Working harder into the wind / cross wind

[bazzawill]

So I am naturally pretty lazy that is I used to ride often and long distances but pretty lazily.
These days my available times to ride are diminishing so I am trying to increase the quality of my rides.
Often I can convince myself to ride hard for an hour or 2 knowing that I won't have to worry about getting home or riding tomorrow, however occasionally old habits creep in.
One thing I can't seem to do is ride hard into the wind or cross wind.
I find it fascinating that any positive effect in speed is usually matched with increased effort to get the most out of it (because I am going fast might as well go faster) and of course climbing takes effort. I can usually muster I decent climb especially if I know I will be (or just have been) rewarded with a fast decent.
However fighting the wind is not the same. I can't seem to get my HR over 120/130; and will more often sit back and lazily ride at a slower pace.
Any tips for beating the wind?

 

[ratz]

Can never get to the top of the wind..... that's the general problem
Seriously though hills don't push backwards on you; gravity is steady wind is variable.

Besides the obvious stuff.
1) Don't over gear; same problem as climbing in to big of a gear.
2) Tack alter your course ad miles going 90degrees to the wind to break up long track into it.

 

[bladderhead]

So I am not the only one who hates headwinds. It seems worse on the Silvio than on the Grasshopper. I would rather go uphill in a tailwind than downhill in a headwind. Maybe a fairing...

 

[trapdoor2]

I don't know of anyone who 'likes' a headwind...its a drag.

Dealing with wind is a mental game for me more than anything. My regular route is an 'out and back', so generally if I have a headwind one way, I'll have a tailwind the other. As long as I can mentally see a downwind run as a 'perk' for all that work upwind, I'm good. If I have no hope of restitution from the wind, I'm liable to back off and just poke along. I monitor my HR, so I usually just keep it in the range I want and don't worry about my absolute speed.

After all, you are dealing with increased aerodynamic drag (as the wind velocity climbs), assuming you're maintaining the same velocity in relation to the pavement. It takes something like 4 times the power to overcome a doubling of velocity thru the air. So, if you're running 150w at 20mph (no wind) and you suddenly run into a 20mph headwind, you've doubled your airspeed...and it will take 300w to maintain that groundspeed. I think that's close...I'm not an aerodynamicist.

 

[RojoRacing]

My morning commute is strait through a canyon in the middle of a giant wind farm so 30-40 mph head winds are an every day occurrence. Riding in such an extreme condition multiple days a week at 4am in the morning will forge your mind into something that scoffs at windy conditions. I learned to pay attention to my effort and not my speed and since then I don't care about the wind nearly as much as the next guy.

These days when I race on the vendetta I love a good strong head wind because I'm always the only recumbent and I know the other riders have it twice as bad.

 

[McWheels]

As a guru once observed, there is no wind, or hills for that matter, only resistance to motion. If you have a power meter that might be a way to maintain effort.

Also, I tend to try harder into the wind since I see it as uphill, for which the benefits of trying harder are greater than on the flat. (Technically into the wind that's not the case, but it's a lie I can tell my inner chimp and he seems to quite enjoy the idea.)

 

[ratz]

As a guru once observed, there is no wind, or hills for that matter, only resistance to motion. If you have a power meter that might be a way to maintain effort.

I'm really good with it's only a hill if you acknowledge. The wind not so much; clearly a growth opportuntity but then any day that is <15mph around here is a super calm day to be cherished. I was so weirded out by Sebring's no wind.

 

[Bill K]

I used to sail and race a catamaran, and the more wind the better. It teaches you to love the wind.
I just pretend like I am sailing.
The wind speed tells you that you are going fast. Just don't look at the ground.

 

[ElyDave]

Around where I live, wind is a "dutch hill". You grow to accept it, even if you don't love it. Think of a dead straight 10mile road, heading directly into a SW gale as an enhanced workout.

But always remember, if it's tougher for you on a recumbent, think about the guy on the DF, and be thankful its not you