Sweet spot in the wind ...

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XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
Don't you just love it when you are riding with the wind, i.e. so you are perfectly aligned with the flow of the wind, and you hit a certain speed when you are moving at precisely the same speed as the wind?

I hit that "sweet spot" on the way home today - booting along on the flat at 30mph, felt like I was hardly trying at all, and I started sweating buckets because I couldn't feel any air flowing over me at all - I was going at exactly the same speed as the tailwind. Wierd feeling, very surreal, but exhilarating!

It only lasted for a mile or so before the wind changed direction and speed slightly.
 
30mph winds in your area? Glad you didn't have turn around much?

This never happens to me, this 'back wind' is a mythical beast imho. :wacko:
 

Redvers

Well-Known Member
Location
France
Wow, how poetic…

We have a quiet road along a valley, about 4km long, more or less straight, very slightly downhill with tall overhanging trees which form a terrific wind funnel. The whole valley lines up with the prevailing SW winds, so when the conditions are just right you can fly along this valley the whole time in the sweet spot of the wind.

To my mind it would be worth taking up cycling, despite the costs and hassle with motorists etc just to be able to sail along this 4km stretch once or twice a week. It recharges all the batteries.
 

Norm

Guest
I had one of those days where a circular (well, more like a double figure 8) ride had a head wind the whole way. Lovely a peaceful with Heathrow closed, though. :wacko:
 
XmisterIS said:
Don't you just love it when you are riding with the wind, i.e. so you are perfectly aligned with the flow of the wind, and you hit a certain speed when you are moving at precisely the same speed as the wind?

I hit that "sweet spot" on the way home today - booting along on the flat at 30mph, felt like I was hardly trying at all, and I started sweating buckets because I couldn't feel any air flowing over me at all - I was going at exactly the same speed as the tailwind. Wierd feeling, very surreal, but exhilarating!

It only lasted for a mile or so before the wind changed direction and speed slightly.

thats impressive, only ever managed 28.6 on the flat with a tail wind, but ran out of road and oomph ! , moments like this are just mesmerising and almost dream like !
 

Trumpettom001

Well-Known Member
I found it hard to go faster than 30ish with a tail - It's hard bringing yourself out of that sweet spot!! It's almost a self preservation thing...
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
it's a great feeling. Suddenly it feels as if you have gone into the lower gears and you are spinning along with ease... marvellous
 

Chrisz

Über Member
Location
Sittingbourne
Ha ha! Had a ride like that last Sunday. A group of 5 of us tonking it along from Hythe to Rye barely dropping below 25mph for the entire stretch (about 20 miles worth of tail wind) :biggrin: :smile:

Then we hit the turn ;) :rofl: :biggrin:
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Whenever I'm doing a little bit of commuter racing, I hope for headwind. It doesn't affect me much, but it seriously multiplys my advantage over all the uprights.
 

upsidedown

Waiting for the great leap forward
Location
The middle bit
Only had it once, last mile or so of the Mary Townley loop, absolutely shagged and it felt like a hand on my back pushing me to the car park, wonderful.
 

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
i love that. pretty much had a strong tail wind all the way to work the other day and cut 15 mins off my time :smile: sweet.
 
OP
OP
XmisterIS

XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
Today I will have a strong Easterly tailwind all the way back from Portsmouth to Fareham :biggrin:

Unfortunately, it means I will have a strong headwind all the way in from Fareham to Portsmouth. :wacko:

Living on the South Coast means that when we get a wind it is usually Easterly or Westerly and pretty constant for the whole day (or several days in a row!)
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
Yesterday the wind was with me on the way home. I felt I had to make good use of it and get up to the magic 20 mile/h cruising speed as quickly as possible each time. Got home hot, bothered, but happy.

On the way in, however, I felt I had to put that extra effort in to achieve a reasonable time, despite the headwind. When will I learn how to take it easy?

Anyway, love the wind at the moment. It's a Nor'easterly, blowing me home, whereas the prevailing Sou'Westerlies usually blow me to work, and make riding home the hard-work one.
 
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