myWindsock vs Tailwind KOMpass: which one do you need?
Both tools use the wind to help Strava riders go faster, but they start from opposite ends. myWindsock starts from a ride you have in mind: paste a segment, route or GPX file and it forecasts the wind along it, and it shows the weather behind your past efforts. Tailwind KOMpass starts from the map: it scores every segment around you by the tailwind along it, filters them to the records within your reach, and tells you which day to go.
So the short answer: use myWindsock to plan and analyse a ride you already chose, and Tailwind KOMpass to find the segment and the day in the first place. Many KOM hunters will want both. Tailwind KOMpass is not affiliated with myWindsock.
Open the mapTry it: the best tailwind near you
Type your town and see which popular segments get a tailwind in the next 3 days. No account needed.
Where they differ
- Discovery: myWindsock forecasts the wind for a segment or route you give it. Tailwind KOMpass scans all segments in an area at once and ranks them by effective tailwind, so you find segments you didn't know were in play.
- Is the KOM within reach? Tailwind KOMpass compares your own best time on each segment (from your Strava rides) with the current KOM or QOM and estimates, from your FTP and weight, the tailwind you would need to beat it. myWindsock predicts your time on a segment you select.
- Alerts: both can tell you when a segment you care about gets good conditions. myWindsock's "Monitor Segments" emails you up to 24 hours ahead. Tailwind KOMpass sends push notifications or email for your watchlist: current conditions on the free plan, up to 72 hours ahead on Pro, and visitors can set an email alert without an account.
- Analysis after the ride: myWindsock shows the weather behind past efforts and on segment leaderboards. Tailwind KOMpass focuses on before the ride: power analysis and a section-by-section pacing plan for the attempt.
- Routes: myWindsock forecasts wind along whole routes and GPX files for a planned ride. Tailwind KOMpass works per segment.
Side by side
What each tool is built for:
| Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
| myWindsock | Wind and weather forecast along a segment, route or GPX you already picked; weather behind past efforts and leaderboards; segment time prediction; email alerts on segments you monitor. |
| Tailwind KOMpass | Finding which segments near you suit the coming wind; KOM/QOM gap from your own rides; the tailwind you need to take the record; push or email alerts on a watchlist; pacing plan for the attempt. |
| Using both | Find the segment and the day with Tailwind KOMpass, then check the wind along your full route to and from it with myWindsock. |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Tailwind KOMpass a myWindsock alternative?
- For finding KOMs, yes: it covers the discovery part myWindsock doesn't, from scanning every segment around you for tailwind to showing which records your own times are close to. For planning a whole route or analysing the weather of past rides, myWindsock does things Tailwind KOMpass doesn't.
- Does myWindsock alert you for KOM conditions?
- Yes. myWindsock can monitor a segment you choose and email you up to 24 hours before favourable conditions. Tailwind KOMpass does the same for every segment on your watchlist, by push or email, and adds which segments are worth watching in the first place.
- Is Tailwind KOMpass free?
- Yes. The map, tailwind scoring, KOM Finder, KOM gap badges and current-wind alerts are free. A one-time Lifetime upgrade adds 72-hour forecast planning and alerts, unlimited power analysis and the tighter KOM Finder filters.
- Do I need a Strava account?
- To see your own gap to the KOM, yes. To browse the map, see the best tailwind near you or set an email alert on a segment, no.
Find the segments near you that the coming wind favours.
Open the map