Road Cycling - how windy is windy enough....

how windy is windy enough.... that you would not tell someone to HTFU and just ride?

Are they riding with, against, or across the wind, and how gusty is it?

well, I'll admit I'm talking about me, not "they" :) I haven't been riding that long, so I want to make sure its alright... gusting 20-30.

Chances are it will be a little of everything- against & across based on where we're going. Leaving for a group ride around 6.

with a group it makes it much more bearable....I ride mostly solo and where I ride there is NO protection from the wind...I pretty much draw the line at 20mph

with a group it makes it much more bearable....I ride mostly solo and where I ride there is NO protection from the wind...I pretty much draw the line at 20mph

From past threads on the subject that seems to be the general consensus.

hmmm ok. well since tuesday may be rainy, i just might head over there... if i'm not the only nut showing up to hit the pavement I'll go!

If the wind knocks you over while riding, you may go home.

HTFU It's a bit breezy, but it isn't that bad.

I will be out for a solo ride in it pretty quick. Wind is just there to make you a stronger rider.

If the wind knocks you over while riding, you may go home.
good words of wisdom. thx.

Ohh and I mean HTFU in a nice way. :)

Ride in any wind. Just go slower, no need to kill yourself. Windy here today Wind: ESE 37 gust 52 km/h

Ohh and I mean HTFU in a nice way. :)
No worries... I realize HTFU is probably the best answer to most of my questions BEFORE I ask. I appreciate the second opinion :)

Yeah its pretty breezy in mn right now, I'm trying to decide whether to go out or not, its definitley over 20mph. So I'm almost leaning towards riding the trainer. Well see though.

just ride and deal with the wind.
if you and your bike begin cartwheeling uncontrollably across the asphalt, it means you've likely wandered into a hurricane and should seek emergency shelter.

well, I'll admit I'm talking about me, not "they" :) I haven't been riding that long, so I want to make sure its alright... gusting 20-30.

Chances are it will be a little of everything- against & across based on where we're going. Leaving for a group ride around 6.
Very breezy, but still in HTFU territory. You probably don't want to attempt a century in that.

And change out the Zipp 808s for Open Pros.

If its a constant tail wind, what the heck. A head wind. I like it under 30 mph. But, the worst are those erratic super fast blasts, they can even take a cyclist down.

I think 40km/h constant or 50km/h gusts is my limit.

Anytime the wind speed (in mph) exceeds the temp (in F).

Heh. I just checked the NOAA data for this morning. 21mph sustained with 28mph gusts. I should have called in windy.

Anytime the wind speed (in mph) exceeds the temp (in F).

Nice one, I like that system. :)

If its a constant tail wind, what the heck. A head wind. I like it under 30 mph. But, the worst are those erratic super fast blasts, they can even take a cyclist down.


Yeah, I thought these were pretty mythical, like "giant rogue sea waves" until I got hit with what felt like a cyclone. Seemed like 100 mph! Blew my glasses off, danm near wrecked the bike, scared the bejesus out of me cause it was so sudden.

When the wind is up, keep an eye out.

Nice one, I like that system. :)
That would be a little scary in Southern California!

That would be a little scary in Southern California!

As with most things weather related, you needn't worry about it ever.

30mph, did it during a race. Maybe more even, soooo much fun.

I rode in winds of 22-28 MPH on the Front Range of CO today. It was obnoxious. The thing about mountain winds is that they change direction constantly and any gust can be twice the sustained winds. It is going to snow tomorrow though, so had to ride today..

I was riding into a 22mph headwind. It was terrible. I turned around and I must admit a 22mph tailwind is just lovely.

Update! So glad I didn't miss the ride tonight and wussy out. Biggest group I've seen meet up yet- avg 18mph for 25 miles, wind was gusting but not constant. Not bad! The second leg was unfortunately into the wind, though.

Where was the ride out of?

really nice ride...out of mendota heights, down through ft snelling, to minnehaha falls, and came back via river road.

how windy is windy enough.... that you would not tell someone to HTFU and just ride?

