Combating head wind on LFP with aero bars?

I've been biking a lot on the lake front path for the past few months both for exercise and recently to start commuting to work. I find it aggravating to have to slog it out in the head wind that always seems to be coming at me going one way or the other. I see lots of guys zipping up and down the path using aero bars and I'm wondering if I can get some real world opinions about using them. Years ago, I had one of those cheapo Scott clip-on aero bars like LeMond used back when he won the Tour de France back in '89. Anyway, I didn't really like those particular bars for various reasons but I do like the new design Profile Aerostryke bars. I realize a lot of guys are probably riding the bars simply for training purposes for time trials or triathlons, but I'm wondering how many people use them for commuting or exercising and do you actually feel that they make it easier to slog through those headwinds? For now, I just hunker down in the drops but I feel like maybe aero bars would at least be possibly a bit more comfortable even if they didn't necessarily improve the aerodynamics that much more. Opinions anyone?

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Permalink Reply by kiltedcelt on September 3, 2011 at 3:22pm

Yeah, I'm just thinking at this point the aeros are best left being brought out for long distance touring where one is not dealing with lots of people and traffic. I ride with a cadence around 85-95 rpm and typically about 18 mph average, although with the wind I'm often riding as fast as 20-25 mph with the tailwind, but scaling back to 16-18 mph depending on how bad the headwind is. I think I'm barely riding fast enough to see any advantage to using aeros. There are certainly too many people on the path, especially on my ride home to really make them worthwhile. Thanks folks for all the advice though! I'll just treat the headwinds as part of my training ;)

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Permalink Reply by BikeBoy5 on September 6, 2011 at 7:16am

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

BikeBoy5

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Permalink Reply by kiltedcelt on September 6, 2011 at 8:12pm

I've wondered that one myself. Sometimes the wind will shift from morning to afternoon.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C on September 6, 2011 at 8:26pm

On windy days, it will feel like a headwind twice as often as a tailwind. If you imagine a clock face, it feels like a tailwind anytime the wind is out of a direction between 4 and 8 (20 mins.). It will feel like a headwind anytime the wind is out of a direction between 8 and 4 (40 mins.).

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Permalink Reply by Kelvin Mulcky on September 7, 2011 at 11:56am

Like Kevin C was saying, Cross winds reduce your speed.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/wind.html

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

BikeBoy5

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on September 7, 2011 at 2:32pm

Answer: The wind hates you :)

It hates me, too. I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general.

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

BikeBoy5

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Permalink Reply by BikeBoy5 on September 8, 2011 at 9:16am

Or maybe the Powers That Be are giving me more opportunities for a better work out.?

Melanie said:

Answer: The wind hates you :)

It hates me, too. I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general.

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

BikeBoy5

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on September 8, 2011 at 9:29am

Work out? I'm just trying to get to work...and later get out of work and home again. :)

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Or maybe the Powers That Be are giving me more opportunities for a better work out.?

Melanie said:

Answer: The wind hates you :)

It hates me, too. I think the wind hates bicycle commuters in general.

Mark Beard-Witherup said:

Can any tell me why the wind is in my face on my commute to work and in my face on my way back home?

BikeBoy5

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Permalink Reply by John W. on September 8, 2011 at 10:17pm

I ride up and down the LFP everyday and I say you just muscle through. If I had aerobars, especially in Monday's 20+mph wind, I'd probably end up on the ground.

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Permalink Reply by BikeBoy5 on September 9, 2011 at 3:24am

I've not missed a day commuting to work due to weather or wind since the first Monday in March. Just sometimes gets old until I'm into the second mile when the endorphines kick in and I remember that I really do like to ride to work.

I love the idea of aerobars, the practice...not so much. Old back, knees, hips, elbows, neck...

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Permalink Reply by Chris B on September 9, 2011 at 8:19am

I have been just downshifting and get in the drops and taking it slow. It takes longer but it preserves my knees, I have terrible ITBS that keeps coming back if I push too hard, last week during a bad wind i had to ice my knee when I got to work.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Hamill on September 9, 2011 at 11:08am

Skip the aero bars... reasons are already mentioned in the post. If you are looking for fitness then all the crappy parts of the LFP are what make it enjoyable. I've recently switched my road tires to a more knobby cyclocross tire. Helps with the occasional going 'offroad' due to some mental rollerblader and increases my rolling resistance making me have to push harder. If you are racing... go up to S. Wisconsin and ride the back roads for speed and distance.