I have occasionally ridden in what were probably 30+ MPH winds, a few times I've encountered gusts that actually stopped me, I just put on my brakes to keep from being pushed backwards and waited for a bit. Once I was about 400 feet from a corner where I would change directions and I just walked there.

I was out on a gravel century last June (Westside Dirty Benjamin) with winds over 40 mph and gusts near 60 mph. Since it was a figure-8 route, we got to ride into the wind, with the wind, and fight with the crosswinds. It was very challenging, I recall fighting the cross-winds and looking up the line of riders in front of me and it looked like everyone was leaning 15* into this wind. It was so gusty and unpredictable, causing a lot of left-right movement to keep balanced. I recall making a turn and getting that wind at my back, thinking this will be so much better... not really, it was too strong to really 'enjoy' the push.

I've been struggling the crosswinds this week. I just converted from my winter bikes (26" MTB and fatbike) to my summer commuter bike (Kona Dew Drop). The crosswinds are making me feel unstable. Anybody have pointers for keeping balance in a crosswind?

Practice and good reflexes. There's no easy answer except to find equilibrium by leaning into it. Unfortunately this will make the steering pull, giving the bike a "weather helm" meaning it may want to turn into the wind, though a deep front rim will have the opposite effect (if you're lucky they cancel).

Also watch your speed. With greater speed you'll cover more horizontal distance with steering changes. I once caught a rogue gust on a high speed descent. It took me the entire width of a wide 4 lane road to recover, (fortunately it was there, and no oncoming traffic) and reestablish full control of the bike.

The only special thing I can suggest is to be very conscious of vehicles passing on the upwind side (why I hate crosswinds from my left). These will suddenly cancel the wind and have you turning into them and doing a wiggle as you recover. Truck trailers are especially problematic in this regard because the wind stop is complete and prolonged, and if you swerve into them behind the cab rear axle, you're at risk from the trailer's rear wheels.

BTW- stay away from other riders in high gusty winds because everyone is affected or reacts differently and you'll have too many variables to contend with.

Kinda what I thought, it'll just take some miles this spring to get accustom to the 'light' summer bikes versus the winter 'tanks'! Talking about riding in the wind reminded me of this video from a couple years ago:

Two years ago, on a century charity ride. I'd gotten a few miles off-course and didn't realize that they'd closed the ride due to tornado sightings and were sending out vans out to collect riders. I don't know what the wind speed was, but in a matter of seconds it changed from gusts to where there were pieces of trees flying across the road - big limbs with branches, not just sticks - and the crops to my right were flat against the ground from the wind. There didn't seem to be a safe place to stop so I just kept going, finally realized that I'd missed a turn, turned around and went back through it. On the return leg to get back on course it had thankfully toned down to reasonable storm level winds, but a torrential downpour.

there was a day i was commuting home and the winds were about 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph. i didn't know til i went home and checked the wind history. the winds literally pushed my bike to the side of where i was just riding, as i was riding. it was so weird.

I still come back to that one ride. I just wanted to get the job done, get home & thaw out. Probably the one time i thought i might have to throw in the towel and wait till spring.

- Andy

I got clobbered by an 80 mph gust once just outside of work. It wasn't that windy when I started 10 miles to the east and the wind was strong enough that I was in my lowest gear (22/34) and it picked up pebbles from the ground and sandblasted me. The weather station at my work recorded the speed.

I've had lots of 50 mph tailwinds (and too many crosswinds) along the Colorado Front Range. You kind of know when the wind hits 50 because the power lines turn into Aeolian harps at about 50 mph. They have a very special sound at that speed.