As I'm riding my roadbike today it occurred to me that headwinds seem worse on that than on my heavier touring type bike. Every solid gust just seemed to stop it in its tracks where the tourer ploughs on, I guess lack of momentum.
So is it in my mind, or do you guys find that too? Lighter bike harder work in a headwind, yes or no...?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Headwinds... worse on a light bike?
(39 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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Could it be that because you're not zooming along on your slow bike, headwinds have less noticeable effect?
I certainly agree that when you're hooning along, even a tailwind dropping down to less of a tailwind can seem like a big "hit".
Posted 13 years ago # -
Not sure about the relative lightness, it was hard enough work on my hugely heavy Giant GSR, but really wished I'd had some drops to drop into on the way up towards the zoo. Was bloody hard work today.
Posted 13 years ago # -
My specialized was catching a lot of cross-winds on the way down the Pleasance. Mudguards and chainguard must have been contributing. Today was one of the worst days I have noticed it!
Posted 13 years ago # -
@Dave, thanks for the compliment but I have to confess that "zooming" wasn't a word I would have used for my westward trip this morning :-)) I was certainly glad of the drops though!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Definitely noticed I was wobbling about all over the place with the gustyness. I was on my attachment-free singlespeed (c. 9kg?) and was paying dearly for it. My thighs and knees are still a bit jellyfied!
Now I'm going to spin out all the way home and be thrashing about wishing i had a bigger gear...Posted 13 years ago # -
my wicked heavy bike eats headwinds and asks for more. My tricross.... less so ;) I think on a racer its even more noticeable, as air resistance is more of a factor at higher speeds, as your average speed is going to be higher, so the effect of the wind will be greater.
Im going for a run ;)
Posted 13 years ago # -
"headwinds seem worse on that than on my heavier touring type bike"
Obviously things like mudguards and luggage can be a factor, but I wonder if, rather than weight, it's to do with frame geometry - shorter wheelbase, steeper angles (on a 'racier' bike) and therefore twitchier??
Posted 13 years ago # -
Well my roadbike has 'guards and a handlebar bag, but tbh sidewinds and twitchiness wasn't a problem (although it might be on my way back up the hill tonight..), it was the headwinds slowing me down and making progress a real slog.
On the plus side I expect to be overtaking Porsches on my way down to Haymarket shortly :-DPosted 13 years ago # -
I shall have to strap my new wheel to my backpack very securely to avoid being twisted about on the walk home.
I've only the one bike to check but don't think headwinds were any less irritating on my old steel-framed road bike compared to my current fatter-piped but slightly lighter aluminium job. I can notice the difference at speed if my mudguards aren't attached and definitely noticed a difference when I briefly used a spare old front wheel the other week, though don't know if that was the greater number of spokes or the absence of aero rims.Posted 13 years ago # -
Well, going by the voting the jury is in and my suspicions are well founded, on a windy day take the heavy bike ;-)
@Winpig, got to agree, I reckon one of the best upgrades I've made to bikes is lighter/stiffer wheels (and the associated better quality bearings often). Transforms the feel of a bike imho.Posted 13 years ago # -
Two more days to test the theories -
Posted 13 years ago # -
Pashley blew over this afternoon when I was getting the trailer out of the garage.
It bent the right hand crank so it was hitting the chain guard. I bent it back with a big Bahco shifting spanner (I know, aluminium, stress fractures).
I should probably put a single pannier on the left, that's where the stand is.
Posted 13 years ago # -
just in from work, wet cold bikes being blasted by hail after 11 hour shifts deffo get blown about more !
Posted 13 years ago # -
Two more days to test the theories
Assume full aero-crouch all the way to work.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Hmm - might take the MTB and commute back up the WoL tomorrow evening. It may be dark and muddy, but it's a lot more sheltered than the Lanark Road!
As regards the OP, it suspect it the geometry at fault rather than the weight(though it may be a bit of both). My lighter bike is carbon though, so I don't take it out on windy days lest a strong gust snaps it clean in two :-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
lol, was thinking about the MTB this morning as I look out on snow :-o however I'm supposed to be going on a training run this morning mid morning so... hmmm maybe take the roadbike and hope the main roads are ok :-/
Your carbon superbike* (tm all the glossy magazines) should be fine as long as you take plenty of pitons and rope to get yourself out if you fall in any of Edinburghs spectacular potholes ;-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm in two minds, on the one hand the heavier mtb doesn't get as buffeted, on the other the light roadie has drops. I did notice the road bike try to kill me yesterday when the wind caught the front end and carbon forks were just about swept away, the suspension forks don't have this problem.
Posted 13 years ago # -
@ Druidh, Serious question, how do you mean the geometry affecting it? I don't follow what you mean.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Steeper head angle means faster, sharper handling. Touring bikes tend to have slacker head angles.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Exhibit A
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yup, follow that,race bikes are built to turn and touring bikes are built to be stable, but how does that affect headwinds, I can see it (sporty geometry) making a bike more flighty and nervous in sidewinds but I'm probably missing the point about how it changes the bikes reaction to a headwind. Apologies in advance if I'm being a bit dim!
Posted 13 years ago # -
"I'm probably missing the point about how it changes the bikes reaction to a headwind"
Only in the sense that it's unlikely that the wind is full head-on and constant.
Also however hard you grip the handlebars (not usually a good idea), everytime you pedal the bike moves (slightly) left or right depending on which foot is going down.
SPDs or toeclips can make a difference if it means a difference in pedal style from normal/unclipped.
Posted 13 years ago # -
That was a braw drouth this morning...
Posted 13 years ago # -
I think the twitchy handling of a race bike would be better in the wind as the bike reacts faster. But the lightness would count against it. The old, heavy sit up and beg bikes felt really stable because of their weight and all that angular momentum in the wheels (or was it inertia)?
Dave Moulton knows a lot about frame geometry.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Now we are in the realms of physics where words mean specific things and I'm not sure this will be correct -
"and all that angular momentum"
So - gyroscope effect/inertia of heavier rims/tyres - revolving weight = double static weight - may well be the answer to "headwinds" question.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yes, the inertia of the rotating mass of the wheels should make a heavier bike more stable. Or perhaps that stability and reluctance to change direction makes it harder to balance. Where's Arrelcat?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Ah yes, "mass" - "words mean specific things".
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'd've thought a tourer-style longer trail would reduce the inclination of the front wheel to suffer from twitchiness and windgrab. Whilst a higher seating position would increase the area exposed to the wind the greater the height of the C.O.G. above the ground the greater the stability (at a given speed, which it would be more difficult to achieve in the higher position).
Posted 13 years ago # -
Maybe it's windier on the day we rode our light bikes to the day we rode our heavier bikes?
Posted 13 years ago #
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