Riding in Wind
 

Does the Wind bother you all that much? I think it is hard to ride in a wind and today it is 18mpg. It just wears me out faster. Do windy days keep you in?

See rule #5

Consider it training and get after it. Training days should not be easy.

Yup, it does. More so than rain, even.

That said, I need wind training, so as long as it stays reasonably warm today I'll be out after work (forgot my long pants at home, can't combine too much wind/drizzle/cold in shorts)

It does make me either decide to ride the trainer, or make me choose a particular route. The other evening when we had a 20 MPH southerly wind I decided to ride south away from town and then have the wind blow me back home. Much better than riding out with the wind and having to face it going back.

That's pretty low mileage wind. You ride in something more fuel-efficient.


Try touring fully loaded with four panniers and a tent strapped to the back of your bike. You don't nothin' about wind until you have. Crosswinds are the worst from a bike handling perspective. The nice thing is that when it's directly behind you, you can really move. During a 20 mile stretch through the flats of north central Montana I sustained 32.5 mph riding a loaded touring bike. I finally spent too much time in the red and had to dial it back to 28 mph. Talk about fun.

It makes you learn patience and appreciate drop bars. If you're slow, it sucks. If you're fast, it still sucks.
Choose routes that are cross wind or more sheltered from wind if possible.
For an out-and-back, ride into the wind first, then coast back home.
Don't get in a hurry. If you can ride in a group and rotate leaders, it can help.
If you get too desperate, arrange a ride one way and enjoy a tailwind ride.

yes. I'd rather deal with some rain or hills. also, depends on the strength and direction of the wind. If I'm on my triathlon bike and the winds are strong and lots of cross winds that may impact my decision to ride outside. most times though it would have to be a pretty strong wind to deter me from going outside.

Yeah I was the poor schmuck going the other way cursing your unfettered joy as the wind blew you past me. I made maybe 25 miles that day.

I doubt I could get very far packing all of that stuff especially in vs the wind.

Heh. I know someone who road the opposite direction in that area while crossing the country with a friend. She said one day they only made it 30 miles because of the wind.


About 10 years ago I did an organized, supported tour in North Dakota. One day there was a stretch between lunch and the next rest stop that was 18 miles. Terrain was open and rolling. The wind was so strong that on the downhills I could get up to about 12-13 mph in a tuck. After a while my friend and I came upon a woman parked along the side of the road with some coolers in the bed of her pickup. She was working the ride. I asked her how far until the next stop. She said 9 miles. I said "You mean we've only come nine miles since lunch?" "That's right." "Man! I feel like we've been riding for an hour." My friend looked at her watch, looked at me and said "We have been riding for an hour." While at the next stop the large SAG bus pulled in. It was stuffed to the gills with riders who had given up on that stretch.

if it's time to ride then go ride. Don't let the wind stop you, then the rain stop you, then work, or family things, or you will never go.

also, at some point it will blow behind you

Well, commuting get to be tail wind one day, head wind the other. Unless the wind is ripping the leaves off or blowing giant amounts of snow, no.

Since climbing is non existent here in SW FL, I am thankful for the winds we have. Riding on the top of the bars and also standing in highest gear while going into the wind are great strength and character builders. Guess I have a hate/love relationship with the wind since I hate while riding but love the end results.

Wind during my early morning rides are worst of all, not so much in the velocity actually blowing but just because they are there and I really prefer easy dark riding. Last Saturday I got out at 12:08AM and the winds were 10mph to 20mph so the chances of riding 100 miles in the dark by 6:00AM were quashed right away, but I did manage 81 miles. This Saturday will be another attempt at a dark ride 100 miles so hoping for lighter winds. If I make the 100 miles then I should be able to complete 150 miles total for the day instead of last Saturday's 140 miles.

If it's gusting hard enough to be dangerous, like to blow me over while I'm turning, I'll do something else like go for a walk or a run. Otherwise, of course I'm riding.

