This is one of those stories where you don’t really have to read much beyond the self-explanatory title. But you did, so here goes.
Klimat is a free Strava add-in which automatically adds various weather details to the description of your completed Strava workouts. If you are particularly interested in segment leaderboards then you will certainly have already realised that wind direction plays a fundamental role in determining your time.
I’m interested in that but I’m also perhaps more interested in lap times around my local park — which just so happens to be the UK’s Richmond Park, one of the most cycled places on Earth (literally, according to Strava). The effect of wind direction on a loop is less obvious than in a straight line. Other factors come into play like which section of the loop is in wind shadows caused by buildings, trees and the like. Others have modelled this and, for your information, wind direction and loop direction don’t make that much difference to your Richmond Park loop times. The only times it does make a noticeable difference are when there is an Easterly or Westerly — basically, you want the wind behind you on the big long straight between Richmond Gate and Roehampton Gate.
That waffle leads me circuitously back to air density. My long-held suspicion is that air density makes a quite significant difference to my loop times and, obviously, the air density affects me pretty much equally throughout the entire 11k loop. Whilst a judicious selection of favourable wind directions and my ever-improving TT bike kit have kept my lap times respectable despite my declining fitness, I strongly suspect that some of my better times could easily have benefitted by 20 or 30 seconds from favourable air density.
I exchange the occasional email with Scott F the owner of Klimat and suggested to him that he should add air density. Bottom line: he just did. Apparently, air density is relatively easy to calculate and I’m surprised that the mainstream cycling platforms don’t have this information.
Air Density is now publicly available for Klimat users. You will need the paid-for account if you want the extra information after 90 workouts. On a related note, Scott also pointed out that most tools (but not all) only show air pressure at sea level and totally ignore your ride location…Klimat doesn’t.
Add Klimat to your Strava now. Even the free version is very nice to have.
More: klimat.app
Last Updated on 28 May 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin with any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafing stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable arches, perfect position. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Health, recovery and sleep
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet. Occasional use.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors. I use it.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used. Occasional use.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions. I use both.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home via Starling. I use it.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
Except it’s free only for 90 sessions
ty, amended above.