When it blows. Okay, lame joke. However, I normally hate riding in the wind but today was oddly fun. Wind was from the north and my ride heads south first. Nice tailwind made for a fast fun ride. When I turned into the wind, however, it was blowing fairly hard. 25 gusting to 35 mph according to the weather before I left. Small hills felt a lot steeper. For some reason, though, it was actually kind of fun. It was blowing me around a bit so I think that gave me something to focus on. It also wasn't real cold - about 40F - so even with the wind chill it wasn't bad.

Anyone else enjoy riding in the wind at all?

It's generally quite windy here all winter. On the bad days I do a 25 mile ride that starts with a 9 mile leg with a huge tail wind. Then I fight the head wind going west, but on the MUP where it's sheltered and a slight downgrade for the first 5 miles. Then I turn around again after 10 miles and I have about 6+ miles going home with another tailwind. That ride works.

Moral of the story: successful riding in high wind conditions is all about picking a smart route. Don't fight the wind grasshopper. Find ways to make it work for you.

I have a friend that lives by the coast, and whenever I go on a ride with him there is a crosswind the whole time. Doesn't matter which way you're going, you always have a crosswind. I didn't like that.
When I went to school in Merced, it was similar to the OP - great tailwind one way, headwind going the other way.

Think of it as "resistance" training?

Out here in the flatlands of Indiana the wind is our only hill.

riding into the wind makes you stronger. I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy being able to say that I rode into the wind and will be stronger and in better shape because of it.

Yeah when there's usually a headwind, I like the rewarding tailwind when going back the opposite direction. On another note, headwinds make for good resistance workout (force) especially if you want to get a hard ride in.

A wonderful moral if you're not using your bike for, y'know, transportation.

Good substitute for hills. Think of it as a training opportunity

I rode today in Colorado Springs. I swear, it always seems like it's windy here.

Other than the demoralizing wind, the ride was good. 2 hours yesterday and today made for a good trip. Luckily I brought my bike and cold weather gear, otherwise I would've been stuck inside, hanging out with the wife's family. Their day consists of misbehaved kids going crazy, and sitting around and eating.

When your really hot and you stop.

Riding in the wind doesn't suck when it's a tailwind.

Otherwise it sucks.

don't rationalize or make excuses guys, headwinds are always a bummer.

But that was my point. For some reason I had fun today even with the wind.

Two or three times a year my wife will take pity on me on a really windy day (gusts over 40) and take me about 80 miles south so I can have a tailwind for most of a century. Today wasn't one of those days. 71 miles with temps in the low-mid 30s and winds in the mid 30s with gusts 45-50 all day. Was bearable in town, but horrible out northwest where the land is flatter and farmers clear out all the trees for more tillable acreage.

When the gusts exceed 40, I aim for routes back-and-forth across town and through a sheltered county park out west. Yes, the wind sucks; more so for us less powerful riders.

You can say it but that doesn't make it true. Riding downwind is faster, more fun and can make you just as strong. It's also a better workout on a group ride.

Much much more fun and great exercise. Riding into a strong wind is almost an emotionally crippling activity. The utter futility of it makes me want to give up whereas riding with a strong wind fuels me to greater speeds and output. I deal with it but I hate it. One thing I do is break up a long leg into the wind into shorter legs into then across.

What kind of tree hugging liberal pansy ass loser do you have to be to actually rely on a BICYCLE for transportation? Good help us.

Riding in the wind will always suck (especially in the cold), especially for the 1/2 where you're fighting a headwind.
Not riding outside sucks more.
After today I realized I'm about done riding the roads and am trying to prepare to spend the next 6-8 weeks training indoors, with the occasional outdoor ride when the weather permits.

Someone who doesn't work out of their house**********

this is one of my favorite videos on youtube:

EDIT: i tried to edit the url code to fast forward to 2:45, but the forum video link doesn't read it. just go to ~2:45 if you don't want to watch the beginning.

#t=2m45s
i like how it gets somewhat ominous as she approaches, but once she is in the dust devil, there are like 40 cyclists.

Funny. That was kind of my thought process today. Ride in the wind or on the trainer? Wind won.

You're malfunctioning, obviously.

I've not been operating within normal parameters for quite some time.

As our resident pope would say, obviously - you are a cycle weenie

V

Did I just start quoting him? FM.

Why? Because I didn't complain about riding in the wind? Besides, I don't think I've read a single useful comment from the pope - just cluttered up threads.