How safe do you feel cycling in strong winds...

[ColinJ]

I used to see cycling in a gale a challenge, now I see it as a pain.

All you have to show for cycling into the wind is a lot of sweat and a reduced average speed. At least cycling up a big hill or mountain gives you a sense of achievement and some good views!

 

[HLaB]

I think it depends how I feel when I get out there, some days I can cut through winds other days a lesser wind can cripple me, its the same with sidewinds, some days they are no problem and other days they are. With all weather I like to get out there and then make my decision.

 

[Hip Priest]

Depends on the severity. Did 35 miles yesterday, and it was just the right side of acceptable. Got the best tailwind of my life on the return leg!

 

[endoman]

I'm getting better, on the tops today gaps in hedges were enough to get you blown half way over the road. Once I'd worked that out and anticipated it was ok.

 

[marafi]

Not that bad as when someone ask me. 'Have you cycled in strong wind?' Yes i was worried though considering my weight and bike i was okay thankfully. Still abit worried though for long distances but okay for now.

 

[Noodley]

Holding onto the hoods or on the drops is much easier to control than if you just have hands on the top of the bars.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Don't mind too much - I'd always try and head off into the wind and then get the tail wind for the way home.

 

[snorri]

I was side swiped into a ditch when on a tour. I thought with four laden panniers I would be OK, perhaps it was the increased wind resistance that did it.
It doesnt make any sense to attempt to defy nature at it's worst.

 

[mcshroom]

I bailed out of the ascent to the Cairnwell because the winds were that strong in parts that I was struggling to stand up never mind balance a touring bike and all its weight.

 

[Wades]

I never noticed wind being much of an issue on the old MTB but I have been caught out a few times on the Road bike.

Got knocked halfway across the A25 near Brockham a few weeks ago by a strong gust and may have said some rather naughty words. Certainly got the heart rate up anyway!

 

[HLaB]

A CC Ecosse ride last year went around Loch Leven and that was very windy indeed; Honestman understandably bailed. I'm a local and folk wouldn't listen when I advised it wasn't a good day to go up Cleish Hill; they were then blown in to the ditch

 

[Deleted member 1258]

62 challenging miles today
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.8938/page-306
My post is near the bottom of the page.

The ride out was fine, tail wind, the ride back was a challenge, slow into the wind and interesting when it was from the side. As a leisure ride on quiet roads it was fine, a test of my bike handling skills, but if I'd been commuting on busy roads I would not have been happy, country folk seem to be happy to hang back then come past wide and slow, I wouldn't have got that off city folk and the ride would have been more dangerous. I'm not too bothered by the wind, till you get to the stage where you can't walk in it, its the behavior of those around me that raises the level of concern.

 

[mattsr]

Having to commute and with a pitiful bus/train service, I have no choice. Wherever possible, if the sidewind is really strong, I tend to angle into it a bit, which to a certain extent counters the risk of being blown sideways. I've never yet been blown seriously off course. And att least on an open road the wind is fairly predictable- the dodgiest moment I've had was when I got into town and the wind was bouncing off the buildings, creating a very random series of gusts.

I do get bored of what can seem like endless headwinds at this time of year, but it's good for the leg muscles!!!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It's funny - I have 2 bikes and they both seem to behave differently in crosswinds. One bike's very twitchy and the other's pretty much ''point and go.'' Oddly, the bike that seems to deal with crosswind gusts better is the twitchy one. I remember an enormous gust on London Bridge that came from nowhere and before I'd had time to react the bike had simply moved to one side beneath me keeping me on exactly the same line as before. On my more sedate bike I can feel my front wheel wanting to turn in the direction of the wind. That's seems slightly counter-intuitive to me.

Of course, if you hit a gust whilst going slowly (say at the top of a long hill for many of you, or a short hill for me) I don't think the twitchiest of neurotic bikes or the serenest of cycles is going to go quite where you were intending.

I had a great tailwind this morning! So it does happen. I earned it, mind.

 

[mattobrien]

Normally I would try to avoid the wind, 13 miles with a headwind a few weeks back made me less keen on windy days. That said, when Mrs O said are you going out on your bike this morning, I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so out I went.

Oddly today, while it was windy and there were some fairly strong gusts, I didn't find it too bad. I did find that I leant into the cross wind a little, but all in all a good mornings cycling. I shall be less wary of the wind moving forwards.

Matt