RPK79

One nice thing I've noticed about wind is they erode the hills.

Daytrip

Not in our lifetimes, Pal. Now water, that's a whole 'nuther matter.

The problem with the hill blocking the wind phenomenon in the winter is that after a sweaty climb, I get hit with a blast of cold air at the top of the hill.

Where I ride, there are windmills on top of the hills. So, if you're serious about riding around here, you have to deal with both on a regular basis. Sucks, but that's the way it is.

JamieElenbaas

How long is a piece of string?

Wind is tough until you climb 6000'+ with nary a break.

Hills are tough until you have to ride into a 20+ MPH head wind for 30+ miles.

I will say this, at 190lbs and 5'10", I'm a lot tougher around my 145 lb friends on the windy flats than the long climbs...

CandSAdventures

I get up early in the morning before the crowds wake up.....I always check the wind, never the temperature. Wind just zaps my strength.

rdtindsm

I took a catered bike tour in Tibet - Lhasa to KTM. We crossed the last pass of the Himalayas at 17000 feet and supposedly had 60 miles of downhill ahead of us. We had 40 km left when we stopped for lunch, with a couple of km of screamin' downhill before the road turned and flattened a little. Figured 90 minutes top.

Got to the turn, the road flattened a little, and we hit the wind that always blows uphill because the warm air at lower altitudes rises. Speed dipped to a little over 20 kph. OK, 2 hours. But the road kept getting a little flatter, the wind no slower, and I had to keep adjusting my ETA because I was going slower and slower. 2-1/2 hr., 3 hr. Finally hit a few kilometers of uphill and eta was about 4 hr. 6-7 kph. Talk about morale problem! I was ready to sag, but the sag and ride leader was staying with the last rider, so I couldn't get the ride.

Finally blew up at the guide, got my sag, and found that after a couple more km, the road went back downhill, fast. My biggest bout of shame in my whole cycling career is that I sagged on a downhill route! But shows that the wind is worse than the hills.

Cookiemonsta

Maybe it is a mental thing. For me hills are part of the experience and even though they can be hard, I enjoy doing rides that also include hills. Many people even go out of their way to include some hills in their rides, as do I. With wind, it is never something I particularly like about a ride or even enjoy. It is just something I tolerate because I do not have a choice.

Cyclelogikal

I live in the mountains and it is about impossible to find a route with no hills. So I am use to climbing. I am not a strong climber but I am use to it. I took my bike to the NC coast on a work seminar 6 years ago and road the extreme flats with the wind constantly coming off the ocean............I wore my arse out! So I prefer to climb than deal with constant wind!!!!

John_V 

Yep! Especially if you live along the Gulf Coast. Wind is just a part of cycling here, like hills for most of you. I ride daily and very seldom have a ride without a good wind. You guys have hill training, we have wind training. Like hills, it's something you get used to or your bike sits in the garage collecting dust.

RPK79

I was thinking about this thread on my ride yesterday. It was windy, so I planned my route to minimize my headwind exposure as much as possible and to have the longest stretch of tailwind possible. In order to do so I reversed the direction of the loop I usually do on this particular ride. I was a bit disapointed that I didn't get to ride up a hill portion so when I got to the bottom of it I turned around and rode back up.

I often plan routes to include challenging climbs, but I never plan routes to include challenging headwinds.

Ok86

I'm in OK.... There's not much hills unless I drive to mt Scott or outward but there is ALWAYS wind.... I rather have hills then wind just for that point. A hill will end. Wind in OK doesn't.... And 10-15 mph?? Go to rule #5 (just read those rules, bahaha). That's calm most days here and riding out in the open or around lakes it always swirls.

bikepro

Did 42 miles yesterday, moderate hills, slight wind, temperature 91 (99 with the heat index). The humidity made it very difficult. Very difficult to stay cool since your cooling system won't work.

therhodeo

Moved to the Tulsa area from Stillwater not long ago. Stillwater was blessed with both.

Slackerprince

Don't leave out the tropical rains, which this month, have been ridiculous.

s

floridamtb

I live in South Florida and we get a lot of wind along A1A so I'm used to doing a 50+ mile ride with 25 miles of headwind and 25 miles of tailwind, funny though it always seems that the headwinds are on the return trip south. I started cycling in Northern California so I've had my share of hills, I'd much rather take on a 8 mile climb than 25 miles of headwinds.

sloar 

no hills where i live, but they did surround our little town with giant windmills if that tells you anything.

CandSAdventures

It was bad. I was out too. I think it was over 80 at 5:30. Riding the Tour de Cure this weekend. Selected the 32 mile route. I did the 60 last year and it was just too hot.
I think we have a cold front this weekend....maybe that's in my head.

bikepro

I'm in a group that training for the HHH. We ride a route between Blue Ridge and Princeton. I plan to do about 70 miles this Saturday. A few tips for riding in hot weather: Eat a lot the day/night before. Drink plenty of water the night before to avoid be partially dehydrated when you start. Eat a good breakfast that morning about 3 hours before starting. What you eat the night before fuels the next morning. What you eat for breakfast, the afternoon. Eat and drink continuously while riding. Use an electrolyte such as NUUN in your water. Avoid drinks like Gatorade. In the heat, the majority of your energy is used by your body to regulate your core temperature.

eja_ bottecchia

Not true...you can always turn around and enjoy a nice tailwind.

For me crosswinds are the worst.

Ok86

Yea well Tulsa is much nicer to ride around than okc... Or maybe it's my limited routes that has me saying that. You riding in the aug 10 charity ride in okc? Planning on doing the 50 or 75 mile ride

therhodeo

Yeah I'm really liking riding over here. For Oklahoma it has a great cycling community and some nice hills to the northwest. I've not been on the bike much this summer because of my son's health issues so all my ride plans are for later in the fall. Probably go down to the southeast and do ride with some climbing or something.

GreatWhiteShark

South Florida is very flat, so really I have no perspective, expect when I go on Vacas, in Oregon & Washington (AWESOME PLACES, EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE AT LEAST ONE VACA TO EACH ; OF COURSE EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO IN THEIR LIFETIMES). On vacas I find walking the hills pain the butt; so I would ONLY guess I would choose hills, also because I am used to the strong winds in South Florida). This should have been a poll.

revchuck 

Why? Not enough cows there already?

Jseis 

Windy on the coast. I hunker down low in hoods and proceed on. I'd prefer a steady wind to gusts as the latter has me constantly adjusting and above 15-18 knots of gusty wind it gets downright dangerous.

cerealkilla

Depends if the wind is coming from behind, in front or from within.

sugarbot

Wind always does that to me, but then hills never seem to go down...