wind - how much is too much?

[iowarose]

I guess temperature would figure into this too. How high do the winds have to be to keep you inside?

For me safe bike handling is a factor - I ride on a lot of roads with heavy/fast traffic and narrow or no shoulders. When gusts go above 30-35mph, it's hard for me to hold a straight line. Wind chill isn't so much of a factor.

It's definitely worse here when the corn is cut - not much is left to break the force of the wind.

[HereNT]

If I ever find gusts that keep me in, I'll let you know.

What I hate is the canyon effect of the buildings downtown. You hit an intersection and you're 3 feet off to the side, leaning at a huge angle and trying not to fall...

It's fun!

[hi565]

id say tornado, tropical storm or hurricane, that sounds to be a little to much wind.

[landrover]

lol,

12/15 mph winds directly from the east or west with gusts twice as fast..They punish me up and down the path.
I don't exactly have the aerodynamic Lance Armstrong frame...i'm 6'3, 265 :rolleyes:

[jedi_rider]

Just had two days of santa ana winds in san diego. real torturous...but fun. one thing i do hate is descending with cross winds. gotta take it real slow in those sections. i'm going to wear earplugs next time just because the howling of the wind was starting to get on my nerves...

[gcasillo]

Winds have been whipping around the Midwest off and on for a month or so now. I've gone out into 20-25 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 30 mph. Into that, I was slower, but the crosswinds are the worst. 30 mph gusts and I'm concentrating on steering as much as I am HR, speed, and cadence. After the endorphin rush wears off when I get home, I'm knackered.

[Portis]

I don't let wind usually keep me inside. HOwever, if the wind is strong enough that you can't maintain the bike in traffic. You have to be an idiot to ride in it. I usually don't ride in a lot of traffic so it isn't such an issue for me.

[bostontrevor]

I'm still looking for the wind that keeps me from riding. I've cracked a trackstand with a 30mph crosswind and ridden in rain with similar winds and while it's a challenge, it's not impossible. The other night I was riding home and it was wicked hard to stick a line, but the weather said it was only a 15mph wind (and a headwind at that). I don't believe it though.

There were gusts up to 50mph one day this fall, but I missed out on the really nasty part. I was really looking forward to seeing what that's like.

Anyhow, I don't know. It's somewhere above 30, I guess.

[jerrryhazard]

I don't own a car, so I don't have a choice ;) I've ridden in up to 50mph gusts which was very difficult. This morning the gusts were up 25, but there was also an inch of crust on the ground. The crust offered additional resistance just in case the wind wasn't doing it's job. I'm not sure what windspeed would keep me inside, probably over 50...

[samg]

gotta say anything gusting to 35+. But then again I work with a giant pack on my back which acts as a sail.

[iridebikes]

Wind of any magnitude is too much, unless it is at your backside. Then it is your friend.

[jedi_rider]

All I gotta say is...watch out for tumbleweeds and falling branches.

[cyccommute]

id say tornado, tropical storm or hurricane, that sounds to be a little to much wind.

Try a wonderful warm Colorado Front Range day. Today: winds from the west at 30 to 45 with gust to 65mph. Great stuff if you want to go to Kansas.

Most people (my self included and I fly kites) are very bad at judging wind speed. A 30 mph head or side wind is much tougher to ride than you might expect. Gust of 65 to 95 will stop you dead in your tracks. Gust over 95 push you backwards. We also have a flying gravel scale in Colorado because we use sand for traction on the roads.

5-10 Dust and small rocks. Gives your face a nice healthy glow. No need to exfoliate.
10-15 pea gravel. Healthier glow, some bruising. Still no need to exfoliate
15-20 pea gravel and small stones. Facial bruising, small skin graftes. Glasses pitted giving world a dreamy stary appearance.
20-30 small stones (pea gravel in Kansas by now) and larger rocks. Bone reconstruction ("Have you seen my latest new jaw? It's a Titan 3000, kevlar and titanium. They don't have the Titan 3500's out yet. Maybe next week!")
30-50 large rocks, small dogs. The dopler effect from a small poodle flying past can be quite lovely.
50-70 Boulders, large dogs. No dopler effect from large dogs. Frequency too low.
70-120 Boulder (the town).

Stuart Black