Depressing stretches of road when cycling in the wind

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Plax

Guru
Location
Wales
Does anyone have a stretch of road they hate cycling on when it is windy? I want to go to Tesco, cycling to buy supplies for making spag bol tomorrow (with lashings of red wine).

However it's very breezy here, and there is one stretch of road which is ace on the way to Tesco as it is pretty much downhill and you can get up to some cracking speeds. However on the way home it's on approx the last three miles, and is so depressing as the wind is *always* against you and is going up. I've had many a depressing ride home on that stretch, totally knackered, soaking wet and wind swept and that bit taking absolutely forever. Pedalling like crazy and with great effort only going about 8-11mph. It has got quite psychological now.

That is the reason I'm reluctant to cycle to Tesco this evening. Thing is, I so can't be bothered to drive there.

I officially would like to declare that I HATE THE WIND.
 

twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
Yep - wherever I have lived I've always found a bit of road like that. Thing is to be aware and relax, change down and get on with it. It will pass and you'll be on the nice section before you know it. :biggrin:
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I think I may have cycled along that road (possibly trailing miserably in your wake).
I would like to nominate the road heading out of Llanfairpwllthingummyllantysilliogogogoch towards the garden centre. It is uphill, always seems to have a headwind and and hammers home to me that I don't cycle well in Wales.
I could also nominate the A10 from Cambridge to Kings Lynn. The last time I went along it, I had a good tailwind and went like the clappers. The trip back would have been awful, had I not had the good sense to get the train...:biggrin:
 
Yep! Always have stretches of road like that. I hate the ones that seem to be rolling but are actually going up, slowly.

Today's wind was rubbish, no matter which direction I went, I didn't seem to get any help from it.
 

soulful dog

Veteran
Location
Glasgow
Plax said:
Does anyone have a stretch of road they hate cycling on when it is windy?
I regularly cycle along Edinburgh Road in Glasgow out towards Coatbridge. It's a lovely 3 lane dual carriageway, straight, fairly flat and not too busy, but it's also very open and it feels like my own personal wind tunnel..... I cycle along thinking, at least it won't be so bad on the way back, then I discover the wind was really blowing in the opposite direction all along and it's worse on the way home (but I am a wimp when it comes to the wind, I just avoid hills altogether if they involve a headwind!).

I officially would like to declare that I HATE THE WIND.
Me too, and I can quite often be heard telling it in no uncertain terms how much I dislike it :biggrin:
 
OP
OP
Plax

Plax

Guru
Location
Wales
TheDoctor said:
I think I may have cycled along that road (possibly trailing miserably in your wake).
I would like to nominate the road heading out of Llanfairpwllthingummyllantysilliogogogoch towards the garden centre. It is uphill, always seems to have a headwind and and hammers home to me that I don't cycle well in Wales.
I could also nominate the A10 from Cambridge to Kings Lynn. The last time I went along it, I had a good tailwind and went like the clappers. The trip back would have been awful, had I not had the good sense to get the train...:biggrin:

Yes, you have cycled along it. If I recall correctly I let you stop in the layby to have a drink :tongue:.

The LlanfairPG road, is that the straight road running alongside the A55? That's the old A5 and yes, I agree it can get chuffin windy along there. Anyway why you moaning, we always stop at the garden centre for cake and you get to carry my coal scuttle!
 

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
It is what the granny ring is for, look on the bright side and think of it as resistance training to improve your hill climbing... :biggrin:
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Plax said:
Yes, you have cycled along it. If I recall correctly I let you stop in the layby to have a drink quick go in an oxygen tent. :biggrin:.

The LlanfairPG road, is that the straight road running alongside the A55? That's the old A5 and yes, I agree it can get chuffin windy along there. Anyway why you moaning, we always stop at the garden centre for cake and you get to carry my coal scuttle!

We so should have got a photo of that. A coal scuttle bungeed onto a Brommie is the height of ridiculousness.
 

Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
TheDoctor said:
I could also nominate the A10 from Cambridge to Kings Lynn. The last time I went along it, I had a good tailwind and went like the clappers. The trip back would have been awful, had I not had the good sense to get the train...:biggrin:

That's a coincidence as I'm doing that route (ish) tomorrow. Though planning to get the train from Ely to K. Lynn as some awful N- NE winds forecast. (I'm then cycling on to a village called North Creake near Wells)

You're brave doing the A10 - I wouldn't go near it. There are some nice quiet alternatives such as via Little Ouse you may know about.

As for dreadful roads for headwinds- I'd nominate Little Fen Drove between Burwell and Wicken Fen, Cambs. Only a short couple of miles but it seems a lot longer as it's a very dull strecth ofstraight Fen road and the wind is always against you. I did get stopped by the Filth last time I cycled along there late one Friday night but that's another story!
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
It wasn't bravery so much as stupidity. I was originally going to Cambridge and got a bit carried away. By the time I got to Ely (now there's a potential song title!!) I'd decided to do a century and go to Hunstanton, and all I knew about that was you go to Kings Lynn and then keep the water on your left...
 
OP
OP
Plax

Plax

Guru
Location
Wales
Well, when my next door neighbour decided to start up another disco I took the opportunity to actually cycle to Tesco. The wind was still quite strong so even going there was fairly slow. However it had dropped somewhat on the way home so it was actually a lot more pleasant than I expected. Opted for a Australian cabernet merlot. Lets hope it's yummy and Mr Plax doesn't want any. I've got his favourite cheesy garlic bread slices to go with the spag bol so hopefully that will distract him.
 

Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
The B5085 Mobberley to Knutsford only a couple of miles and not hilly. Don't know why it just saps me on a windy day. Quite often find someone drafting you as well :wacko: Never seem to want to overtake and let you draft for a bit in return.
 

Norm

Guest
I was sure that I had a puncture in my rear tyre this evening, I was struggling like heck, putting in all the effort for very little reward in terms of MPH. I checked a dozen times and the tyre seemed fully inflated every time.

I'm sure everyone else who is not me knows what's coming but I got to the turning point and, of course, immediately started to go loads faster. I guess a 15mph head wind will have that effect.
 
Top Bottom