Too Windy to Ride?
 

I went for a ride today knowing it was supposed to be pretty windy, but figuring that at the very least I'd get a decent workout out of it. I ended up wrestling to keep the bike straight for a good portion of the ride. Weather.com said the gusts were 30mph, but since I rarely ride in strong winds I don't have enough experience to know when it's too windy to be safe.

What's your personal cutoff point?

At the 45 second mark it looks a bit too windy.

Not unusual to see 30mph gusts here in springtime. Chose my route carefully and take the aero wheels off. Crosswinds bad with those wheels.

That's spring in the Sacramento Valley. May as well get used to it.

I generally avoid sustained winds above 25mph.

I have been out in a force 9 wind on the Beaufort scale.....around 45-50 mph. The real danger is getting hit by a car, going off the road, or being hit by a tree branch.

25-30 mph is about my limit.

Yeah, I'm starting to realize that. I've actually lived in the area for a while now (6ish years), but this is the first year I'm staying year-round--I used to work down in San Diego during this time of year.

I'm also 135lbs, so I get pushed around more than some.

I need ice cream.

I stop riding at sustained 25mph winds.

We live in the
high desert here and it gets windy in the spring and late fall.

I don't ride when the ferries stop running.

At a certain point it's a wasted effort, just getting worn out battling the wind. Tomorrow is another day is my motto.

I usually do something else once it gets to 25-30. It's not fun, not worth spending the time, and some vehicles get blown around as well.

When the wind gets above 15+ mph sustained, I have a city route that incorporates laps in a park. I'll do 20-30 miles. It's a 9 mile ride to/from the park that takes 35-40 minutes each way, but at least I get in a halfway decent ride. Normally I'll ride one of my flat bar road bikes. If I can get out onto the county roads BEFORE the wind ramps up I'd much rather do that and plan a tailwind for the ride back. Looking forward to July when the corn is tall.

I agree.. I didn't ride today because of high winds.

Wind - to a degree - can be good for training and it you head into it out and with it back, it can be fun.

When tree branches / fixtures and other things start blowing into your path, you know it is time to be anywhere else.

Realistically, only you can judge what you're prepared to battle into - safely - and ought to know when it is not safe to venture out.

cheers

We get lots of wind here in Reno, especially this time of year. Yesterday was in the 15-20 range with 30mph gusts. That isn't terrible, but it is sustained and does last all day. There's really nowhere to go for shelter, either. I never cancel a ride, but I will adjust my route and timing. I don't climb much on those days and I try to start early and save the tailwind for last. The worst days are those ones when you wake up and the wind is already blowing hard before the sun is even up. There's no cheating the wind on those days.

I'm a light, low-power guy. The wind really slows me down. The only good thing is that the wind is usually steady instead of gusty, so if I have a crosswind I can just lean into it and I know what to expect. You really get a feel for how hard you're leaning when a big truck passes by and blocks the wind for a moment.

F 3 Tornado and above.

Not sure I have a cutoff but I hate riding in the wind. It just sucks the enjoyment out of riding for me. I'll take big hills any day over wind. We have plenty of hills around here.

OP, as long as you can stay fairly vertical then, IMO, it is OK to ride in a strong wind.

The problem is with all the dust and crap that gets blown about in strong winds. In some regions of the country airborne bacteria may cause Valley Fever.

Play it safe. There is always tomorrow.

I get fat in the winter so the spring winds don't affect me ;)

If I have to lean into the wind when just standing around, then I don't go for a ride.

Is that you Scarlett?

Why yes. Have you seen Brett?

Rhett is gonna be pissed.

:innocent:

Even the pros looked sketchy in this one. No one wanted to take a pull longer than 5 seconds.

Anyway, unless they pay me to ride in this stuff, I ain't doing it.