Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
We, e-bikers are affected by the wind on our rides as any other cyclist. While traditional cyclists get exhausted by countering headwind, the same phenomenon makes our assisted rides not only slower but also the battery range gets significantly shortened, especially if we ride one-way (e.g. for a commute).
While we cannot do anything to cancel the headwind drag, we can plan our long trips smarter. For example, selection of the recreational loop route could be planned upwind for the outbound ride segment (when we are fresh and the battery is full) to return as if we were "sailing" with the tailwind, at lower assistance, and gaining many watts from the wind power when we are already tired. Doing opposite, that is, riding out with the tailwind and returning against massive headwind might have caught us with the trousers down! Fancy returning home on a flat battery upwind on a heavy e-bike!
I use to plan my leisure/fitness/recreational routes using possibly trustworthy weather forecasts. However, the inability to measure and quantify the wind on my rides has been always irritating me. I used to watch weather vanes, flags, trees to determine the wind direction and strength. I was turning my head around to determine the actual wind direction (if you can hear the wind in both ears, you are spot on the headwind). Still, I could not measure the wind speed.
What about an inexpensive and lightweight electronic anemometer to be carried in a pocket or a backpack? Thougths?
While we cannot do anything to cancel the headwind drag, we can plan our long trips smarter. For example, selection of the recreational loop route could be planned upwind for the outbound ride segment (when we are fresh and the battery is full) to return as if we were "sailing" with the tailwind, at lower assistance, and gaining many watts from the wind power when we are already tired. Doing opposite, that is, riding out with the tailwind and returning against massive headwind might have caught us with the trousers down! Fancy returning home on a flat battery upwind on a heavy e-bike!
I use to plan my leisure/fitness/recreational routes using possibly trustworthy weather forecasts. However, the inability to measure and quantify the wind on my rides has been always irritating me. I used to watch weather vanes, flags, trees to determine the wind direction and strength. I was turning my head around to determine the actual wind direction (if you can hear the wind in both ears, you are spot on the headwind). Still, I could not measure the wind speed.
What about an inexpensive and lightweight electronic anemometer to be carried in a pocket or a backpack? Thougths?
