tough headwind?

[CR400]

I rode into a tough headwind on Wednesday night straight into a west wind for 17miles it took me almost an hour and a half. Ok it may not have been tough for some of you it was only 15mph and gust where over 20+ but it didn't let up except for a few seconds here and there. I was on my 42 ring and I thought I was in my 52/12 a lot. This 9 mile hill appeared in an otherwise flat road. Oh and of course no draft.

Here are a few questions I have,

My heart rate stayed in my endurance zone, but my legs felt like I was going very hard. Think an hour of squats pain. Any ideas Why?

And how long does it take to recover from an effort like this?

And should I feel like I have done a hard leg routine? Or am I just weak?

[KSH]

Riding in wind can be hell.

I have been doing it for 4 months. I wonder if the wind will EVER stop BLOWING in Texas! I HATE IT!

But, it does make you stronger. Now days, I can keep a 16-17 mph average with wind gusting up to 20... and hills. When the wind STOPS blowing (will it ever stop?)... I bet I will gain an extra mph!

Believe it or not... the more you do it... the better it gets. Although, I haven't fallen in love with a headwind... it isn't as horrible as it was the first month.

As far as the pain in your legs... what was your cadence at during this ride? Did you keep it at around 85-95 while going into the wind?

I suspect that more winding riding will make your legs stronger... and there will be less pain involved.

[CR400]

I doubt my cadance was even that high. It felt like I was climbing a hill in which no matter how hard I try to spin I even end up grinding my granny gear. When I climb I tend to muscle it except short ones then I power over spinning. It felt like I had to use a lot of muscle to keep going even 12mph.

[CorsairMac]

Then don't - muscle it that is. In a tough headwind I'll usually just gear down and spin. I don't try to make time or speed, I just concentrate on holding my line and keeping my legs relaxed. Also watch out for your shoulders, arms, & jaws - make sure you aren't tensing up coz you're fighting such a strong wind. If you ride a road bike, try going into the drops and keeping yourself as small as possible, it helps with the buffeting. Another thing I try and do if at all possible on windy days like that is elevate my legs as soon as possible after the ride - it seems to help with the fatigue and the recovery. Does it get any better?? I don't know - I've posted this here before: New Mexico doesn't even post a high wind warning until the gusts are over 50 mph and pretty much every day in the spring is a windy day. My lunchtime ride today was 24 mph winds with 39 mph wind gusts. I think of headwinds like I think of hills, they're something you work with coz the flipside - the tailwind - is Awesome!!!!

[Geonz]

I simply do not look at the speedometer when I am going into a headwind (and we get them here!!) I go harder, the same way I work harder going up a hill, but seeing hte numbers only confounds things. I gear down and just pretend it is a very, very long hill... and keep saying "it'll be great coming back!"
When I was in Virginia, where it's seldom windy, the most common newbie mistake was to go out and feel SO STRONG... not knowing it was because of a tailwind... and ride exuberantly, with more energy than usual... and then turn around. ACK!

[bikerchick68]

I did a ride in January called The Stagecoach Century... headwinds that day were for the ENTIRE 50 miles out to lunch... gusts of 30-50mph... many people turned around at the first SAG and went home... it was borderline unsafe... we were also CLIMBING a false flat... about 2% almost the whole way out... I say almost because there were a couple climbs that were like 12-14%... all into a headwind.

I was exhausted. It takes a LOT of energy... I imagine it like a big hand pushing against my chest as I try to move forward... I didn't even bother to look at our speed... you just have to know that you won't be as fast into that kind of wind...

It took us 4 hours to get to go 50 miles to lunch... the ride back, slightly downhill with a tailwind was maybe one of the most fun things EVER! We rode for4-5 miles at 28mph without ever pedaling... freakin great! We did the 50 miles back in 2 1/2 hours.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am still relatively new on judging my cadence, so I can't help there. I do know here in the horrible Texas wind I get pretty sore early in the season. If was a cross wind do you think was simply from trying to keep your balance? KSH is right, it does get better if you are *lucky* enough (haha) to have a lot of training in wind!

