How much wind can you endure?

[Miranda]

How much wind can you endure? Meaning, miles per hour speeds, to road ride in?

I posted a similiar question once about "what's your coldest riding temp?". Had some great discussion.

I finally overcame that element obstacle of "cold" with investing $ in proper gear. What a freeing experience! I think I like the chill better actually.

But, I feel like I'm a bit of a wind weenie:o. The last thing I do before I head out for a ride is to click on weather.com and get the hour by hour forecast. Wind speed as a detail option (with direction).

Today, it has the bold word "Windy":eek: written next to the forcast (over 20 mph). I weenie out.

I want to ride my first century this season. I keep thinking to myself, "Miranda, what if the wind is 20+mph on ride event day? ...you can't weenie out then!":mad:.

Just curious what you other wind riding gals have to say. Tips?

Btw... One of my very skilled riding aquaints only says "it (wind riding) is all mental". Hmmm... I feel like my "mind power" gets blown in the open midwest farm field OFF THE ROAD when it's 20+mph.

TYIA... signed,
"Miranda, wind weenie".

:D

[Geonz]

Snork.... all mental? That's silly.

Two weeks ago we had 25 mph winds for my Saturday Saunter - the easy ride. I had about a dozen riders (?!?!?) ... and half of us actually rode to Tolono (half rode the 6 miles out to our first 'regroup spot' and turned back).
One thing we do is stop more often :) On our Tuesday long ride when it's been windy we sometimes stopped every 3 or 4 miles.
I realized plugging along at 4 mph into it that, indeed, if I were doing an event that yes, I could have ramped it up to 8 mph and just kept pluggin' along. (I was thinkng of things like week-long rides where you reailly could just be riding into the wind for 70 miles.)
Today it was almost that windy and I decided we'd do a shorter ride adn stop at Espresso Royale at the edge of town and then head back. It was much nicer :)
Tomorrow is an event ride 22 miles out of town. Yea, I could scarf a ride but I am aching for a good long ride, so I'm getting up early to charge into the wind - but it should "only" under 15 for the ride out :) Not bad if it sails me home at the 20+ predicted for the afternoon :) And I *might* have talked somebody into riding out with me...
When it's 30+ ... welp, then I'd have trouble explaining what the heck I was doing out there if something blew into me and knocked me down and I landed in the ER. So sometimes it *is* just too windy.

[redrhodie]

It's always windy on the roads I ride. I usually don't ride if there's a small craft advisory. I'm kind of a small craft ;).

A more aero bike really helps, as does tight fitting clothes. IMO, the worst thing you can do is wear a windbreaker on a bike. It's like wearing a sail, and if it's a headwind, you're going to be fighting hard!

[Miranda]

Snork.... all mental? That's silly.

Two weeks ago we had 25 mph winds for my Saturday Saunter - the easy ride. I had about a dozen riders (?!?!?) ... and half of us actually rode to Tolono (half rode the 6 miles out to our first 'regroup spot' and turned back).
One thing we do is stop more often :) On our Tuesday long ride when it's been windy we sometimes stopped every 3 or 4 miles.
I realized plugging along at 4 mph into it that, indeed, if I were doing an event that yes, I could have ramped it up to 8 mph and just kept pluggin' along. (I was thinkng of things like week-long rides where you reailly could just be riding into the wind for 70 miles.)
Today it was almost that windy and I decided we'd do a shorter ride adn stop at Espresso Royale at the edge of town and then head back. It was much nicer :)
Tomorrow is an event ride 22 miles out of town. Yea, I could scarf a ride but I am aching for a good long ride, so I'm getting up early to charge into the wind - but it should "only" under 15 for the ride out :) Not bad if it sails me home at the 20+ predicted for the afternoon :) And I *might* have talked somebody into riding out with me...
When it's 30+ ... welp, then I'd have trouble explaining what the heck I was doing out there if something blew into me and knocked me down and I landed in the ER. So sometimes it *is* just too windy.

The stopping more often is a good tip. Sometimes if I'm on a higher traffic road to get to point A to B (less traffic) I can't stop it seems. Then I feel like I'm gonna die, omg. When it's straight into the headwind, open fields, gheez... it's about like a Bugs Bunny Wyle Coyotte cartoon. The Coyotte is hanging mid air off the cliff. Ooooo... I can't pedal one more stroke. But, for sure on the coming home... wind pushing you back... SWEET!:cool:

[Miranda]

It's always windy on the roads I ride. I usually don't ride if there's a small craft advisory. I'm kind of a small craft ;).

