cycling in high winds... which bike?

[fossyant]

You lot read too much of the Daily Express weather forecasts.

Light breeze and drizzle.

 

[Pale Rider]

bald tyre

Speaking of bald, wig wearers should take extra precautions tomorrow.

 

[Specialeyes]

Speaking of bald, wig wearers should take extra precautions tomorrow.

Maybe use a Specialized Toupée saddle

 

[vickster]

+55mph gusts forecast here (everytime I look they have increased that figure!) and my route will have it as a full on headwind on the way home (when it is predicted to be at its worst (last I saw was thunder & hail as possible for here as well as the high winds)). If I felt safe enough leaving my expedition bike at college I would take that - rock solid and totally steady... but I'm not leaving a £2,500 bike at college!
I only commute on the mtb when there is snow on the ground - my studded tyres are mtb tyres and I don't fancy that headwind on a mtb.
so road bike it will have to be...

Or a taxi...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Or a taxi...

I don't have a job and they are expensive. Living off the one wage means cutting corners (plus I spent every last penny earlier this week replacing my OH's knackered road bike). And taxi's around here don't like school times and trying to get anywhere around that time is not going to happen sadly - something my OH has tried repeatedly with and given up on - plus they can never find the house either!

 

[vickster]

Ah I read that you have a £2500 bike, plus road bike and MTB

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Ah I read that you have a £2500 bike, plus road bike and MTB

That was purchased before we left on our world tour over 3 years ago - expedition bikes with Rohloff hubs are not cheap, and we both had jobs then and savings and they were for cycling around the world. No point in selling them because we still tour and are hoping to be able to get back out - life is different now, a lot different... the road bike is essential for commuting (unpaid work as a carer for my parents plus college and general transport usually to and from hospital & dr's), the mtb was 2nd hand and a birthday present 2 years ago - so cheap. my bikes are my transport... my OH has the car. Ends meet, but not by much given we have had to pay for most of my medical treatment - the NHS refused me physio for my injuries from the dog bites...

 

[vickster]

Can you get a lift from the OH or a college colleague? Wet and cold aside, there must be safety issues with cycling in those sorts of winds on roads, especially if shared with high sided vehicles

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Can you get a lift from the OH or a college colleague? Wet and cold aside, there must be safety issues with cycling in those sorts of winds on roads, especially if shared with high sided vehicles

sadly no on either front. It should be OK, I am on mostly NSL country lanes (won't go near the NSL D/C that is a shorter route) and the local traffic all know me (). Problems only start with fallen trees/flooding and the odd mudslide under a certain railway bridge. Police are usually quite good at letting me through if I promise to walk certain sections/climb over trees etc... done it many times before...

 

[paul04]

Whichever bike you choose though, be careful around gates/side roads where you can get a sudden side gust, keep the speed down and my favourite, watch out for trucks/buses overtaking on your windward side, as suddenly they shield you from the wind and you tend to swerve towards them.

I remember early this year nearly getting blown off the bike, going down a main road, and just passing a side street and the gust of wind almost had me off the bike.
also with a headwind I was going at 4mph at one point.

 

[confusedcyclist]

General consensus not to ride then? Rain I can cope with, being blown off the saddle? Nah!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

If it doesn't rain I'll just ride as normal, if it's raining when its time to go to work I'll drive.

 

[Sharky]

It's the season for record breaking. I wonder how many strava addicts will be out on their tt bikes looking to break all the section records in one direction?

I heard a rumour that one rider in our patch was planning something!

 

[DooDah]

It's the season for record breaking. I wonder how many strava addicts will be out on their tt bikes looking to break all the section records in one direction?

I heard a rumour that one rider in our patch was planning something!

Yeah, put a sail on your back, cycle downwind and see what happens

 

[4F]

Fixed gear, so usual then