Are hills worse than headwinds?

[Racing roadkill]

Hills are predictable, you can see what's coming, and you know how long the suffering will be. Headwinds usually arrive without warning and are unpredictable. you've no idea how strong they are going to get, or how long they are going to last, and whether or not their strength is going to vary, and by how much. Give me hills over headwinds any day.

 

[zizou]

Headwinds and sidewinds when riding in a group can be fun, particularly when riding hard. It is payback time for anytime a skinny climbing clubmate has made the bigger guys suffer when things point up the way

 

[nickyboy]

I can officially pronounce that hills into a headwind are the worst thing ever. Just been out for a character-building spin and recorded my slowest ever time (from 25 efforts) up a very exposed E-->W climb. The wind was probably about 20mph. Although its only 3% for 2.5km I couldn't get out of the small ring all the way up. No fun at all. Managed 37mph going down it but that doesn't feel like recompense at all

 

[ColinJ]

I can officially pronounce that hills into a headwind are the worst thing ever. Just been out for a character-building spin and recorded my slowest ever time (from 25 efforts) up a very exposed E-->W climb. The wind was probably about 20mph. Although its only 3% for 2.5km I couldn't get out of the small ring all the way up. No fun at all. Managed 37mph going down it but that doesn't feel like recompense at all

Pah - I came to this b*st*rd once just as a headwind picked up.

I had to climb its 20-25% slopes into a howling gale, standing the whole way, using the lowest gear on my triple and still feeling horribly overgeared.

I was using a heart rate monitor and when I checked it back at home, I discovered that I hit 197 bpm on the 25% section!

 

[nickyboy]

Pah

The hill I am referring to we actually rode up together, after Holme Moss before you get to Glossop on the back road. I think we barely noticed it that day. Gonna get windier these next few days too

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Headwinds are the devil's sneezes. Cycling up a hill on a calm day is a pleasure. Cycling into a headwind is never a pleasure.
Now cycling up a hill into a headwind, that's just plain horrible

I always enjoy cycling, regardless of the weather conditions.

 

[nickyboy]

I always enjoy cycling, regardless of the weather conditions.

How can I put this.....I do appreciate the character building nature of cycling into a headwind and I certainly look back on a real headwind slog with a sense of achievement. But I would never, ever use the word "enjoy" to describe having to use the small ring on a flat bit of road

 

[jarlrmai]

at 65kg I love hill and hate headwinds.
However I'd love to just be on the bike doing either at the moment.

 

[ColinJ]

How can I put this.....I do appreciate the character building nature of cycling into a headwind and I certainly look back on a real headwind slog with a sense of achievement. But I would never, ever use the word "enjoy" to describe having to use the small ring on a flat bit of road

My local climb up through Cragg Vale nearly always has a cross/headwind up on the moor. One time, I decided to do a loop in the opposite direction. As I climbed up to Blackstone Edge from Littleborough I soon realised that the wind was coming from the wrong direction. Instead of a tailwind, I was climbing into the wind. Not much fun. Still, at least I would be able to enjoy the descent through Cragg Vale ...

WRONG! The wind was circulating round the hill so when I turned 90 degrees to the left at the reservoir, I STILL had a titanic headwind! I had to stand up and use maximum grunt in a 39/28 gear to get DOWN the hill!

 

[MisterStan]

Without the hills!

Wind = Fendland Hills

 

[iandg]

Not in the Outer Hebrides. Headwinds are far worse than any of the hills.

 

[steveindenmark]

When headwinds blow at me I need all the 30 gears on my bike. The problem is that even a small breeze creates problems.

Hills, I dont mind I just spin up them.

 

[Orville]

I always enjoy cycling, regardless of the weather conditions.

As do I, but when faced with 45km/hr headwinds at -15C and blowing snow, I enjoy it a whole lot less.

The worst day cycling is still better than the best day working.

 

[User16625]

As both a cyclist and motorcyclist, I would say wind is worse. However what I really hate is rain. Of all the planets and moons in our solar system, why did I have to be born on one of the only 2 known to have some sort of liquid fall from the sky!?. I dont even mind the cold if it means I can be dry.