Bit windy in London today

[jonny jeez]

If I were a braver man I'd actually would have titled this post "flippin windiest day I've ever experienced on a bike...OH MY GOD!"

But I feel sure I've managed to skip worse days by switching to the motorbike and many of you have had worse...

But for me, this morning...was just awful. A relentless headwind with side gusts every single inch of the ride.

felt like I was riding through treacle. The fastest I managed was 22 mph (down a really big hill whilst still pushing hard on the pedals!) but in general I didn't manage more than about 17 mph (15 if I'm honest).

I've never ridden in wind like it, it was the toughest ride I've ever had to work.

I am trying not to get my hopes up that the return ride will bring a tailwind...never seems to work that way for me.

I suspect the axis of the earth shall tilt and invite a good helping of rain to smash me in the face all the way home.

 

[ianrauk]

Yup, the A21 this morning was a mare.
I was indulging in a bit of SCR with another commuter that I see on a regular basis. I managed to take him at the lights and powered ahead but the headwind made the job of keeping ahead damn near impossible and I died... so let him go in front and I rode his coattails into Lewisham.

It was one of the slowest commutes to work for me this year.

 

[Andrew_P]

I go the opposite direction to you chaps, South in the morning WNW wind this morning so felt more like a cross wind, but when I turned left to go east wow I motored along for 4 miles, not looking forward to this afternoon though NNW

 

[Beebo]

My slowest commute of 2012, average speed of 13.1 mph. The wind was just relentless.
But my winter riding has helped with strength as I was overtaking loads of people who were going slower than me!!

 

[BSRU]

The winds are fairly light in Swindon, although coming from a north-easterly direction so quite cold and the headwind always in the wrong places. Still managed to scalp a road bike user this morning going up a hill into the wind, with me on the heavy hybrid so lots of points for me, plus not shaving for two weeks I get an extra point for the temporary hairy growth on my face .

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Hmm, maybe I'll postpone that trip to Hackney until tomorrow! Though looking at tomorrow's forecast the wind looks set to do a 180 degree turn just in time to give us south Londoners an all day headwind - http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/6296599

 

[Bigsharn]

It's certainly heavy up here... and I've got a 10 mile ride today (no choice)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Bad ass crosswind gusting at umpteem mph made holding a line tough at times. Quite difficult to hear the traffic too. (On a rural commute this can be a life saver)

Positively scared at one point on my commute...

Forecast says I'll be riding into the teeth of it on the way home.

 

[jonny jeez]

Quite difficult to hear the traffic too. (On a rural commute this can be a life saver)

Positively scared at one point on my commute...

I noticed the same myself, I lost the spatial awareness that I usually feel I have, both from the sound and the sheer effort of just getting your head down and grinding on.

Had a couple of surprise passes that I just didn't see coming.

 

[martint235]

I had such a bad headwind this morning it made Shooters Hill the easiest part of the ride as it was blocking the wind. I had to pedal down the London side though. Managed a 14.3mph average but I certainly knew about it in my legs particularly on the back of Saturday's ride back from Ramsgate.

The wind had better be blowing in the same direction tonight!!!

 

[Bman]

11.9Mph average in this morning! Terrible.

I'm also not holding my breath hoping for a tailwind home tonite. It will be nice if I do though.

The worst part is, as I am moving slower, I find motorists are much less patient waiting for space to overtake.

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

Out here in the flat lands of Norfolk - I had the wind behind me all the way in, it was fantastic...Hit around 35mph I would guess..

Unfortunately, because of the wind the cars where all moving very slow, and I was moving very very slowly at most times.

 

[martint235]

Well not much quicker (14.8) but it is uphill more on the way home. It was a lot easier than the way in though!

 

[jonny jeez]

Well not much quicker (14.8) but it is uphill more on the way home. It was a lot easier than the way in though!

Stop teasing me, I've resisted the urge to get my hopes up all day, that I'll ride a tailwind to my door on the way home.

 

[subaqua]

Stop teasing me, I've resisted the urge to get my hopes up all day, that I'll ride a tailwind to my door on the way home.

nope , it turned , about 2 minutes before i rode home. still better than braving pubic (sic) transport