BF needs some new sayings around here... this is getting old

http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect14/tornado.jpg

I won't ride if I see the above outside, but generally speaking, I don't mind riding in the wind.

http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect14/tornado.jpg

I won't ride if I see the above outside, but generally speaking, I don't mind riding in the wind.
you're in chicago... I don't imagine you'd be doing much riding if you were avoiding it. :)

BF needs some new sayings around here... this is getting old
agreed, I get a little burnt getting it as the answer to most of my questions- so I figure if its in the OP I might not have to hear it?

Sometimes it is very much a statement of necessity, though.

I have quite often ridden in 20 to 27 mph winds....
with the wind at your back you can ride close to 25mph without working..
but as a headwind, making 15mph is like climbing an 8% incline..
crosswinds with gusts and you better hold on tight...
and if passing lots of buildings you could get knocked down each time you pass an opening when there is a crosswind..

I have been out in 30+ mph and it was a war.. but a hell of lot safer than being out in the ocean.

I once rode during a wind storm that was strong enough to close down one of two bridges linking Vancouver and North Vancouver. That storm also took down a lot of trees.

Fun, yes. Would I do it again? No.

I live in North Texas, where it's always windy. Not just breezy, I'm talking about "the super-large car-dealer flags are standing straight out windy." Or, "delays at DFW because it's too windy to land the planes," windy.

I have seen 45mph on my speedometer with a tailwind, on flat ground. I have been blown across an entire lane due to crosswind gusts. I have struggled to maintain 6 mph on level ground.

Basically I don't even look at wind speed as a factor when deciding _whether_ to ride. Sure, I'll decide _Where_ to ride based on if I want head / cross / tail wind on the way out or back. Sometimes on a recovery day I'll stay in the shelter of trees to keep the hassle to a minimum.

.

Yesterday = 98F, 20mph sustained with +30mph gusts. I did not ride. I deal with 10-15mph sea breeze almost every day but I don't mind taking a day off when things reach this level. But then again I can ride 365 days a year.

I call for the local METAR and if the wind is 10G20 or better, I switch from my 50mm rims to my 38mm rims :D

Any time the rider feels unsafe.. if the wind is strong enough to blow you into traffic, it is definitely unsafe. If the wind is pushing you to the right or left at all, think about what would happen if there were a car right behind you when it happened.

Don't let the wind make you ride squirrely - this reinforces driver's illusion that bikes aren't stable or predictable vehicles.

Sustained winds of 20+ mph aren't too much fun if the wind direction will be your head wind.

Sunday is was gusting to 40mph here. That's about the edge of reasonable IMHO. Beyond that you're starting to have tree limbs falling from the sky.

Unless it has a name like Andrew or Katrina get out there and ride.

I'm in the southernmost tip of Texas (Brownsville), and 20-25 mph winds with gusts about 10 mph above sustained winds. I do most of my riding in the morning before work on a bicycle trail secluded form the roads (good thing). This trail is north/south, with the return being heading south (bad thing as it means with a headwind). I have come to enjoy the headwind on the return as it makes finishing a little more satisfying to me. Also, this place is totally flat, so in my head I just figure it's a rough equivalent to being able to ride hills, though I don't know how it compares.

I agree with the posts of the deciding factor being not to ride when the wind makes it unsafe to do so by the way.

There were 30+ mph gusts this morning for me.

My ride goes 1/3 south then I make a u-turn back 1/3 north, and the last 1/3 is headed northeast.

Going out I was doing 10mph (60lbs+ single speed commuter and gear) and after I made the turn I was spinning out my gear.

I just kept thinking I guess what doesnt kill me will only make me stronger.

with a group it makes it much more bearable....I ride mostly solo and where I ride there is NO protection from the wind...I pretty much draw the line at 20mph

20mph? Jeez, I'd never leave the house. 40 bites, though.

If you suddenly see a cow fly past you in the air, its too windy to be riding.

As long its a head wind on the way out, I am ok with it.

HTFU....and...


And change out the Zipp 808s for Open Pros.

you're in chicago... I don't imagine you'd be doing much riding if you were avoiding it. :)

+1 - goes with the territory so to speak.

The only time its too windy is if there's a Tornado, Hurricane, or your using Mavic Kyrisium SL.