A more aero bike really helps, as does tight fitting clothes. IMO, the worst thing you can do is wear a windbreaker on a bike. It's like wearing a sail, and if it's a headwind, you're going to be fighting hard!

I had to google "small craft advisory" to curiously figure out how many sail wind knots that is in miles per hour. Seems like about the 26 mph mark the advisory kicks in. Some winter pounds I'm still working off, but normally I'm more of a small craft too, lol. I never thought about the lose windbreaker gear. Being more aero does help. Thx:).

[mimitabby]

Last year i did a ride, I think it was about 20 mph. It felt like riding into a wall when we were going into the wind. Even down hill was a chore. After 20 miles of that, we turned around and went back. My legs were so sore from the exertion that the return with a tailwind was not fun. So wind is a heckuva lot more than "mental" if it's terribly windy, I won't do a long ride. On my commute, it's not so bad, because it's short and circular.

[Geonz]

When I've done some of those windy rides on the prairie with our club I've noticed that we'll go out as a group and fight it nobly, with a good paceline... and then at the turnaround point the group splits into the "We can REST now!" group in the back and the "We can FLY now!" group in the front.
*Some* of that is mental but most of it's in the legs and lungs... maybe ;)

[redrhodie]

I had to google "small craft advisory" to curiously figure out how many sail wind knots that is in miles per hour. Seems like about the 26 mph mark the advisory kicks in. Some winter pounds I'm still working off, but normally I'm more of a small craft too, lol. I never thought about the lose windbreaker gear. Being more aero does help. Thx:).

Thanks! I was actually going to look that up myself.

Also, if it's windy, but it's quiet, that means it's a tailwind. I sit upright and use my body like a sail. I don't know if riding the drops into headwinds makes much difference, but I do that, too.

[spokewench]

10-20 is just a mild breeze in Flagstaff in the Spring. If you don't get 30-40 on some rides, you haven't ridden in Flagstaff in the Spring.

It's not fun, but if you want to ride, you have to do it.

Now, today is the most beautiful day of the year - it is actually probably only 10 mph winds with gusts to 15 - how wonderful:D

[Zen]

After having actually been blown over, I have something of a wind phobia.
A very low wind tolerance for me.

[DDH]

OMG, I am the biggest weenie ever!!! I can't stand riding in the wind and if it's 15-20 I won't go. I have however told myself that I need to get over that considering that most days are windy around here, and it's usually 15-20. Needless to say between the wind and the rain we have been having, I have not done a lot of riding yet this year.

I'm trying to find my motivation and it's hiding!

[Trekhawk]

I dislike riding in the wind.....lucky we moved to Perth.:eek::eek:

Found this info on the internet
"Perth is the third windiest city in the world and enjoys a warm and sunny Mediterranean climate with moderate seas and summer wind speed averages between 11 and 30 knots, provided by the relief of the afternoon sea breeze, known locally as the ‘Fremantle Doctor’."


LOL - when we first got here I was shocked that it was windy everyday. I just had to ride in it because if I waited for it to stop I would never have gone out on my bike. Now Autumn is here I am really enjoying the drop in wind and temperatures.

[sundial]

35 mph is my limit--and only because it occured during the ride. :eek: Whatever the windspeed is on weather.com, we can always add at least 3 mph more since we cycle in the farmlands.

Course now I'd rather mtb in the woods on a gusty day. ;)

[SlowButSteady]

Riding in wind is more difficult, like swimming upstream.

Last year I rode a bit on windy days because I was training for triathlons. The biggest one came on a extremely windy day, so I was prepared and made decent-for-me time in spite of it.

However, riding a bicycle is supposed to be fun--that's why I do it in the first place (well, that and fitness).

So I won't ride on windy days.

[lauraelmore1033]

I don't keep track of actual wind speeds, but if I look out the front window and the top of the neighbor's huge douglas fir is bent past the 10:00 or 2:00 position, I might decide to ride the trainer that day or just go for a walk.

[BarbaraAlys]

If the winds are over 20mph we don't go. But, I'm a weak rider. My riding buddy is on a recumbant and even in 15 mph winds she leaves me way behind.

I love it when the wind is so strong that you are going down a good hill, but if you stop peddling you slow down! You would think my weight would be enough momentum!

Barbara

[OakLeaf]

I wussed out of my club ride today, and wind was a large part of the reason. :o

It was supposed to be an 80 mile ride in honor of one of the members' 79th birthday. There was a 60% chance of rain in the early afternoon. Winds at the airport were steady at 16 mph gusting to 29 by 9:30 in the morning (probably stronger than that out in the country). The route they'd chosen went downwind first, so we'd be headed back straight into the wind, after noon when the winds would be strongest.

