Road Cycling - Straw Poll: Wind 24 mph, gusting to 37. Ride?

Thunderstorms in the forecast, but I never ever get time to ride during the week so this will be like a stolen ride! I'm thinking the wind will only make me stronger ... yeah, I'm sure I'll be thinking that in a few hours. To ride or not to ride, that is the question!

Ride! Remember last week when we had gusts around 40-45 in Chicago? I rode because it was the only day I could and I wasn't going to wimp out to the wind. My MPH was pathetic but I felt better for doing it. :)

Ride! Remember last week when we had gusts around 40-45 in Chicago? I rode because it was the only day I could and I wasn't going to wimp out to the wind. My MPH was pathetic but I felt better for doing it. :)

I'm thinking the same. I know if I don't I'll feel like a wimp! At least it isn't cold!

RIDE!

I ride in wind like that quite often. Normally a head wind on my commute home. Just gear down and spin through it.

It would be tough on a fixed gear bike.

Like you even have to ask.

I'm thinking the same. I know if I don't I'll feel like a wimp! At least it isn't cold!

I hit the trainer this morning and skipped the commute. Now I'm feeling stupid for not riding the bike to work, but now I'm thinking of getting an hour in at 5 PM tonight. RIDE!!!! The rest of the weekend looks just as bad.

I am going to go for my ride at 5 AM tomorrow morning. The wife and kids aren't going to allow me the time, otherwise. I feel your pain when it comes to trying to squeeze a ride in!!!

MacMan where are you at in Chicago? I know you did the Joliet Ride last week. Are you in the South Suberbs. I'm in the Lockport area myself.

Ride. And set your expectations accordingly.

55/Rad

I'm suited up and I'm outta here! Wind with on the way out (heading west from Naperville). Right against coming back. And yeah, I guess asking here was like asking the Pope what religion he is ... :D

Oh man! You folks that get to ride during the week don't know how good you have it. That felt sooooo good - a truely stolen moment. The wind was nasty on the way back. In fact I passed two police road-blocks for cars in the ditch! 36 miles in all in 2 hours flat, which shows how nice the wind was on the way out! If I could do that, just once during the week I swear I'd be a happy guy. But then I'd probably want to do it twice, or maybe three times ...

MacMan where are you at in Chicago? I know you did the Joliet Ride last week. Are you in the South Suberbs. I'm in the Lockport area myself.

I'm in Naperville. The Joliet Club did an excellent job on that ride. First time I've done it, but I'll be back for more next year!

Oh man! You folks that get to ride during the week don't know how good you have it. That felt sooooo good - a truely stolen moment.

OK, go ahead and rub it in. I'm sitting here at work (Downers Grove), 15 minutes from quitting time, wishing I were out there riding. My family had best let me out for a ride when I get home!!!

OK, go ahead and rub it in. I'm sitting here at work (Downers Grove), 15 minutes from quitting time, wishing I were out there riding. My family had best let me out for a ride when I get home!!!

LOL! Well, I work up in Lincolshire and have a 100-mile round-trip drive each day so today really was like a Christmas present! But yes, your family should let you out. Tell them a strange bloke with a silly accent said it was ok!

I'm in Naperville.

small world ... moved there in the early 70s...town was 20,000 people .... there was no riverwalk ... the southern limit of "civilization" was 75th st and the danada farms were not developed yet

you could ride forever .... my favorite ride was to ride out to catigny ... play on the tanks and go to the museum...then ride home....

you could never let a kid do that today :(



left there in 83 .... visited a few years back...its really crowded there!!!!!

Fortunately I live in southern AZ and get to ride only 13 months out of the year!
I avoid strong/gusty windy days as on a very windy spring day about 8 years ago, as I crested a hill, a strong gust of wind coming from between a saddle in the mountains to my left blew me across the road; lost control, hit dirt, rolled, missed a 50 ft dropoff. Got knocked out, came to with a guy with a cellphone calling for an ambulance.
I'm in my 70s now and still get in 125-150 miles a week . . . but I do skip those very windy days. I go for a hike instead.

That happened to me today.The weather forecast is strong winds,gusty etc. so i wasn't going to bother,
but at about 11am i changed my mind and went out.Struggled against the wind for about 10km then i was starting to enjoy having the wind behind me, then i got a flat at about 20km. I knew i should have stayed home. And it's always the rear wheel!

Did rides in very gusty gales twice this week, into the wind builds muscle (thats what I keep telling myself) and on the drops you fly past mtb or hybrids :) ( not that many come out in strong wind ). Downwind what a blast only problem trying to pullup at intersections!
Worst issue trying to keep bike upright in the side gusts.
Do it!! any rides better than none.

Thunderstorms in the forecast, but I never ever get time to ride during the week so this will be like a stolen ride! I'm thinking the wind will only make me stronger ... yeah, I'm sure I'll be thinking that in a few hours. To ride or not to ride, that is the question!

Ride. Yesterday, I faced a similar situation. Gusts up to 30 some miles per hour, hail, thunderstorms coming. But, I looked at the radar on one of the weather sites and it looked like I had an hour to 90 minute window. So I set off, and rode into the teeth of a 25mph wind. It was great coming back, however, and I beat the rain by about 5 minutes. Waited it out, and went out again.

LOL! Well, I work up in Lincolshire and have a 100-mile round-trip drive each day so today really was like a Christmas present! But yes, your family should let you out. Tell them a strange bloke with a silly accent said it was ok!

Alas, responsibility and planning reared their ugly heads when I got home. I rode 10 miles and then mowed the lawn. Then my wife said she needed me back on Saturday morning by 8 AM (Saturday morning is always my day to ride). I got up at 4:30 this morning (Saturday) and put 48.5 in -- and made it back with 5 minutes to spare. I jumped in the shower, dressed (good idea, huh?), and took my son to his tee ball game. I forgot to take water and food with me. Man, did I get a headache for that! After the game I wanted to sleep for a half hour or so but got wrangled into Playstation with my son for two hours. It was 2:00 before I got a chance to rest!

I know -- whine, whine, whine. I still got to ride!

you could ride forever .... my favorite ride was to ride out to catigny ... play on the tanks and go to the museum...then ride home....


I live a mile west of Cantigny -- my kids love the tanks but are terrified of the museum. It's still a beautiful place and the area is still great for road bikes, plus the Prairie Path connects in several places close to the area. My neighborhood is the "gateway" to Fermilab and I love seeing all the cyclists riding through the neighborhood. There are a number of great ride choices right out my front door. It's crowded compared to what is was 16 years ago when I moved to Chicagoland but it's still not too bad out here in the "far" west burbs.

Well, I realise every different location has it's faults but if you live in Kansas and you try to wait for a calm day you don't ever ride. We just consider the wind our mountains! When I have a choice I head into the wind on the leg out and that way you get a tailwind home. It does help make you strong, especially on a fixed gear, personally I love the burn.

Just go out and ride you wimp !!...Seriously with England being part of an island i nearly always encounter wind of some strength or other..on my recovery days i take it easy spinning my 39 ring...on windy training rides i prefer to ride into the wind in a bigger gear to build strength..i try to use the wind to my advantage instead of getting depressed about it.

Natures own wind trainer and it is free!! Just watch out for cross winds coming out of sheltered corners!! I almost got blowen over when one got me a few weeks ago!!