Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
Definately a tail wind home, with the outward route planned to minimise the amount of time going into the wind.
Headwind v tailwind
- Thread starter Sunny Portrush
- Start date
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Welsh wheels
Lycra king
- Location
- South Wales
Tailwind out, headwind back.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Headwind out.
I found an interesting thing when I was pushing hard over say 50 mile rides. Headwind out...Just because that's what I always do / did. I read somewhere you should take the first 10 miles steady. I always pushed relatively hard from the start. So I followed this but just did the first 5 miles steady. My times always were quite consistent....and I lost no perceivable time over 50 miles by starting steady. What you lose in the beginning, you gain at the end.
I found an interesting thing when I was pushing hard over say 50 mile rides. Headwind out...Just because that's what I always do / did. I read somewhere you should take the first 10 miles steady. I always pushed relatively hard from the start. So I followed this but just did the first 5 miles steady. My times always were quite consistent....and I lost no perceivable time over 50 miles by starting steady. What you lose in the beginning, you gain at the end.
Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
Headwind out, tailwind back. Preferably. It's usually headwind out and back though.
I seem to only get tailwinds after sprouts.
I seem to only get tailwinds after sprouts.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I prefer headwind out and tailwind back.
What I really hate is headwind out but at the turn you realise you had a tailwind out.
What I really hate is headwind out but at the turn you realise you had a tailwind out.
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
I rode the same 200km route yesterday to one I rode in the wind and rain on Easter Sunday. It felt like I had borrowed someone else’s legs. And the Strava pixies gave me 97 new, shiny medals.
And to think on Tuesday night I was coughing up blood (really) from a recent chest infection, I’m quite pleased there was no wind.
And to think on Tuesday night I was coughing up blood (really) from a recent chest infection, I’m quite pleased there was no wind.
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Usually headwind out, tailwind back. The exception is if I plan a ride with a load of hard climbing first half and easier second half. Then I'll do tailwind out
Nothing worse than climbing up to 1500ft into a strong headwind. Plus the descents with a tailwind are great fun
Nothing worse than climbing up to 1500ft into a strong headwind. Plus the descents with a tailwind are great fun
BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
- Location
- Selly Oak, Birmingham
Common sense says headwind out when you have the energy, tailwind home when you need all the help.
However if you are chasing Strava segments, there's no point having a tailwind with tired legs, so you want the wind behind you at the start of your journey so you can smash those PRs or KOMs.
However if you are chasing Strava segments, there's no point having a tailwind with tired legs, so you want the wind behind you at the start of your journey so you can smash those PRs or KOMs.
Soltydog
Legendary Member
- Location
- near Hornsea
Living right on the east coast, I have no choice sometimes 
but I do prefer to ride out into the wind & then return with it on my back 
but I do prefer to ride out into the wind & then return with it on my back 
classic33
Leg End Member
You're plumbed up wrong!
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
If you're fortunate enough to have a largely free choice over which direction to go, studying wind charts before a ride can become a bit of an obsession. If I'm looking forward to a trip to Ludlow, it can be a bit upsetting when a last minute change in the forecast tells me to go to Devizes instead.
Over the course of a day it's unusual for the wind to remain in one direction at the same strength, so trying to optimise a route to take advantage of the wind can rapidly become quite complex. Sometimes we can have too much information.
In settled weather, it's normal for the wind strength to increase during the day, so riding into the wind first is going to be best. Unless you're Steve Abraham and don't expect to come back until 2am, in which case the opposite is probably true.
If the wind direction is expected to change by about 45º during the day, a common scenario, I'd probably ride out with a cross wind and loop round so that I get assistance on the way back, either clockwise or anticlockwise depending on which way the wind is likely to shift.
On days when the wind is quite significant I might look to do a ride that changes direction a lot, never straying too far from home.
Up to a certain strength (10-12 mph maybe) I find the wind is often less of a hindrance that we give it credit for. I'm sometimes gratified at how easily I'm able to ride into it on the way out, then disappointed at how little help it seems to give me on the way back.
Over the course of a day it's unusual for the wind to remain in one direction at the same strength, so trying to optimise a route to take advantage of the wind can rapidly become quite complex. Sometimes we can have too much information.
In settled weather, it's normal for the wind strength to increase during the day, so riding into the wind first is going to be best. Unless you're Steve Abraham and don't expect to come back until 2am, in which case the opposite is probably true.
If the wind direction is expected to change by about 45º during the day, a common scenario, I'd probably ride out with a cross wind and loop round so that I get assistance on the way back, either clockwise or anticlockwise depending on which way the wind is likely to shift.
On days when the wind is quite significant I might look to do a ride that changes direction a lot, never straying too far from home.
Up to a certain strength (10-12 mph maybe) I find the wind is often less of a hindrance that we give it credit for. I'm sometimes gratified at how easily I'm able to ride into it on the way out, then disappointed at how little help it seems to give me on the way back.