Plus, it was appliance recycling day at our solid waste district. I'd thrown a dead dehumidifier in the car on my way out, knowing that if I did the whole distance I wouldn't make it back before the collection closed, but thinking that maybe I could call DH from our breakfast stop to ride his motorcycle up to where I'd parked the car, unload the dehumidifier, and then leave the car for me to bring the bike back.....

So about 15 miles in, I'm going DOWN a 12% grade at about 18 miles an hour because the wind's so strong in my face, and at that point I got hit with a crosswind gust that literally shoved me two feet to my left, luckily no one else was near me. That's when I started thinking about when to cut off and go back. I think some of the older club members weren't going to do the whole distance, but we'd dropped them long before (they pretty much ride their own ride as a separate group, and they may not have even been taking the same route). I couldn't interest anyone else in quitting :rolleyes: - but they were all going on about how it wasn't going to be any fun. Well, heck with that, why ride if it's not fun?! With a strong chance of rain in the forecast, I'd had enough of rain last weekend for a good long time. Without all the wind, it might've been possible to push the pace and get back before the strongest chance of rain, but not as it was.

So, I'm a wuss. It never did do more than spit rain. But at least I got rid of the dehumidifier that had been dead in the basement for three or four years. And I had a pretty nice ride, and it was fun, 36 miles total.

I do agree that wind is mostly mental, though. Obviously it takes physical strength, but mentally is where it really beats me down. You never get to a point where you feel like you've conquered something, like you do at the top of a hill. There are no goals, no landmarks - and if it's windy in the flatlands (and I got plenty of that over the winter!) there's no chance to change position in the saddle. It just goes on, and on, and on. And on. And on.

[Thorn]

Yep, funny you should ask....I'd have said I was a wind wuss, but I finished that century anyway yesterday. Over the course of the day winds were 13-22 mph with gusts hitting 29. Most of the route was farmland--flat, former glacial lakebed, unplanted corn, wind-comes-sweeping-o'er-the-plain flat.

I wasn't sure a spring century was in the books for me (it was not a great winter around here for riding), but the course was a clover leaf pattern--three loops with a central reststop. Lots of opportunities to jump ship.

We finished the first two loops in OK shape and the third loop headed out into the wind. So we went. According to NOAA, that pull into the wind was the strongest wid of the day. It was also the most open of the day--very few wind breaks.

The pull into the wind was just shy of 12 miles and about 10 times I seriously contemplated turning around, but I couldn't....you see, this was my Waterford's first century, we were riding out of Waterford, WI and the sag driver for the third loop was Richard Schwinn. A bizarre bike-geeky peer pressure said that my Waterford just *had* to finish that loop or....or....I dont know, maybe he'd take my bike away because I didn't deserve it? :rolleyes:

But, we made it and darn proud of ourselves. So, call me wind wuss no more!

[pll]

Another wind wuss here... Today I rode 55 miles and the wind was killing me, I had to work hard on areas that were downhill, on others, I could feel the bike pushed sideways. But more than the wind itself, I hate the sound of the wind in my ears. Am I the only one? Has anyone found some solution? I while ago, I saw the following: http://bikehugger.com/2007/06/slipstreamz_for_commuters_and.htm
(I'm only interested in reducing the wind noise, no headphones for me.)

[Miranda]

Another wind wuss here... Today I rode 55 miles and the wind was killing me, I had to work hard on areas that were downhill, on others, I could feel the bike pushed sideways. But more than the wind itself, I hate the sound of the wind in my ears. Am I the only one? Has anyone found some solution? I while ago, I saw the following: http://bikehugger.com/2007/06/slipstreamz_for_commuters_and.htm
(I'm only interested in reducing the wind noise, no headphones for me.)


Try a cycling head band. I own one, and like it. I don't like the wind riping on my ears either. Maybe I'm just more prone to ear aches, but the head band helps. Some are made with a ponytail hole in the back too. That is a nice perk. In one of my LBS I saw something called "Dog Earz" (sp?). They were the same concept of what you have posted in this link.

[Miranda]

35 mph is my limit--and only because it occured during the ride. :eek: Whatever the windspeed is on weather.com, we can always add at least 3 mph more since we cycle in the farmlands.

