First post winter commute: Surrendered to Wind.
03-06-12, 01:43 PM
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First post winter commute: Surrendered to Wind.
Today it was just a hair over 70 today in St. Louis, so I decided to bike to school for the first time since the Fall. It is a 10 mile ride with plenty of hills, but I have no trouble on most occasions. Today I noticed there was some wind and gusting, but didn't think anything of it till I started riding, and it was just horrid. I was going into the wind and in my lowest gear really working if I wasn't going downhill.
At what was probably about 3 miles into it I gave up and hitched a ride on the bus. I'm on campus now sitting around before class, and I suppose it was windier than I thought. It says that is is 22MPH with gusts to 37, and that it is supposed to increase to 25 to 35 with gusts over 40MPH.
On the bright side that will be tailwind on the way home, and i will have 2 miles of trail to test it on before I hit open road and see how I feel about those gusts. Any thoughts?
At what was probably about 3 miles into it I gave up and hitched a ride on the bus. I'm on campus now sitting around before class, and I suppose it was windier than I thought. It says that is is 22MPH with gusts to 37, and that it is supposed to increase to 25 to 35 with gusts over 40MPH.
On the bright side that will be tailwind on the way home, and i will have 2 miles of trail to test it on before I hit open road and see how I feel about those gusts. Any thoughts?
03-06-12, 02:36 PM
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Here are my thoughts:
- Biking is not always easy.
- Wind is part of the equation for riding outside.
- Not riding for the last 5 months made it feel 10x harder.
- Do it again tomorrow, and the next day and the next day and so on.
- Enjoy the tailwind in the way home!
- Biking is not always easy.
- Wind is part of the equation for riding outside.
- Not riding for the last 5 months made it feel 10x harder.
- Do it again tomorrow, and the next day and the next day and so on.
- Enjoy the tailwind in the way home!
03-06-12, 03:34 PM
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03-06-12, 03:59 PM
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The pain is almost enjoyable in a cruel and twisted way. I looked like a snail on the way to work today. I'm hoping the wind blows my way on the ride home.
03-06-12, 05:32 PM
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Chicagoan here; wind was brutal today. If it were not for the fact that I had commuted all winter, I don't think I could have made it through today. I noted on our local board that at some points, I bet someone could walk faster than me as I dig into a 30mph headwind.
03-06-12, 05:43 PM
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Headwinds substitute for mountains for training in flat places ..
Or people buy PedaElectric bikes to have a bit of help into the gale.
Or people buy PedaElectric bikes to have a bit of help into the gale.
03-06-12, 06:05 PM
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50 mph gusts today where I'm at. I didn't want to fight it, so, I didn't ride over to my mom's. The wind blew down three metal street lamp poles down the road from me. Never seen that happen before.
03-06-12, 09:26 PM
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I rode back home and it was much better. I have been on a trainer occasionally during the winter, as well as riding up and down the road doing intervals every so often, but I am not in top shape, so to speak (not that I have ever been a racer or anything).
I am pretty sure the only way I would've been going up hills in that weather was walking.
I am pretty sure the only way I would've been going up hills in that weather was walking.
