MickeyMaguire

Grrrrr. Another day without riding. It seems that I have had little free time lately (Oh, yeah, I am making good money... but), and when there is time, the elements conspire against me.

1loosemoose

Yeah I know its windy here too. I only went 9.6 miles in this wind but I am glad I got out. I'm pretty new and 11.2 miles is my farthest ride so far so today's ride was better than nothing.

Dudelsack 

I got blown three feet over by a gust of wind. No fun at all.

JohnJ80

I just have some rides that I've identified for the really windy days depending on the wind direction. Normally, I just ride out of my driveway (blessed with living in a beautiful areas with fantastic roads for biking) but if it's bad then I pick on of my sheltered routes. It's sort of worked out that I have enough of them to pretty well deal with a big blow from any direction. So when that happens, I just put the bike on the car and drive there and ride.

J.

NOS88

Come on HTFU; isn't that what the drops are for. Hunker down and keep those legs moving. I hope you know I'm kidding. My 25 miles today felt like 50 because of the wind. I'm beat, and have a grin on my face and contentment in my heart. About two years ago I made the decision to at least get the ride started even in bad weather. If it's really more than I can handle, I can always head home. Most days, however, I find that it's not as bad as I thought I would be. Other days, I curse under my breath until I get back home. 30 mph winds is a challenge.

Wileyrat

It's been a pretty windy spring here, and what makes it really frustrating to me is I know I'm getting close to it being too hot to ride after work.

The last couple of weeks have been particularly bad, lots of blowing dust and some air quality warnings.

qcpmsame 

We've had so few days with little or no wind I've almost forgotten how it feels to ride each compass direction without some wind resistance. The number of days with 20mph and higher has been the rule rather than the exception. I took to just saying its just additional challenge and workout and ride no matter. I keep thinking I will just bag off a ride when its blowing on the way home from work and I put on my kit and its out the door. I'm tired of rationalizing away things, it works for me to just go ahead and ride.

Bill

tsl

I actually made that same decision a couple of years back. Never regretted it. A windy spring knocks the winter out of my legs PDQ, and gets me ready for a faster summer.

It was only since I started doing this that I've become able to hang with the fast group on club rides. Those guys are all retired and can spend all day every day on the bike. I don't get the same saddle time they do, so windy days have become my secret weapon.

Earlier this week, Thursday I had the panniers on the bike and we had sustained winds in the mid-20s, gusting over 30.

I rode my long loop to work, which is actually more C-shaped--one of those tall Cs with the one long straight side. The long side is dead nuts into the wind. Even dragging the panniers into the teeth of the wind I lost only four or five minutes from my par time. (Some certainly was made up on the short downwind legs.)

Sore all day on Friday, today too, but in the long run it will have been worth it. And I was just super pleased that all that wind added only four or five minutes to the ride. Makes me feel strong, like bull.

doctor j

Here's another option. Bamboozle your cycling buddy's SO into driving you, the buddy, and the bikes out in the windward direction, dropping you, buddy, and bikes off, and then ride all way the way back with a tail wind

I've been known to do that. Yes, it's cheating, but it's fun.

RobertL

The winds weren't 30 mph here in the Mpls area but the flags were all flying straight out and it was work fighting it. Still it was great to get out, it seems like it's been raining and cold for the last two weeks.

krobinson103

Last Friday night the wind had me fighting for 50km to get home. Gets a bit old riding into a headwind that long. Strong enough to blow the bike sideways if it broadsided.

MickeyMaguire

Today is cloudy, mid 60s and the winds are holding steady at about 10 MPH... I'm there. I am getting in some bike time before tomorrow's thunder storms. Tuesday will be a good cycling day, from the forecasts. Later in the week, the temps will rise to the low eighties and we'll have some heavy thunder-showers. I'll be cranking the pedals when I can.

NVanHiker

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we understand the concept of 'wind', but lack the practical experience. Interesting to read about it, though.

Wileyrat

I spent the majority of my years in Seattle, and I definitely had some practical wind experience there.

Weather report calls for more nasty wind and blowing dust Tues, but it looks like I'll be able to got more than spinning bike miles in next week.

jjames1452 

Just think what it will be like this upcoming weekend for TOSRV.
Probably windy and rainy.

If it is 64 and sunny, with 30 mph winds from the north on Saturday, which reverse and come from the south on Sunday..............

John E

Riding in a strong crosswind is the one time I think I should change the Bianchi or one of the Capos from its OEM downtube shift to some sort of handlebar-mounted shift. The Bianchi in particular is a handful in a crosswind, and I find I have to keep both hands on the bars, hunkered down on the drops, as someone suggested above.

Null66

Beautiful skys, 80's and 90's...
Evil head wind on the way out...
which was a lot of climb.
That just beautiful road we decided to meander down, well it was gorgeous but up, up and up...

Mercifully, the wind held and it was a tailwind on the way back...
Un-Mercifully, Mary decided to run with it after the ice cream kicked it and just kicked my butt!

stealthbiker

We had some brisk winds here in the Shenandoah Valley yesterday. Did 30 out, into the wind, and then a fun ride home with it (mostly) to my back. Got much stronger as the day went on so was happy to get ride in early. Was looking forward to a nice recovery ride today but the forecast of rain and thunderstorms have put a "damp"er on that.....