Course now I'd rather mtb in the woods on a gusty day. ;)


I never thought about that with the farm lands! You can do your weather search by area, but how does the weather web site know you're out in Farmer Bob's freshly plowed field? This is true. I hate the dry dirt blowing off the fields crossways into your lung path when you are already being blown over sideways. Another killer is people burning leaves and brush. OMG, I have asthma, and the wind, plus the fire/smoke/ash being carried by the wind when it's your path through is just YUCK!:(

[Miranda]

I'm liking these wind stories, ladies:). Whoa, for you gals with the coastal waters near, and wind, Ooooo... it does never die.

[Miranda]

35 mph is my limit--and only because it occured during the ride. :eek: Whatever the windspeed is on weather.com, we can always add at least 3 mph more since we cycle in the farmlands.

Course now I'd rather mtb in the woods on a gusty day. ;)

OH! One other thing I forgot to blab about when I quoted this first time was this...

YES! On the last 20+mph day I took out my mt bike instead. That was my EXACT same thought... trees are my friend:cool:.

Unfortunately after that ride, I think I might need to sell my mt bike:(. I've ridden it little. I have some health issues and can't do impactive exercise. My back has been pretty good lately with a long winter of PT. So, "feeling better" I stupidly forgot (without the reminder of constant pain) about the MAJOR difference in mt biking, vs road riding.

WHOAAA... the back is now messed up killing me:(. Totally diff set of muscle use, and strength skills. Versus to ME, road is more "lungs" (and yes, strength in certain ways... but way diff than the mt bike).

So, that "wind weenie plan" didn't end so well for me at all with plan B:(. Sad, because it was fun otherwise.

[makbike]

I rode a century yesterday and one today. We fought strong headwinds both days and I was particularly miserable today. Winds yesterday were blowing at a steady 18 mph and gusting to close to 30 mph. Today was a bit better (12 mph, gusting to 21 mph). Had I not reserved a room, was not actively participating in the LBC's silly contest and a bit stubborn I would have skipped both days. It was very evident today's winds were taking their toll. Those who rode yesterday and today were exhausted. A nasty headwind or crosswind is very demoralizing in my book. I told a fellow rider today - riding into the wind is like climbing a perpetual hill - it just keeps going. At least with a hill you know there is a top somewhere close - with the wind it only stops beating you up when you get off the bike.

[Miranda]

I rode a century yesterday and one today. We fought strong headwinds both days and I was particularly miserable today. Winds yesterday were blowing at a steady 18 mph and gusting to close to 30 mph. Today was a bit better (12 mph, gusting to 21 mph). Had not reserved a room, be an active participant in the LBC's silly contest and I guess a bit stubborn I would have skipped both days. It was very evident today's winds were taking their toll. Those who rode yesterday and today were exhausted. A nasty headwind or crosswind is very demoralizing in my book. I told a fellow rider today - riding into the wind is like climbing a perpetual hill - it just keeps going. At least with a hill you know there is a top somewhere close - with the wind it only stops beating you up when you get off the bike.


That is an EXCELLENT description! :D

[Aggie_Ama]

I am a wind weenie. I can handle it but I don't like and I HATE gusting wind. I usually don't voluntarily ride if the wind if sustained at 20 or above. I will only go if it will be a headwind or tailwind, no crosswind. It drives my husband nuts but I just don't feel safe like that.

[bmccasland]

It's almost always windy on the Mississippi River Levee in the afternoons. And the wind switches directions. The river is curvy, so you know every ride will have a head wind, a tail wind, and cross winds. I find I look forward to the river stretches that have large trees growing on the river side of the levee, they break the wind; and I brace myself for the stretches that are more wide open.

I don't know how fast the winds were blowing, but one afternoon the office flags were snapping in the "breeze" and we rode anyway. Thought we were hot stuff with that tail wind, but knew we would pay when we turned around. Instead of our usual 13 mile out, we turned around at 10 miles, and then had to switch leads of the pace line every mile to survive the wind. Did pretty good until about 2 miles left. The gal leading, tiny little thing, speeded up! That's when I fell off the paceline. I just couldn't go any more. Was sooo happy to see the office.

We don't ride when there's lightening.

[Geonz]

Around here our club ride routes are determined by the wind - we ride into it. That doesn't work for supported rides like yesterday's century (welp, 43 miles of it were supported but my bike is my transportation so I rode there & back), but it rather helps on the weekly ones.

[GLC1968]

I'm not a fan of riding in the wind. Luckily, the last two places we've lived have enough different types of terrain that we can kind of choose where we want to ride based on the weather. If it's super windy, we pick wooded routes and greenways for most of the ride (same routes work in extreme heat). For cold days, we opt for the farm routes where the sun will keep us as toasty as possible.

