How.To.Ride.Faster

[trailrunner]

@hozn 147277 wrote:

The problem is that if you’re pedaling faster you are also moving faster — and the wind is what makes cycling cold(er). And if your circulation is not that great (as mine apparently is not), then this doesn’t help feet or hands (though 50° isn’t terrible).

I grew up in the severe weather of a beach community in southern California, and got everywhere on my bike when I was a kid. On those frigid winter nights when it got below 50 F and I was riding home or to a friend’s house (without gloves or a jacket, of course), I often debated this exact question.

This is similar to the old dilemma of walking or running in the rain, which we actually analyzed as homework in one of my college math classes.

[GovernorSilver]

@trailrunner 147287 wrote:

I grew up in the severe weather of a beach community in southern California, and got everywhere on my bike when I was a kid. On those frigid winter nights when it got below 50 F and I was riding home or to a friend’s house (without gloves or a jacket, of course), I often debated this exact question.

This is similar to the old dilemma of walking or running in the rain, which we actually analyzed as homework in one of my college math classes.

Sounds like a fun problem to solve. What was the solution?

I grew up in So. Cal as well, but didn’t learn how to ride a bike until I got here. 55F used to feel like freezing to me.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@trailrunner 147287 wrote:

This is similar to the old dilemma of walking or running in the rain, which we actually analyzed as homework in one of my college math classes.

Mythbusters tackled this one and ultimately concluded that running was the “drier” option.

[trailrunner]

@GovernorSilver 147348 wrote:

Sounds like a fun problem to solve. What was the solution?

@TwoWheelsDC 147355 wrote:

Mythbusters tackled this one and ultimately concluded that running was the “drier” option.

I don’t think there is a universal answer. If I remember right (I’m going back to 1982), it depends on your aspect ratio (i.e., the relative area of your head and shoulders compared to your frontal area), and it depends on whether or not there is a horizontal velocity component to the rain (i.e., if there is a wind pushing the rain sideways).

[Author]

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