That wall of wind
Maybe not a brick wall of wind, but definitely a large limiting factor with my speed. Getting older and riding on the handlebar tops and having the bars at seat height got me wondering. A little research showed about an 80% wind drag at 18 mph. I don’t want to embarrass myself too much, but depending on the wind, 15-16 mph on the tops for an old guy is my max comfort level. Getting in the drops maybe 18 mph, but the drops aren’t as friendly as I approach 65 years old, and the climate here only allows comfortable riding 6 months of the year.
Realistically, I’ve come to accept this and actually it fits my style and bikes better. Occasionally later in the summer as I get in a bit better shape, I get more aggressive but casual and enjoying the ride seems to rule. I obviously wouldn’t qualify for the “19 mph average pace” thread. Reading a bit about wind drag sure points out how much extra power is needed for not much extra speed. That wind drag can be my excuse.