I hate the wind. But OTOH, I love the wind. I mean, it's more work riding into the wind; but it slows me down a lot less than it slows everyone else down; so in that respect it makes me look like Superman(tm). And who doesn't like it when everyone thinks you're Superman?

If it's an out-and-bike ride, riding against the wind gives me the happy feeling that I'll be riding with the wind on the way back, which is always loads of fun.

But, the wind sometimes changes direction when I'm having coffee at the halfway point.

Oh well.

I like riding in the wind, one of my strong points. I consider the wind as "THE GREAT EQUALIZER".

I remember doing an organized century on a tandem with my wife. We have a decent steel tandem and were doing well. When along comes a couple on a really super expensive tandem. Had no idea we were racing but they passed us. I'm a master pacer so we kept our pace and caught them again, not trying. They had to pass us again, OK. A few times then They decided to chat with us. They were telling us how expensive their tandem was, how much the wheels cost, then said we should save our money and upgrade our (then $2500) tandem to a top of the line tandem like theirs so we could go faster. :tandem:

Then 50 miles into the ride we hit a big wind. The winds were blowing about 45 and there was no cover or hiding from it in a desert area. We kept pushing on then about 20 miles later it cleared up.

We finished the century then when we got back to town, we ran into the couple at the post ride BBQ. I lost sight of them on the ride so I asked, "how did you guys do?".

Uhh we dropped out of the ride because the wind got too tough! :eek: :roflmao2:

Me hide from a wind? Never, it builds character! :thumb:

I love wind. We had a group ride earlier this year in 30-50 mph winds. We changed direction so we would have a head wind going out. Coming back I was cruising at 30mph, no problem. Lots of fun. I set a ton a Strava PRs that day.

I commute. I look at the weather apps for wind and direction. If it will be windy and the wind is against me in the morning and returning home in the afternoon I usually pass. If it will be windy against me either to work or back, I'll ride. If it will be windy in my favor both commutes I look forward to it. If it will be windy and it is icy out, I will not ride.

Yes, the wind bothers me but I just hunker down ride harder.
Next time you're out riding in the wind just remember this:
Climbing makes you strong.
Distance makes you lean.
Intervals make you fast,
but the wind makes you MEAN!!

If you can't ride in the wind here, you can't ride.

we rode for about an hour today. Wind was blowing all the time not a real big deal a few times you could feel the wind blow you side wards. It is definitely harder peddling into the wind.

When the wind is over 40 km/h and I've been riding against it for a while I find myself swearing out loud at the wind. Particularly if its a gusty wind, up a gear, down a gear, ... If its a recreational ride I almost always head upwind first. I always have to force myself to keep going further into a strong wind because the return trip will be so fast I'd regret wimping out too early.

Last spring we had a ride with a 60 - 70 km/h headwind. Heading out the best we could do in the drops was 11 km/h. Needless to say we didn't go far.

Riding down wind in really strong wind is quite the experience. You never go faster than the wind, so there is no wind rushing past your face, creating a strange silence. All you hear is the rustling of grass, drive train noise / tire noise.

I hate cold wind. On a hot day it can be fun. It's a unique feeling riding in 30+ mph winds when it's in the high 90s as that's relatively rare in these parts. It happens when there's a large storm out in the gulf, so the wind has a damp, sea scented quality to it.

I do plan my routes if it's really blowing. I prefer to finish downwind if I can. If I can't, I take the roads with rolling hills. The wind seems much worse on flat roads.

Wind doesn't bother me all that much. :)

I spent many years in windy areas and learned to ride the wind. Hills, on the other hand, are a huge challenge for me.


To make riding in the wind easier, do this ...

When you're riding into the wind, relax. Get comfortable, ride easy, and relax.

Then, every single time there's a slight break in the wind, go hard. Take advantage of every break, every tailwind.

When you start doing that, riding in the wind can actually be reasonably enjoyable. :)



All that said, when the wind gets up over about 80 km/h, I'd rather be riding my trainer or running on the treadmill. I've done rides in winds over 80 km/h ... but there isn't much that makes those rides enjoyable.