Let’s say 12MPH headwind, 27MPH gusts. Do you spin or mash?
i think spinning would be better to utilize the slowtwitch muscles and preserve your legs. cursing out the weather would be appropriate under the circumstances as well.
cursing out the weather would be appropriate under the circumstances as well.
…and then rain, I suppose, would justify a full-blown rant?
Sounds like yesterdays ride. I found it easier to spin into the wind.
absolutely.
i turn around and go the other way!!!. okay, seriously, spin through it, keep those legs fresh, let the heart and lungs do the work.
if rain is also involved…screw the rant, take out the cell phone!
“and then rain, I suppose, would justify a full-blown rant?”
Rain is fun. It’s fun knowing how many weenies aren’t riding, and once you get warm (assuming good rain gear!!) you’re warm enough and it’s no big deal… Just don’t try to paceline without eye protection!
Treat wind like an upgrade. If you spin up hills, spin into the wind.
Do whatever you normally would do to put out the power you want at that point in time. Wind conditions have nothing to do with it. Unless, of course, you’re trying to maintain a particular speed. In that case, do whatever you normally would do to put out the power you need to maintain that speed.
Riding every so often from my house in Mississauga up to the Cottage near Orillia, I find that 99% of the time I end up riding into a headwind for the last 60 km (~ 37 miles) or so. I found that if I drop into a smaller gear, it feels good for a while and then I just end up going slower and having about the same cadence than with the bigger gear.
So yes, a lot of swaering is usually going on during these rides 
Wilfried - which route do you take up to the cottage? I live in Toronto, and have ridden up to Collingwood (parents) in the summers, so I can sympathize with the headwind issue. Last summer, it was brutal - basically NW wind the whole way, so it was: Turn north, wind. Turn west, wind. Turn north, wind. Ad infinitum (or so it seemed).
ccy
Wilfried - which route do you take up to the cottage? I live in Toronto, and have ridden up to Collingwood (parents) in the summers, so I can sympathize with the headwind issue. Last summer, it was brutal - basically NW wind the whole way, so it was: Turn north, wind. Turn west, wind. Turn north, wind. Ad infinitum (or so it seemed).
ccy
Yup, NW winds seem to the norm in our beautiful part of the country. I have several routes, but I try to cover as much northbound ground as possible as early as I can.
I start in the westend of Mississauga (I live near Winston Chruchill & Eglington). I go north on Mississauga Rd. to King Rd, turn eastbound onto King Rd. Stay on King Rd. until past highway 400. Then north on Jane St. to the Holland Landing. East To Leslie St… North to Ravenshoe Rd… East to Rd 23 and then north for the final stretch. My cottage is in Lagoon City, which is on the east shore of Lake Simcoe just north of Beaverton.
I found that if I drop into a smaller gear, it feels good for a while and then I just end up going slower and having about the same cadence than with the bigger gear.
That confused me a bit–let’s say you are in small cog 15–when you say you “drop into a smaller gear”, do you mean 14/13/12/11, which are “smaller” but harder, or 17/19/21/23, etc. which are easier but larger?
I found that if I drop into a smaller gear, it feels good for a while and then I just end up going slower and having about the same cadence than with the bigger gear.
That confused me a bit–let’s say you are in small cog 15–when you say you “drop into a smaller gear”, do you mean 14/13/12/11, which are “smaller” but harder, or 17/19/21/23, etc. which are easier but larger?
Going from a 15 to a 14 in the back you go into a bigger gear. From a 15 to a 16 to a smaller gear.
Bigger gear != bigger cog
We seem to cover much of the same area, but I am surprised that you take King so far across. There are definitely better (i.e. lower traffic) options to get across. After passing Airport Road, try going north to Castlederg Side Road. Take it to 11th Concession (past Hwy 50), then go north to 19th. Go east on 19th, through Schomberg, and go north out on Main/20th. Go past Hwy 9, then east on 5th Side Road. This goes north of the marsh, and can tie you back onto Queensville (via Canal road, Yonge St and Bathurst). Queensville is a nice road that goes all the way to Zephyr. Go north from Zephyr and you hook into Ravenshoe and 23.
Might be more enjoyable than King on a weekend day, or some variety at least.
ccy
With the nature of wind, it is variable and comes at slightly different directions.
On a high rpm effort, you’ll have less “down” time between puting power out on the bike, your “3 o’clocks” happen at more regualr intervals and are better suited to combat wind efficiently.
-SD
My goal is to ride at my normal cadence and power output regardless of conditions. When the wind blows ot the road turns uphill, I just slow down. I do change my position a little bit, though. When the wind is blowing I try to make a special point to stay low and narrow. When I am climbing I will take the opportunity to stand up and stretch here and there and also will generally ride a little more upright.
-Marc
Thanks for the tip 
I’m always a tad nervous of ending up on a dirt road
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Please spin into the headwinds with a higher cadence. mashing will cause you to build up too much lactic acid and tire your legs out for the run.
What about cliimbing into a strong headwind–say 30+ mph? Low and narrow, or sitting up?
The reason why I stand for sections when I climb is that it gives me a chance to stretch out with less of an aerodynamic penalty. With a strong headwind aerodynamics will play the greatest role, so I’d stay low and narrow in that situation. I’m even careful about how I grab my waterbottle when I’m riding on flats or into the wind. I try to keep my elbow and arm inline with my body instead of off to the side.
-Marc