How much wind is too much wind?

[Bianchi boy]

Every day is a windy day on the northwales coast, the only consolation is the more you can tolerate going into it the more fun it is with the tail wind, It used to bother me anything over 20 mph but you do get used to it, Must admit that rain is my pet hate

 

[Globalti]

When it's blowing from the SW we ride from Settle to Kirkby Stephen, blown all the way apart from a short westerly section, then get the train back. Wind-assisted cycling is great!

We have another route around the Wyre peninsula using the foot ferry from Fleetwood to Knott End, which we do clockwise or anti depending on wind direction and get blown gloriously along the promenade for miles. It's exhilarating.

 

[s7ephanie]

i just eat more beans to give me a good tail wind

 

[HLaB]

I'm not sure I've got a limit if I'm in the mood been out in 55mph before and 80mph gusts but I will consider the terrain before I head out.

 

[Doobiesis]

I went out yesterday with winds of 18mph and it was a bit too windy in some openings from the hedges. Caught me a few times and had to steady myself. But other than that although my avg speed dropped by 1mph I would go out again at 18-20pmh. Anything over that is not go out. I'm clumsy enough tbh!

 

[Stephen C]

It depends on the direction, a pure headwind I can take quite a bit, things just take a bit longer! Side-winds, especially gusty side-winds are much more dangerous (for me), I've nearly ended up being blown into either the verge or passing cars with sudden gust, not fun.

 

[Torvi]

When it's blowing from the SW we ride from Settle to Kirkby Stephen, blown all the way apart from a short westerly section, then get the train back. Wind-assisted cycling is great!

We have another route around the Wyre peninsula using the foot ferry from Fleetwood to Knott End, which we do clockwise or anti depending on wind direction and get blown gloriously along the promenade for miles. It's exhilarating.

i preffer geting wet than blown out :P

 

[Globalti]

*cough* I've heard there are areas of the lower, hidden prom in Blackpool where you can get, er, blown....

 

[Torvi]

i knew that comment will suddenly be taken as dirty one :P arent we all pervs?

 

[byegad]

In my upright bike commuting days I worked to 20mph as the upper safe limit. Not wanting to be blown under a truck was the deciding factor. My Recumbent bike was OK to about 25mph, and on the trikes I'll venture out if the steady wind speed is below 30mph. Beyond that the danger of getting vehicles unable to hold a straight line in gusts and the chance of getting hit by bits of the scenery blown by the gusts keeps me in.

 

[fossyant]

Depends how many tins of beans I've had.

 

[Twinks]

Did the Great Yorkshire ride in very strong winds, sure they said 35 -45 mph with gusts. Mostly it was a tail wind but going up the coast road into Filey it was coming sideways from the west and it was throwing me into the traffic - very scary. I did read afterwards that a couple of guys had actually been blown off their bikes into the road. Felt very sorry for those who had decided to ride back!

 

[cyberknight]

If you can shut a door at 10 paces you've had to many beans .

 

[CopperCyclist]

If I fall off the bike I decide I shouldn't have gone out. Hasn't happened yet!

 

[ianbarton]

As a rough rule of thumb gusts of 55mph are enough to blow you off your feet. Personally I'll go out unless I think there is a significant danger of me being blown off my bike, or if it's a side wind, across the road into traffic. It's often difficult to judge how the wind will affect your ride. Most of my rides are along country lanes with hedges. Unless the wind is blowing straight down the road, you can spend much of the ride in relative shelter. The prevailing wind is usually from the west where I live. If it's windy I usually ride the outgoing leg into the wind, then coming home seems easy.