Hard Work

[Plax]

It was hard work cycling in this morning.
Don't know why - perhaps it was because I have taken the hybrid in (I predict rain at home time), and rather than packing my Barley saddle bag nicely I just dumped everything in a rucksack instead.
So I felt quite hot with it on, and I'm always slower on that bike. There was also a bit of wind which never helps.
Sometimes I was cycling along thinking I was about to stop I was going so slow, but looking at the computer it said I was doing around 13mph so not that slow.
I got into work pretty much within a couple of minutes of the time I usually get in though. Bizarre.

 

[HLaB]

My commute is too short for my road bike to make much difference (8-9miles round) so I usually commute on my heavy hybrid as I prefer its brakes and riding position in traffic, will subject it to a little more abuse and I've got no qualms at leaving it locked up outside a supermarket on the way home.
I popped a rear spoke yesterday and the wheel buckled a fair bit; the trip to work and subsequently a lbs yesterday into the wind up a steep hill was hard, at some points I was only doing 8.6mph.

 

[cyberknight]

I was thinking of posting something similar and you beat me to it

Cycling home today from work along the a 38 cycle path toward burton the wind was very strong , combined with that of the oncoming traffic it was hard work .
Had to use an average of 2 gears less than i normally do most of the way home and yet i was only about 5 minutes max slower over 10 miles even though i decided not to push it .........

lets do the time warp again !!

 

[palinurus]

It's probably the wind. I've been struggling this week no matter which bike I use.

 

[goo_mason]

I was dreading it being very hard work this morning - predictions of head-winds around 23mph, and heavy rain.

No sign of the wind at all when I set off at 6, though the rain did start shortly afterwards (and I'd decided not to wear my overshoes too ). Still - cycling in the dark, in the rain, wearing shorts & a short-sleeved top was fun regardless of the conditions.

 

[Amanda P]

Very slow ride for me this morning.

Maybe it was the twenty-odd kilos of nest boxes in the trailer? That and the headwind.

 

[jimboalee]

You can model the wind effect, as Machinehead has done on his calcs.

Basically, you plot the ride's direction and the wind direction and find the angle of attack.
Multiply the windspeed by the Cosine of the angle and then multiply that by the Coefficient of Drag of you on your bike.

There's a frig-factor based on the average gear and Cd. Strange, mysterious, oldie-worldie 'folklore' again but it seems to work.

Add the wind effect to the theoretical speed or 'All time average', back-calculate with 'normal, average power output' and stunt the 'estimated speed' to get a time prediction.

Works with my 24 mile commute. I check the weather on the Met Office site and punch the numbers into my spreadsheet.
No more than 1 minute out in a 1hr 30min ride.

 

[goo_mason]

You can model the wind effect, as Machinehead has done on his calcs.

Basically, you plot the ride's direction and the wind direction and find the angle of attack.
Multiply the windspeed by the Cosine of the angle and then multiply that by the Coefficient of Drag of you on your bike.

There's a frig-factor based on the average gear and Cd. Strange, mysterious, oldie-worldie 'folklore' again but it seems to work.

Add the wind effect to the theoretical speed or 'All time average', back-calculate with 'normal, average power output' and stunt the 'estimated speed' to get a time prediction.

Works with my 24 mile commute. I check the weather on the Met Office site and punch the numbers into my spreadsheet.
No more than 1 minute out in a 1hr 30min ride.

Jimboalee - CC's very own Carol Vorderman.

 

[eldudino]

I've been struggling this week and last. Nothing's changed except I'm a few pounds lighter so surely that should help! Don't know what it is but I seem to be out of energy at the moment.

 

[jimboalee]

Jimboalee - CC's very own Carol Vorderman.

Thanks.

Prettier than Magnus Pyke.

 

[Plax]

I found it hard going today as well. Think I might take a rest day tomorrow. I've put a new Brooks saddle on my hybrid and I don't think it agrees with my bum yet.
Totally OT but I had to move my SQR block down the seat post a few inches with this new saddle (good job I have tonnes of free seat post!). So my rear reflector was now blocked by the saddle bag. I decided that I would drill a hole in my rear mudguard and attach the reflector to that. Works a treat and I'm well pleased that it hasn't fallen off!

 

[Baggy]

Have been feeling the same as well, there just seems to be a headwind wherever I go! Average speed is about the same but it feels like really hard work. My legs are sore too. Think I might follow your example and have a rest day tomorrow.

 

[Maz]

Yes, hard work riding in this a.m. Very gusty. I've learnt not to fight against Mother Nature cos She wins every time. Spin in a lower gear.

 

[punkypossum]

I wimped out today - the wind was just too strong. When I walked up the road from the busstop to the office, I had to actually lean against it...

Obviously there was no wind and a lovely clear night by the time I finished...

 

[hackbike 666]

I found it easier on Wednesday compared to Tuesday where after having four days off I felt like I had smoked 50 cigs.