[LEL17] Tips if the weather is very wet

[redfalo]

• Much less of a wind-catcher than a front mudguard, so less speed penalty

so you're in to win?

[LMT]

I thought mudguards were supposed to be aerodynamically neutral, so what speed penalty?  I expect the weight of the accumulated crud will cancel out a fair chunk of that of the mudguard.

I believe this is only the case if the mudguard extends a long way around your front wheel. From the paper - "the front section of each fender shields the tire and reduces the wind resistance" i.e. it's only aero neutral if your front mudguard shields the tyre from the wind which few do. My empirical testing suggests that no mudguards is 1-2mph faster for the same power.

The rear fender extends right around the wheel, and sits in dirty air anyway, so seems to be less of an issue.

How much power are you putting down and for what speed?

[LMT]

• Much less of a wind-catcher than a front mudguard, so less speed penalty

so you're in to win?

I would not look at it like that, more power means more energy means more fatigue. For an endurance event you should save it where you can.

[Aidan]

Judging by the weather conditions this thread is hinting at I'm bringing an Ark   .

With mudguards of course!

[inappropriate_bike]

• Much less of a wind-catcher than a front mudguard, so less speed penalty

so you're in to win?

The faster I go the more maps I can take 

[Moleman76]

Has anyone tried fitting a mudguard only at the rear?
1.
2.
3.
4.

5. Assures the even application of mud and pasture-byproduct spray onto the mouth contact parts of frame-mounted water bottles.

Several years ago, almost all of the riders in a UK mountain bike race came down ill from something they picked up going through a sheep grazing area.

[T42]

My old Audax bike was built around a racing frame with no room for a front Raceblade.  Didn't have any great problems, just got a bit wetter.

[inappropriate_bike]

How much power are you putting down and for what speed?

Too many factors to make that an easy question to answer. But about 100-120w for 16-17mph averaged over a typical 200.

[Duckfoot1606]

The weather looks like it will be a mixed bag, not that you can really do anything about it other than cope. The good news is that temperature currently looks like it will be around seasonal norms, so no excessively high temps currently forecast. It does appear that the wind will largely be from the SW throughout, brisk but again not excessive. Great for the Northbound leg, perhaps more of an issue Southbound

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

[wilkyboy]

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

Find someone bigger than me and hide behind them, obviously.  A tandem to follow would be even better, a tandem-trike better still

[Veloman]

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

Get someone to ride in front of you!

If you are by yourself then wait until other riders are around and work cooperatively with them.

Others simply ride on, albeit no doubt slightly slower than without the headwind.

"Wind is your friend, it makes you strong!"

[T42]

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

Get someone with decent mudguards to ride in front of you!

FTFY

[Bagman]

Almost perfect weather!!!!!!

Northbound
http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/0b08f903-76f8-4419-a02f-557fde6a74da

Southbound
http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/aef943a0-c015-4d4a-9379-c9ff093717fc

[Somnolent]

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

My bar bag precludes the use of tri-bars but I can still fit the Airstryke elbow rests on.
On training rides I've focussed on using the rests and draping my hands over the bar bag.
In still air this is good for an extra 1 - 2kph for the same power output.
Into a headwind, using this position when on the front, I can make a contribution even when the rest of the riders are stronger.

Obviously can't use this in traffic or around junctions/sharp bends or when in the middle of a group, as no quick access to the brakes, but works a charm on long straight stretches if I'm on my own or towing.

Oh yes - I have full guards with long extra flaps so you'll not get sprayed if you do manage to take advantage.

[psyclist]

Almost perfect weather!!!!!!

Don't believe it! Checking on metoffice.gov.uk shows a bit of rain in various locations in the northern towns in the early part of next week.

Hopefully weather bagel has it right, but when there's variance on different sites it means that it is likely to be unsettled.

[psyclist]

"Wind is your friend, it makes you strong!"

I like it. One to remember next week, if the need arises.

[Veloman]

"Wind is your friend, it makes you strong!"

I like it. One to remember next week, if the need arises.

To which was added shortly after the look on my face suggested I was not 'loving the moment':

"The wind is also stupid as it is always blowing in the wrong direction!"

Which helped greatly as I knew I was battling something that was stupid, even more stupid than me for doing an audax event, and that made all the difference!

[Sergeant Pluck]

I bunged up the cleat slots in my SPD shoes with silicone.

This is a great idea which has never dawned on me - thanks

I did that. With Shimano MTB shoes, it doesn't work very well because you end up with shoes that cannot drain.

[T42]

Mine are Carnac road shoes, a dying breed soon to be extinct.  At present they just xtink.

[simonp]

What are your strategies for coping with a headwind?

Find someone bigger than me and hide behind them, obviously.  A tandem to follow would be even better, a tandem-trike better still

Doesn't work so well on fixed.

2013, heading north over the flatlands on fixed, with a tail-wind, I couldn't stay with any groups for long. Too spinny on 69". On the way back on the same gear into that hairdryer headwind I spent most of the time on the front, and backing off slightly to not drop the group I was towing.

I've currently got 72" on. Tempted to keep it.

[Kim]

Yes, well, fixed is just a way of simplifying the process of not having the right gear for the headwind.   

[dasmi]

As already stated

SANDALS.....SANDALS.......SANDALS

O and a CAPE

I'll be the dry smug bastard at the controls 

dave

[Veloman]

O and a CAPE

Assuming you have not been blown away Mary Poppins style by your cape!

[T42]

I remember battling headwinds in a cape when I was cycling to school in Belfast, with the damn thing plastered tightly to my arms like a square sail taken aback.  Now and then a car would go past and send a fountain of spray up underneath.  Never mind Jeannie with the light brown hair, I used to dream of waterproof trousers.

[vorsprung]

The latest weather guess for Sunday / Monday is that Sunday will feature rain but not too much and Monday will be dry-ish.  The wind is a ssw ( coming from the South but slightly from the West) and medium strength, rarely more than 15mph.  So generally that is a tailwind, although not a perfect one.  In the North on Monday night it seems to switch to a straight southerly.
Temperatures are fairly warm lowest seems to be 10deg C overnight around Alston/Brampton/Moffat and highest daytime  is 20deg C just S of that.

Beyond that it is pointless at the moment looking at what the weather might be, it's too far in the future

I don't think it sounds too bad though.  I will take the smaller/lighter coat and not the full winter one

Hope the wind dies down or switches for the route back south again