upright position in wind
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Ironmom posted 14 weeks ago.
I think so. I've heard several experienced distance cyclists say that you're better off sitting up with a tailwind. For me, I have wrist injuries that make the aero position way more comfortable, so I can't sit up for long. But I bet there's a benefit when the wind's at your back.
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Anton posted 14 weeks ago.
Have been hanging out with a number of ultra cyclists recently and this exact question has come up ...
These are folks who've done PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris), Furnace Creek, Boston/ Montreal and think that sitting up in a tail wind does give a benefit...one woman even admitted to sitting up and holding her unzipped jacket open! (worked, but proved to be way unstable.) I was out for a long ride yesterday with a partial tail wind...seemed to work...but as soon as the wind shifts to the side, or you zip around a turn... the bennies decrease.
I'm just the opposite of you Mom...can't get down in the aero position...gel tainted acid reflux (gack!)
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" - Vincent Van Gogh
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thesonicson posted 14 weeks ago.
This exact question came up today at a race. We had about only a 2 mile ride on the causeway from an island that had about a 15-20mph tail wind on the way out, and just about everyone was not in the aero position. We all were in aero heading back in though!
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PJT posted 14 weeks ago.
I think it matters whether or not the wind is going faster than you are. So if it's a 20 mph wind and you are going 23, you're better off in the aerobars because you still have to cut through some air resistance.
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GGehrke posted 14 weeks ago.
PJT wrote:
I think it matters whether or not the wind is going faster than you are. So if it's a 20 mph wind and you are going 23, you're better off in the aerobars because you still have to cut through some air resistance.
Exactly. It's just physics.
It's funny, been competing for many years but only thought of this recently.
During the ironman i am in aero position most of time, then i wondered. Of course the wind is a huge factor in speed. I was riding the other day and on flats was going only 23km/hr and on way back close to 50km/h. Is there any advantage of been out of aero position with wind on back and using yourself as sail. Of course always aero into the wind.
any thoughts.???
thanks