cycling in the wind... what speed makes you think 'nah'?

[Bollo]

My new bike came with some deep-section cosmic carbones, which are quite scary in a 15mph+ cross-wind. They look great, but they're the only bit of the bike I'd swap out if I had the Benjamins.

The worst experience I've ever had with wind was last year riding back from stage 1 of he TdF with my main ride crony. We'd made it a day trip with overnight ferries out and back, so we were on a tight schedule. 200km for the day, but flat as a kipper's. How hard could it be for two men with thighs hewn of English oak? The answer is ****ing hard when the temperature in 30+C in the shade and hitting 40C out in the sun. We were doing ok until the last 40km, when a strong headwind kicked up, the same wind that chopped up the field on stage 2 and arguably decided the tour. We couldn't stop or we'd miss the ferry, so it was a non-stop 2-up time trial to the finish. We just made it, pretty much jumping the car ramp. I made it to the foot of the stair well on the car deck, when my legs just gave out with fatigue and cramp. I stayed there for about 10 minutes sobbing, and it took me another 20 minutes to make it to the accommodation deck. And about 10 metres climbing all day.

 

[Fubar]

We had around 40mph winds on Islay on the CC Ecosse tour a couple of years ago - the art of cycling whilst leaning into the wind was... "interesting". We cycled round to Bowmore and I think it took us 2 hours to do about 8 miles! Wasn't cold though, just windy (except for the hail storm that had us diving into a bus shelter!)

 

[MarkF]

Not bothered, I have to get to work so I don't think about the wind, but it's only 5 miles. For leisure/training I cycle a 45 mile round trip along the Aire Valley to Skipton, it can get very windy outbound but going home is a breeze.

It's rain that stops me cycling not wind.

 

[Tin Pot]

If the BBC is doing its "weather warning" type stuff, I'll think twice.

Even if a gust only momentarily pushes you a couple of feet right, that peanut hanging off your wheel in the Merc will gladly put you in an early grave.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

5mph

My speed with a tail wind

 

[Cubist]

When I commuted by bike I had a prevailing tailwind on the downhill way in. I was capable of some preposterous speeds, but the six mile gradual uphill route home in a headwind was capable of sapping morale on occasions.....

Cubester and I once set off for a MTB ride with a mate. It was a bit blustery and the Goat Track we wanted to ride was a narrow ribbon of single track with a steep clough below it. We knew of riders who had come to grief there on many occasions in good weather, so we decided to turn tail and ride on some local bridleways instead. The wind continued to strengthen from "a bit blustery" to "let's get back to the car before one of us gets hurt" and one point we all turned onto a very welcome downhill bit. We had to stand on the pedals to make any headway at all.

 

[Mark1978]

I need wind for hill training simulation. Pesky fenland.

 

[Fnaar]

This race in Spain was stopped coz of high wind... skip to 3:40 mins or so into the vid (if you understand Spanish, the commentator talks a little about the wind beforehand)

 

[fatblokish]

Never been troubled by wind...

 

[Paulus]

Never been troubled by wind...

You must eat a very good diet

 

[palinurus]

This race in Spain was stopped coz of high wind... skip 2 mins or so into the vid:

My ride home was a bit like that today!

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

This race in Spain was stopped coz of high wind... skip 2 mins or so into the vid:

Assuming nobody was badly hurt, that was actually quite funny.

 

[iandg]

My limit is gusts around 45-50 mph. That's when I start to get blown across the road in crosswinds and feel unsafe.

 

[Fnaar]

My ride home was a bit like that today!

My limit is gusts around 45-50 mph. That's when I start to get blown across the road in crosswinds and feel unsafe.

Had a ride yesterday which was outside my usual... I knew it was going to be windy, but ventured up into the hills anyway... had to come down lower, as it was real 'leaning sideways' stuff, with rather dangerous gusts

 

[Paulus]

Didn't cycle today, but coming home on the motorbike was a bit hairy at times.