Are hills worse than headwinds?

[Slioch]

I prefer hills.
On a cycle tour of Scotland once it took me two days to ride east to west across the north coast from Thurso to Durness into the mother of all headwinds. It was relentless, and most of the distance was completed at a walking pace in 2nd gear. I was even having to pedal on the downhill bits. I was a grown man, but was reduced to tears of frustration on more than one occasion.

 

[DaveReading]

Hills: character-forming
Headwinds: soul-destroying

 

[dr snuggles]

No contest. Hills are fun, the wind is not.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I hate hills but I would rather have a hill than the wind.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You can walk up a hill, the summit is gonna show sooner or later.
A headwind could keep you company for the whole ride ... and back!

 

[mickle]

The only time I come close to believing in God is into a headwind.

And I believe that She hates me.

 

[HLaB]

I prefer hills over headwinds too normally, although on rides like tonight I quite enjoy a wind to cycle into on pitch black lanes; I suppose its better than riding into a ditch ;-)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The thing that wears me down with the wind seems to be more the noise than the drag. Because I seem to use my ears a lot to alert me to traffic around me, a headwind jams those signals too and that also appears to up the stress levels. One of these days I'm going to experiment with ear plugs and see whether that helps.

 

[fossyant]

Hills, headwind and fixed gear, what's not to like - regularly on my commute. I keep telling myself it's good training !

 

[winjim]

Just make sure your specs are on securely!

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/windy-weather-blurred-vision-and-an-unexpected-expense.167891/

 

[slowmotion]

On a good day, I can just about convince myself that a hill is challenge. A head wind is always just plain misery, like riding with the brakes rubbing on the rims.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I don't mind hills. If you've done the area before you know what to expect,but headwinds are unpredictable. I know It sounds like something from a comedy sketch but the other year i had a filthy polystyrene take away box blow in my face as i was struggling to stay on my bike in a headwind!

 

[Dragonwight]

You'll never get flooded though so look on the bright side

Or move [/QUOTE

You'll never get flooded though so look on the bright side

Or move

A common myth since the water simply runs downhill through your house if it happens to be in the way. As it happens I am moving, to the house next door.

 

[Panter]

There's no option for "hate both" !
As a fat git, hills must affect me more than a headwind, but it's the soul destroying nature of a headwind that I really don't like. And at least hills have a downside!
Now, downhill and a tailwind, that's where it's at

 

[Oldbloke]

Side winds I don't like, especially when emerging from cover of buildings or trees.

I've given up planning my rides which are theoretically against the wind going out and behind coming back. It often seems to swing around as I go through different areas.