I wondered what sort of gradient that would be similar to going up. The wind had me in the 34T front ring and somewhere around the middle of the rear. About 4%?

You've already answered your own question as scientifically as possible, because there are so many factors. For example, compared to an aero dressed low positioned small guy, a big non bendable fatty with casual fit clothing riding in a sportivesque mary poppins position will find the same wind to be a lot steeper!

redbikejohn

Left work at 10pm last night for 25 commute home f**k me the wind was iffy. It still amazes me how much it effects a road bike. It was warm too so I got home cooking, drenched in sweat and bolloxed .
At one point I was slowing for a junction and a massive gust brought me to a stop then whipped around left and right - only just got a foot down in time to stop an embarrassing tumble. Mrs rbj was up and waiting for me - called me f'ing mad

mcvw

Very windy indeed! I did three laps around Richmond Park yesterday. After the first lap (CW direction) I thought, "fcuk me, that was hard work, but I bet it's great in the other direction". It wasn't at all!! Still, a damn good - DRY - workout - even if not as quick as I'd hoped

MountainMonster

We had some fairly bad winds down here the last few days too. I think it's part of the reason I have a horrendous fever, lack of sleep, and a general cold. Nothing like some good old character building.

tlw1

character building!

Commuted on Wednesday and at one point I was doing 12mph on a straight with a heart rate of 155, with 27 miles to go. Horrible, but loved it.

meanredspider

matthew h wrote:

character building!

Too true - builds mental toughness. Given the choice of a hill or the wind, give me a hill any day. The flat open space of N Holland where you often only have ditches for cover are brutal at this time of year. But 50 miles home in that type of wind is great for the head.

chippyk

Ha, I recall cycling from Amsterdam home to Almere one morning in a really strong tail wind, wish Strava had been around in those days.

meanredspider

ChippyK wrote:

Ha, I recall cycling from Amsterdam home to Almere one morning in a really strong tail wind, wish Strava had been around in those days.

There's always someone (or, more often, a group) that's been out in a stronger wind :roll:

ugo.santalucia

6.67%

I have just made up the x 3 rule

10 mph = 3.33%
20 mph = 6.67%
30 mph = 10%
40 mph = 13.34%
50 mph = 16.67%
60 mph = 20%

Of course it makes no sense at all over 30 mph, but I think it's reasonably accurate. How you can measure the effective head wind is a different story as it will always come from an angle.

Dippydog3

ugo.santalucia wrote:

How you can measure the effective head wind is a different story as it will always come from an angle.

Unless its directly ahead of course.

Actually, measuring effective wind, which is known as apparent wind, is easy. Just open the Wind Meter app on your iphone. Point it in the direction you are going and pedal away.

Anonymous

DaveP1 wrote:

They say that is how the Dutch get good at Alpine stages of the Tour, riding into the winds. So I think it is a good question!

I had a mega tail wind tonight so am one happy b@stard!

Yes. We all remember that famous dutch King of the Mountains winner erm, er, um...

imposter2.0

Maglia Rosa wrote:

DaveP1 wrote:

They say that is how the Dutch get good at Alpine stages of the Tour, riding into the winds. So I think it is a good question!

I had a mega tail wind tonight so am one happy b@stard!

Yes. We all remember that famous dutch King of the Mountains winner erm, er, um...

Steven Rooks..??....Gert-Jan Theunisse..??

Anonymous

And how many tdf or giro kom did they win precisely?

Anonymous

Ill save you the trouble. 0

A dutch rider has never won the kom jersey in the tdf or giro

Anonymous

BTW

DOPERS DO NOT COUNT!!!

imposter2.0

Maglia Rosa wrote:

And how many tdf or giro kom did they win precisely?

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Ill save you the trouble. 0

A dutch rider has never won the kom jersey in the tdf or giro

They both won a TdF KoM title each. 88 & 89.

Anonymous

Imposter wrote:

Maglia Rosa wrote:

And how many tdf or giro kom did they win precisely?

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Ill save you the trouble. 0

A dutch rider has never won the kom jersey in the tdf or giro

They both won a TdF KoM title each. 88 & 89.

As I said. DOPERS DO NOT COUNT

imposter2.0

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Maglia Rosa wrote:

And how many tdf or giro kom did they win precisely?

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Ill save you the trouble. 0

A dutch rider has never won the kom jersey in the tdf or giro

They both won a TdF KoM title each. 88 & 89.

As I said. DOPERS DO NOT COUNT

Ha ha - whatever. Poor attempt at a recovery. Better rule out every winner of every major race since the 60s then, potentially. That way, you can be ignorant and still be correct.

Anonymous

Is that your best effort?

Very poor

I did say it before you even bumped your gums. And if someone cheats and have their victories erased from the record books such as Lance has then you cannot call them winners. If you are so fickle as to then believe that everyone who ever won is a doper also then why do you follow this sport? Go take up speed knitting or something.

imposter2.0

Rooks and Theunisse's names are not 'erased' from the record books though, so their victories still stand - so either two dutchmen did win TdF KoM titles - or they didn't - which is it?

Anyway, you sound like one of those "I must be right at any cost" types. My work is done, so I'll leave you to it...

MountainMonster

Lol Maglia Rosa, don't be so naive. Doping was common place up until 5 years ago. Even the greatest legends such as Eddy Merckx at one point doped. We shouldn't wipe cyclings history away because of doping when everyone did it one way or another.

thegreatdivide

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Is that your best effort?

Very poor

I did say it before you even bumped your gums. And if someone cheats and have their victories erased from the record books such as Lance has then you cannot call them winners. If you are so fickle as to then believe that everyone who ever won is a doper also then why do you follow this sport? Go take up speed knitting or something.

FFS where did you come from? Just what this forum needs, another prize bell end.

Anonymous

I think you are right. Between yourself and Imposter that position seems to be filled already. If that is your only input into a thread you have not posted on until now to just have a go at someone else you are not one to talk fella.