Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - How windy is too windy?

I volunteer at a non-profit on Tuesday nights. The winds right now are 30+mph, with gusts over 45. While I won't have to ride into it (until on the way home) I will get some wicked cross winds. Is this too windy? Am I going to get to blown to the ground? Blown into cars? When is it too windy for you? I wish it was just work, then I could call in.

I wouldn't do it, especially with tall gearing on a FG. On my geared road bike, I've been able to handle head winds up to 40 mph, but side winds like that can literally knock the bike out from under you, and force you to lean the bike to the point that the pedals will strike the pavement. The track refuses to allow riding when winds exceed 30 mph.

3mph is my cut off, that or if there is a cloud in the sky.

15+ just frustrates me.

Its been 20ish mph around here, with 30-40 gusts.

Its super nice riding with the wind going super fast, but against the wind is awful.
I figured that its kinda like people who have big hills in their towns.
They get to zoom down and have fun, but the later have to trudge back up them.


Sometimes I get hit with a big side gust and it makes me lean a bit, but never anything super dangerous.

I figure that all that hard pedaling into the wind will just make my legs that much tougher.

50 is my cut off

I find it a lot easier going down on my drops while riding against the wind :)

Windy days I go to my road bike, but those winds yo have would scare me on any bike. A while ago there were a couple crazy windy days and I was almost knocked to the ground a few times.

80 is my cutoff.

in km/h

actually, on windy days, I'd rather not ride FG at all.

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3193/picture1gh.png

when i lived in west texas that was a common occurrence... it sucks but it's not impossible. at worst you just have to get off your bike and walk. i've never been blown off my bike, but i've been stopped dead in my tracks.

it really depends on your bike setup. if you have a lower gearing, drops, and clipless pedals you can make due alright, especially if you aren't on super busy streets.

i would not risk it...
i go to school in champaign, IL. Flatlands of america, the wind is horrible here.

The one day I did not ride my bike this year, or more like could not, was the day I was blown down by side wind.
Especially not a good idea if it is raining...

It hurts like a heck... more than clipping your pedal. haha sadly, I have experienced both.

I never had a problem riding in strong winds until I started riding fixed. The first crosswind that hit me made my aluminum frame and deep rims want to become a kite! I almost got blown over quite a few times. I might be different on a steel bike, I would imagine.

I never had a problem riding in strong winds until I started riding fixed. The first crosswind that hit me made my aluminum frame and deep rims want to become a kite! I almost got blown over quite a few times. I might be different on a steel bike, I would imagine.

hmm.. i usually dont feel like my bike is catching much wind compared to the profile of my body. and im not big by any means. but i still feel like im on the verge of being blown down.

How windy is too windy?...

When you've found yourself finally learning how to ride backwards on your fixed gear :p

Well, I made it and it actually wasn't that bad; I was definitely heading in the (more or less) right direction. I've headed into lesser winds with much more problem. Once I had to dismount and the next big gust that came along flung my bike out of my hand and into the air. It was crazy.

glad u made it in one piece.
how's ur bike?

While reading your post I was thinking, "Those are the same exact conditions, I'm dealing with." Of course, I am also in Albuquerque :-)

Last night I rode up the Paseo del Nordeste path starting at UNM hospital, then up the path to Louisiana/Menaul from about 6:00 - 6:30 or so. I returned at 10:15 - 10:45

This was on a fixed-gear with 71 gear-inches. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Some of the gusts were pretty nasty though.

I hate wind. Give me a tall hill over wind any day of the week. At least you know when a hill is going to end...

I usually don't ride if it's over 20mph

Anything over 10 kts and I'm not enjoying riding. I'm a wind wuss.

All of my front wheels are box section, too.

I ride my geared bike if it's going to be super windy. I went for a ride the other day in 20mph winds with gusts of 30+. I was on gravel roads with no traffic and I just pretended I was climbing for 6 miles.

http://harriscyclery.net/merchant/370/images/large/csx830.jpg