mjw16

I usually have a headwind in both directions, probably 7 or 8 out of 10 days. Most people don't believe that the wind can shift like that but the planes taking off and landing at Reagan National can confirm. Wind beats me up the most of all the variables, it gets in your head. It took me years to realize that you simply can't beat it, the only thing to do is gear down and try to spin through it while distracting yourself so that the ever-present tearing at your ears doesn't break you down. It's funny, just now 2 of my co-workers came in and said that my ride home is going to be a rough one, the wind is really kicking up. Great.

Psydotek

I'd rather climb a mountain road instead of riding into a headwind.

beingtxstate

East Central Illinois is well-hated for wind. It is always windy here, even when it's 'calm', the winds are usually hovering 'round 10 mph. I think of it as a purgatory of sorts. Since it is pretty flat, going up the few hills around in icy hardcore winds amounts to mountain climbing...

So I guess I have a love-hate relationship with the wind. I hate it, but I appreciate the challenge it presents to my moral and muscles.

selekta

Thank God I live in California. Though its a lot cooler here in the Bay Area than say L.A. or the central valley (where it can also get downright chilly) we still have nothing compared to the weather you folks back in the Midwest or the East Coast! But its all relative, since I'm from CA, I am a serious wuss when it comes to the cold, so I'm right there with you digging for my booties, gloves, a base layer, skullcap, etc. However, your topic was the wind and I am in full agreement with you, wind, well wind just sucks - unless its a tailwind!

Brian T

This is my forcasted ride home. I'm riding a 42/17 fixed gear. I can only wish the wind was to my back.

Sunny / WindHigh
61°F

Precip
10%
Wind:ENE 29 mphMax. Humidity:28%UV Index:3 ModerateSunrise:7:02 AM PTAvg. High:66°FRecord High:86°F (1961)

ralph12

I always hate headwinds. They take most of the fun out of bike riding for me, mainly because I don't have a low enough gear for going up some of the local hills when it's windy.

Mr. Underbridge

So far it's at least been a fairly ice-free winter here in DC, so I can't complain even if the wind has been extra crappy.

Better yet, it's getting to the point that my commute home has a little bit of dusk even at the very end - enough light so that, in addition to my Dinotte, I feel like visibility is good enough that I can see any road debris and cars can easily see me. As such, I think I'll be breaking the road bike out of winter storage very soon, and I'm totally stoked about that. I've been riding 40+ pounds of Cro-Moly steel all winter, with wide, heavy tires. So there's that to look forward to.

I figure we're about halfway through the worst, at least. Things will start getting better soon, I think.

DataJunkie

Wind is a fact of life around here. All I care about is it not pushing me off my bike or into a car.
That and a nice breeze when it is 15F out is miserable.

elares

I ride from Woodland Hills, CA to Westlake and back every day. Right in the middle of Cassave's forecast of gusts to 75MPH!
Epic weather means I have to ride just so I can say I did.

Hang in there all, the days are getting longer.

Brian T

Elares, your not to far from where I'm at, so you know what I'm talking about with the wind.

robtown

I rode my single speed - also 42/17 on Monday. I heard singing.... it was my lungs & legs..

they were chanting something to the effect of "don't you know you're over 50, idiot?"

At least the winds were more SW than NW (the way I ride home). Cold - about 35F.

elares

Just made it home. The gusts were strong. I found my biggest problem was that in keeping my head down, I wasn't watching far enough ahead. A tough day.

elares

At least I have some hills to deflect the wind at points along my commute. Down on the plain where you are, there's no place to hide.

barndoor

I like taking the time off from commuting in the winter months....keeps me from getting burned out.

I only commute between the time changes....Hi, I'm Chris....and I'm a fair weather commuter....

....and yeah, I hate cold, piercing headwinds also.

zephyr

Wind is weather element that bothers me more than others while bike commuting here in Orange County. When the wind is bad, it's nasty bad. 90 percent of the time we are so spoiled with good weather that we really can't complain about much. My 11 mile ride home today was pretty windy on the zig zag route up and down some hills and through a couple of canyons. The wind today was a typical Santa Ana, mostly out of the east, with some pretty strong blasts in certain places. Sometimes I was grinding uphill into the wind at 8-9 mph, and in another spot I was on a screaming downhill at almost 40 mph (normally a 30 mph downhill). Wraparound safety glasses are a must have around here, I use my clear ones every morning and evening on the bike at this time of year.

Strelnikov

This week has been real calm in the Pacific Northwest. wind at around 15 mph and cold but sunny!. It feels good to take the jacket off and wear a vest and base layer so that there was no overheating as I climbed up the hill.
Yeah, the wind sucks, but I have been finding that I hate the rain more because of the breathability issue. I am becoming exhausted before my time!
Other than rain...I like the gear. I have found a new pair of gloves that are everything I wanted and more, so if my hands are happy, I am relatively happy!

mihlbach

arnijr

Weather is weather, sometimes the wind is in your face and you notice it, sometimes it's at your back and you don't. Grabbing my clothes off the shower curtain bar, throwing my office clothes in the messenger bag and getting dressed doesn't really take many minutes. Granted, my commute is short in miles but it's long in hills and weather. I'd still rather ride than drive.

mikhaelmeir

I LOVE it! It makes me feel special. And it beats syrupy sticky muggy heat wave cycling.

beingtxstate

My ride home today: Snowing, wind W at 25mph, gusting to 36 mph. My way home is due West with a low grade, but long 2.5 mile uphill slog

Needless to say it was excruciatingly painful, cold, and wet, but I mangaed anyway, and I'd do it again. Cheers...

kmac27

I could care less about a little wind. I would much rather ride against the wind than riding in the rain while its 35 outside!!! wind may slow you down but gives you a good workout. Rain on the other hand gets on your waterproof clothes but doesn't prevent you from the evaporative cooling that takes place!! I get really cold when it rains. It isn't that cold that long of the year so theres nothing really to complain about. I live in washington where it rains 24/7 has lots of wind and is always dark. Quit your cryin, I thought cycists were tough son of a guns not little school girls.

rando

I hate wind. when it's too windy I just don't ride because I hate it so much.

BroadSTPhilly

I hate going through an intersection and getting caught by a nice crosswind that was previously broken up by the buildings to your right. Also it really frustrates me when I come to a flat or downhill stretch that I normally power through to catch a light. But I can't because there is a headwind making it feel like I am going up a 15% grade.

Artkansas 

Sounds like you should move to San Diego.

andrelam

25 to 30 MPG wind today gusting to 45 MPH. The ride into work was SLOW. I was heading straight into the wind almost the wholeway. The wind direction better not shift before I have to ride home... that would make the day even slower. At least I got a good workout... even if at times I was getting down to a seemly pathetic 7 MPH. If I do get the wind in my back tomorrow at least I may be able to get up to 20 MPH for a while. Time will tell.

Happy riding,
André