How to save energy when riding a bicycle against the wind

When riding a bicycle, you often encounter headwinds, and the wind greatly hinders riding. So, how can you save effort when riding a bicycle against the wind? What are the techniques for riding a bicycle against the wind or uphill?

When cycling uphill and into the wind:

What should we do when we encounter uphill and headwind? Our experience is that we should ride at the original strength at first, and take more rests when we feel tired. Each rest time should not be too long, 5-10 minutes is enough.

When driving on national highways, the slope is relatively small and going uphill is usually not a problem. When you encounter a steep slope that is difficult to climb, you can take a zigzag route to reduce the slope. What should I do if the slope is too steep and I can't ride it, or even the bike will fall down?

There is no need to be afraid at this time. Those riding geared bikes can lower the speed and move up slowly. Those riding ordinary bikes don't need to worry. My experience is to pull the handlebars upwards with both hands to make it easier for the legs to push down more forcefully. At the same time, the center of gravity of the body moves forward and the soles of the feet also move forward from the pedals, touching the pedals with the part close to the heels. This makes it easier to exert force, and then use the thighs to press the calves and pedal directly through the heels.

In this way, you can use your body weight and thighs to directly transfer force to the bicycle pedals through your calves and soles of your feet (using your toes and soles will disperse the force and also make your soles tired), thereby increasing the pedaling force. The bike will slowly go uphill and will not roll back. I used this method to climb up the Yuling Pass of Tianmu Mountain, crossed the Qinling Mountains and Liupan Mountains, and almost every time I was faster than my friends on mountain bikes.

Of course, riding a bike in this situation is the most tiring, and everyone should do it according to their ability. Be careful when walking in a zigzag pattern uphill. The slope is often steepest at the turning point, so be careful of passing vehicles. When the slope is too steep to climb, you should get off the bike and rest for a while before going up again. The elderly and the weak should get off and push the bike. Climbing a hill is very tiring and requires physical strength and perseverance, but it can make a bicycle trip more interesting and memorable. Once you reach the top of the hill, you can enjoy a unique experience.

The most troublesome thing when traveling by bicycle is encountering headwind, because although going uphill is difficult, the next step is downhill, and you can feel relaxed for a while. Headwind sometimes makes it difficult to ride downhill as well. At this time, you can lower the handlebars, or bend your arms, or lean under the handlebars, lower your head, lower your body's center of gravity, and reduce wind resistance.

When you lower your head, your field of vision becomes smaller, so you should always pay attention to safety, especially when encountering headwinds. You should be especially careful and pay attention to oncoming vehicles, because at this time, whether it is a car coming from the front or behind, especially a large truck, will cause the bicycle to swing left and right, which is prone to accidents.

Moreover, at this time, people are often very tired due to great physical exertion, and their hands and feet are not as flexible as usual, so accidents are prone to happen. I hope that all riders will pay attention to safety. Generally, you can still ride in a headwind of level 6, but you should consider taking a rest in a headwind of level 8 or above.

When biking downhill and with a tailwind:

Going downhill and with a tailwind are the most comfortable experiences in a bicycle trip. At this time, the fatigue from going uphill has long been forgotten. Sometimes you can ride for several kilometers without pedaling at all. However, you must pay special attention to safety when you encounter steep slopes, winding roads, uneven ground, or the possibility of vehicles or pedestrians suddenly appearing while going downhill.

At this time, you should start braking from the top of the slope to avoid being caught off guard. At least you should brake while going down the slope. When you encounter a steep slope, be careful even if the road appears wide and flat at first glance.

I have encountered two situations:

First, there may be small stones on the road, which you cannot see at first, and by the time you see them, it is too late to avoid them. At this time, the car is going very fast, and sharp turns are even more dangerous.

Second, when the car reached the foot of the mountain, a crosswind suddenly blew from the mountains, and the bicycle swayed left and right at high speed, making it difficult to control. I hope riders will be alert to this situation.

Check the brake pads regularly. If the brakes are not working properly, adjust or replace them in time. My cyclist had a severe fall while going downhill in Huangshan due to brake failure. We believe that "every failure makes you wiser", and we hope that new riders can also learn from their failures.

When we were riding bicycles uphill as children, our elders often told us to ride in an S shape to reduce resistance and ride farther, or to lean forward against the wind to reduce wind resistance.