But yeah, wind sucks. I'll take mountains to climb over sustained winds ANY DAY. At least mountains have tops, right? :p

[gnat23]

However, riding a bicycle is supposed to be fun--that's why I do it in the first place (well, that and fitness).

So I won't ride on windy days.

+++

For commutes: I can talk myself into it if it's below 20mph. If it's 20+, I let myself have the option skipping it without feeling guilty.

For longer weekend rides/events, I just make sure not to do it alone. I take turns on the front of a groupride, or if it's just me and my man, I'll flutter my eyelashes at him and ask him to pull me through the headwinds. :rolleyes:

-- gnat! (no shame, but who wants a grumpy girlfriend anyway?)

[7rider]

Isn't that one of Murphy's Laws of Cycling: "You will always face a stiff headwind"?? :rolleyes:

I never really thought about at what mph I'd weenie out. If there's a wind advisory posted on weather.com, I'd probably look around the house and see what other tasks I could do instead of going for a ride. :o
That said, I have done a ride during the dying gasps of a tropical storm where winds were gusting up to 45 or 50 mph (72-80 kph). That was...um...a challenge.

[MomOnBike]

When you tour the Midwest in Spring if you don't ride in the wind, you don't ride. Therefore, I've ridden in winds I really shouldn't have.

I don't know how fast the wind was on that trip, but at one point I found myself heading down the road at 35 mph, not pedaling (why bother?). The tailwinds were my friend that day - the rain they contained weren't.

Another day (again, I have no idea how hard the wind was blowing - somethings I just want to remain in ignorance about), I discovered how much I hate crosswinds in combination with the windbreaks planted around farmhouses. The wind shadows behind tham are dandy, but there is a viscious wall of wind coming out of the shadow. Ick.

Now, I was riding a faired recumbent with panniers, so the effects of cross-and tailwinds were magnified greatly. Headwinds are nasty no matter what.

Here at home, on basic errands and commuting, about 35 mph is my limit. I don't claim to enjoy wind that strong, though - and sometimes I wimp out.

[aicabsolut]

I really hate gusts over 30mph, but I've ridden in something around 40mph winds. That was miserable.

I do enjoy a nice tailwind, though. It just seems like whenever the winds are pretty high, they seem to come from ALL directions.

[shootingstar]

hmm..I believe I've cycled into headwinds and front crosswinds blowing at 40 km/hr. It's not so horrible on a quiet, flat road but downright scary with cars, trucks...and rain. But all of this is not for long...that is if I have a choice. Sometimes no choice if you are cycle-touring.

In Vancouver, there are several major car road bridges each approx. 1 km. long. Some of them, are not cycling-friendly in design/feel unsafe to cycle over just under calm air, car-jammed conditions. I think twice, thrice about cycling a bridge in headwind/crosswinds over 25-30 km/hr. Most definitely it helps to understand trip planning alternatives, plus a public transit that allows you to throw on the bike and hitch a ride.

In windy weather, I prefer to have my bike weighed down with panniers. It feels as if I won't be blown over as easily ...even though it makes movin' along frickin' more difficult.

[Cheryl SF]

I feel like I've never had the good fortune to experience a tailwind- it's always headwinds and crosswinds. The crosswinds are the worst, IMO, and are my biggest fear. This is because I was going downhill fast on a roller on HWY 1 last spring, when a huge crosswind gust blew me across the double yellow line (luckily no oncoming traffic), and I almost lost control and crashed. I've been mentally scarred since then and go way too slowly descending in the wind now. I hope I eventually get over it!

[sundial]

So, "feeling better" I stupidly forgot (without the reminder of constant pain) about the MAJOR difference in mt biking, vs road riding.

Oh no! :( Do you have somewhere with packed dirt or quiet streets to ride your mtb? Maybe a park? Will that keep your back pain at bay?

[Dogmama]

10-20 is just a mild breeze in Flagstaff in the Spring. If you don't get 30-40 on some rides, you haven't ridden in Flagstaff in the Spring.

It's not fun, but if you want to ride, you have to do it.


When I did my ride across AZ, we had a 35 mile ride into Flagstaff. It was supposed to be our "easy" day. NOT! Fought a huge headwind - it took 5 hours!

But here's the deal with wind. Figure that it is your personal trainer. Remember "Spin, spin, spin in the wind."

Whenever my life gets really hard, I just tell myself to "put your head down & pedal." I learned that from headwinds.