[li10up]

Then don't - muscle it that is. In a tough headwind I'll usually just gear down and spin. I don't try to make time or speed, I just concentrate on holding my line and keeping my legs relaxed.

Which prompts me to ask...when riding with a group I always get left behind on the hills (even the little ones) and when riding into the wind because I have to gear down. If I try to maintain the gear I was in my legs just can't take it...now here is the question...even though I'm gearing down will I get stronger and eventually be able to keep up? I'm concerned that my gearing down isn't going to strengthen my legs.

I've actually quit going on the Thursday group ride because I'm always the last one and the group always has to wait on me. I've been athletic all my life...except for those 10 years where I somehow became a couch potato...and being last is not something that I am accustomed to.

[Selkie]

When I was in Virginia, where it's seldom windy, the most common newbie mistake was to go out and feel SO STRONG... not knowing it was because of a tailwind... and ride exuberantly, with more energy than usual... and then turn around. ACK!

Your comment made me smile, Geonz. You should have been riding here in Virginina during Feb/March when I couldn't escape riding in the wind (sometimes, gusts above 30mph). More than once, I was literally blown across the trail, which was a great test of my balance Unfortunately, there will be few breezes around here in a month or so from now, when the heat & humidity sink in for the summer.

I found the best way of dealing with steady strong wind is to just give in to it and keep it in an easier gear. Riding in wind has made me faster and stronger, so there's a long-term benefit.

[Dianyla]

If I try to maintain the gear I was in my legs just can't take it...now here is the question...even though I'm gearing down will I get stronger and eventually be able to keep up? I'm concerned that my gearing down isn't going to strengthen my legs.

Your legs will get stronger as long as you're spinning high cadence and pushing enough resistance to keep your heartrate up. Doing intervals where you push a harder gear and then rest in a lighter one will also help.

Maybe in the meantime you can find a slower paced group that either matches your current abilities or only slightly exceeds it? That way you can still enjoy group riding but not feel pathetic, trust me I can empathize.

I ride alone most of the time, which always builds strength because I have to break my own wind all the time. Then when I do get to go ride with a group I can enjoy taking turns pulling (which is just like riding by myself in the wind) and also enjoy drafting for once.

[li10up]

Your legs will get stronger as long as you're spinning high cadence and pushing enough resistance to keep your heartrate up. Doing intervals where you push a harder gear and then rest in a lighter one will also help.

Maybe in the meantime you can find a slower paced group that either matches your current abilities or only slightly exceeds it? That way you can still enjoy group riding but not feel pathetic, trust me I can empathize.

I ride alone most of the time, which always builds strength because I have to break my own wind all the time. Then when I do get to go ride with a group I can enjoy taking turns pulling (which is just like riding by myself in the wind) and also enjoy drafting for once.

I volunteered to lead the Sat. morning beginner ride...figured that way I could set the pace and choose the route. I've given up riding the Thur. night group ride until I feel I can keep up better. When doing the intervals is it just one gear harder and does the cadence matter or is it just a matter of pushing a harder gear?

[DrBee]

We've been windy here in western MS for months, too. I just focus on the cadence. I keep it around 85 and change gears appropriately. Riding into headwinds does make you stronger and when you turn around and have that beautiful tailwind pushing you along, it makes it all worth it.

[Dianyla]

I volunteered to lead the Sat. morning beginner ride...figured that way I could set the pace and choose the route. I've given up riding the Thur. night group ride until I feel I can keep up better. When doing the intervals is it just one gear harder and does the cadence matter or is it just a matter of pushing a harder gear?

Sounds like a good plan, especially since you may get more benefit from leading the easy group than following the hotshots. To do an interval, the number of gears to change really depends. From what I understand, the scientific way to do interval training is by heart rate. Do you have a HRM? Use whatever number of gears you need to use to move up to get your heart pumping hard right at or slightly above your lactate threshold.

If you don't have/use a HRM, the easy way to do intervals is to ride a hilly course (each hill is an interval), or on flats shift up into a gear that's hard enough that you can only maintain that effort for 10-15 minutes, then drop back down to a more sustainable effort level.