Humidity affect on biking speed - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-13-2004, 06:58 AM

On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
a person has more resistance from the moisture.

Thanks

Tom

07-13-2004, 07:02 AM

mary wrote:
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>

Water vapor is less dense than dry air. A more humid air mass
is less dense than a dry air mass. Not only that, but since
your hair is all matted down from sweat, you present less
surface area!

So you should be rocketing along on those humid days!

Scott

07-13-2004, 07:02 AM

mary wrote:
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>

Water vapor is less dense than dry air. A more humid air mass
is less dense than a dry air mass. Not only that, but since
your hair is all matted down from sweat, you present less
surface area!

So you should be rocketing along on those humid days!

Scott

07-13-2004, 07:02 AM

mary wrote:
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>

Water vapor is less dense than dry air. A more humid air mass
is less dense than a dry air mass. Not only that, but since
your hair is all matted down from sweat, you present less
surface area!

So you should be rocketing along on those humid days!

Scott

07-13-2004, 07:02 AM

mary wrote:
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>

Water vapor is less dense than dry air. A more humid air mass
is less dense than a dry air mass. Not only that, but since
your hair is all matted down from sweat, you present less
surface area!

So you should be rocketing along on those humid days!

Scott

07-13-2004, 07:02 AM

mary wrote:
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>

Water vapor is less dense than dry air. A more humid air mass
is less dense than a dry air mass. Not only that, but since
your hair is all matted down from sweat, you present less
surface area!

So you should be rocketing along on those humid days!

Scott

07-13-2004, 07:06 AM

In article <40f3f18a$0$21383$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]-net.com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>
> Thanks

Water vapor is *less* dense than air (molecular weight 18, vs Nitrogen
at 28 and Oxygen at 32), so the air resistance would likely be less on a
humid day. This causes big problems for propeller-powered airplanes in
the tropics if they aren't equipped for it.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

07-13-2004, 07:06 AM

In article <40f3f18a$0$21383$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]-net.com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>
> Thanks

Water vapor is *less* dense than air (molecular weight 18, vs Nitrogen
at 28 and Oxygen at 32), so the air resistance would likely be less on a
humid day. This causes big problems for propeller-powered airplanes in
the tropics if they aren't equipped for it.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

07-13-2004, 07:06 AM

In article <40f3f18a$0$21383$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]-net.com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>
> Thanks

Water vapor is *less* dense than air (molecular weight 18, vs Nitrogen
at 28 and Oxygen at 32), so the air resistance would likely be less on a
humid day. This causes big problems for propeller-powered airplanes in
the tropics if they aren't equipped for it.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

07-13-2004, 07:06 AM

In article <40f3f18a$0$21383$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]-net.com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
> On a day with a high humidity (everything else being equal) would it take
> more energy to bike a certain distance than on a day with low humidity since
> a person has more resistance from the moisture.
>
> Thanks

Water vapor is *less* dense than air (molecular weight 18, vs Nitrogen
at 28 and Oxygen at 32), so the air resistance would likely be less on a
humid day. This causes big problems for propeller-powered airplanes in
the tropics if they aren't equipped for it.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).