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Wife wants to do the Forth and Clyde Canal on Saturday. We'd prefer to do it Edinburgh to Glasgow but various forecasts indicate a north westerly wind of 13mph which would mean we'd be cycyling into it for a fair bit of the way.
At what speed does the wind become a hassle to cycle into?
13mph 🙂
Depends on your fitness, desired speed etc.
I'd say it could be a minor PITA as that's a long flat route to be doing into a headwind with your Mrs (assuming she's not uber fit).
12.7 actually. but i'll take 13.
If you cycle at about 13mph, then add 13mph on. Will feel like like doing 26mph down a hill. Without the hill.
The wind along the Forth & Clyde canal is well known. The canal has much of its length along the bottom of the flat valley and the wind all funnels down to the canal.
The other thing of note along this canal is because it meanders its way along, sometimes the wind will be against you , sometimes behind you.
I hope you enjoy your day out all the same.
With that amount of wind I would definitely be going Glasgow / Edinburgh. Its enough to be significant especially on an MTB withthe parachute riding position
I used to commute between Edinburgh and Glasgow and it's always easier Glasgow to Edinburgh.
Used to commute down the F&C from the fields into glasgow, never really noticed 15mph winds, its when it gusts that it hurts. That said, I wasn't going anywhere near my max speed/power so probably just absorbed it. Anything over 10mph I normally find significant on a bike.
If you're not used to riding into the wind then it can be a demoralising pain in the arse. As you know Bob I ride from Kilmarnock to Glasgow on my commute and the wind on the moor is usually pretty strong, at first I really struggled but this year I've got over the mental side of it and the headwind doesn't bother me, rode home on Monday into a fearsome 30mph wind and it was okay. But my wife, son and I went up the cycle path last year and the mild headwind, maybe 10mph, really did them both in so much that I had to ride home and get the car.
So in essence it depends on what you're used to.
It's worth pointing out that much of the path is laid with a thin gravel which can be really strength sapping, especially when wet.
I'd rather ride up a hill than into the wind.
Aye I did the canal last year from Edinburgh to Glasgow and it was fine. Not physically challenging at all but we had no wind that day to speak of.
Think we'll do it Glasgow to Edinburgh just to be sure. 😐
Seeing as wind resistance increaces by the square of your relative speed
If you normaly ride at 13mph, I'd assume youd be lucky to be doing much over walking pace straight into the wind.
I presume that's a joke TINAS? If not, do a bit of reading!
riding 50 miles along a canal into the wind is asking for half way sense of humour breakdown.
still nice ride, enjoy!
there's some science here TINAS, but i dont think you've got it right mate!
fag packet hand calc says a headwind equal to the speed you are travelling (assuming no change in frontal area, gradient and constant speed)
would mean rider is required to put in 4x effort required for 0 wind condition.
but no reason for them to go any slower! it would just be harder work...
The less your rolling resistance and the greater your ground speed, the more wind speed matters, hence racing bikes being so much more aero focused. You really notice wind on a Brompton because they roll quickly but are really upright.