Well it's a heck of a lot colder today than it's been so far this year.
today is probably the coldest we've seen yet this fall. It's barely 32 degrees with a windchill of 25. Sure, some of my morning commutes have been chilly, but this is the closest taste of winter we've had lately. Almost time to bust out the wool socks!
A plus of the cold air is the effect it has on my riding. First of all, cold air is much more dense than warm air due to the slowed molecular activity, so the air in my tires is much harder and less likely to escape, maintaining inflation. The rubber of the tires also gets harder in cold weather, which means less depression against the road and therefore less friction. The cold air also sucks moisture from the air, so there is less water vapor which, ultimately, is resistance against my body. So, with less wind resistance, less road friction, and proper tire inflation, riding a bike in the winter becomes somewhat "easier".
However, "less wind resistance" is subjective; there may be less water vapor today, but certainly higher wind speeds (in excess of 25-30 mph), more than accounting for the decreased wind resistance. Though most bikes aren't engineered to be supremely aerodynamic (since most riders aren't able to achieve speeds fast enough to account for aerodynamics), if you introduce high wind speeds to the equation, bikes can suddenly transform into wind sails, ready to blow you over (if it's a side wind).
Here is a picture of a four-story building on campus that I like to refer to as the "wind tunnel".
It's on the west side of campus and stretches north to south. A section of the first level is cut out so that pedestrians may pass "through"/"under" the building, but because the long side of the building faces prevailing winds, it also acts as a channel for these winds that are trying to pass, maximizing their speeds as they rush through. Heading westward under this overpass leaves you straight on against the power of the eastwardly winds. I don't care how little water vapor there may be in the air, when the wind is blowing, this tunnel is ruthless!
(the good news is I successfully made it through the wind tunnel to my destination for a tasty falafel deluxe sandwich at Shawarma House!)
Glad to see you're looking on the bright side of things! I can only imagine it was a chilly ride to campus today. Good to know that there are benefits associated with biking in the cold. It sure wouldn't be as much fun if you just had to pay the price of being cold without reaping the benefits of frigid weather.
ReplyDelete