Demoralising Wind

[smurfalicious]

So I moved to a new place and I love it. It's less than 10 miles to work on the safe route. So my goal is to ride 4 days a week with a drive in on Monday to bring in groceries/clothes. Only thing is tonight just sucked it out of me. It is sooo windy here this time of year and I usually get a good head/cross wind one or both directions. It was so bad tonight I was feeling my tires thinking I was flatted. Worst of all after busting my butt to stay moving forward I have a good 1.5 miles of climbing on the way home that starts at 5% and works it's way up to 10% by my house. There's no avoiding it either.

It just makes me grumpy to struggle to go so slow! Even at night when I can't see my Cat Eye I know I'm dogging it. It really puts me in a foul mood to think I could be home by now, walking my dogs or making dinner. It takes me as long to ride from the new place as it did to drive from the old without the wind but GRRR!!! Once that mindset kicks in I think about the other things that annoy me like remembering clothes, and not being able to stop easily elsewhere on the way and so forth.

I really want to commute, honestly I do, but I can see why people don't. I love the health benefits, love the gas savings, hate the wind. Any advice? Any wind mantras? Does it get easier? I tell you what last night when I maneuvered into the left turn lane only to have some jerk cut in front of me so he could get to the red light first, I chased him around that corner with all I had, I wanted to unleash some rage! Ugh.

[OakLeaf]

I hate wind too.

But your post made me think that if I had to deal with wind alone very much, that might be the one reason I'd invest in a power meter. Something to watch to give me heart... :rolleyes:

[smurfalicious]

Well, there is this handy little calculator.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/aerodynamics1.html

But it doesn't change the fact that after an 8.5 mile struggle into the wind I have 1.5 of climbing yet to come.

[alpha_omega]

SERENITY NOW!

Seriously, the best thing to do is just conquer it the same way you would a big hill. Either shift down to a lower gear and keep spinning or power right through it, whatever fits you best.

It's going to be a tough ride into the wind, but at some point (hopefully) you will catch a tail wind and things will speed up considerably. Plus if you keep on pushing through it you will be a stronger rider for it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Maybe you should lower your goal during the windy season to 3 times per week.
It's far better to re-adjust your goals rather than give up in frustration.

Also, keep in mind that you will get stronger by doing this and it should s-l-o-w-l-y get easier.
I live at the top of a steep hill too. No way around it. The first year i thought I would die- gasping and panting, heart pounding, every single time. Now in the third year, I still have to work hard to get up it, but my heart stays fine and I only breath steadily and deeply.

[Jenerator]

I can't give much helpful advise, as I'm frequently demoralized by the front range winds too. I don't have a good mantra either, but one thing I've found marginally helpful is to check the local weather station (http://www.eol.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/weather.cgi?site=fl&period=5-minute&fields=tdry&fields=rh&fields=cpres0&fields=wspd&fields=wdir&fields=raina&units=english) before heading out to see wind speed and direction. It sometimes helps to know just how bad it is and where to expect to have to work especially hard.

[OakLeaf]

+1 on checking your local weather station, but the most reliable ones are the NWS reporting stations (http://weather.gov). Enter your city and state on the left, and it takes you to a page with your local forecast. Then you can get a point forecast for your house or the site of your ride by going to the map at the bottom of the page and zooming in. Under "Additional Forecasts & Information" you can get an hourly weather graph with wind speed and direction, temperature, chance of precipitation, and lightning activity level for the next 48 hours.

I rarely go for a ride or a paddle without checking the hourly weather graph. It's nice to have an idea when the wind's going to be turning or kicking up. Besides being prepared for it mentally, we usually choose our route so we're coming downwind on the way home if at all possible.

[keepclimbing]

A wise person taught me to thank the hills, the wind, the rain, the traffic...for making me stronger, teaching me new skills, giving me endurance. That is my mantra. "Thank you, wind, for making me stronger." It's difficult to be thankful and angry at the same time.

[Homestretch]

I’m kind of a new kid on the block in reference to commuting. But I just love the challenge in my 12 mile-ish one way commute. I guess it’s the whole "thanking the wind" for making me stronger and what not. I do seam to have to keep convincing my self of this every time I hit the last hill before I arrive at work.

I did want to ask you more seasoned riders, what you think about night riding: I mean, after dark are there really any serious dangers other than our own navigational errors. And do you guys carry stuff like mace?

[crazycanuck]

I don't know how Colorado windy compares to Perth windy but i'll throw you my thoughts.

I head south along the Swan river on my ride home and some days the wind is BAD. I don't mind riding into headwinds/sidewinds as i don't care how long it takes me to get to the Roe Hwy turnoff, just as long as i get there. What does bother me is everyone zipping by! I am often in the lowest gear, spinning along but I must let the wind slow me down.

I don't have a perfect answer. I do suggest riding it out..see how many swearwords you can use on a ride! ;)

[spokewench]

I know what big wind is as I live in Flagstaff and we have the same type of winds you do where you live. I know I really hate it, BUT, it is a fact of life. What I do is when I am out training I can get mad at myself for going slow, but I've come to the conclusion that my ride if I am commuting is going to be slow; that it is NOT designed to be a fast way to get around and so I allow myself in my mind to go slow and not be bummed out by it. Instead, I say to myself, isn't it nice to be outdoors riding my bike instead of driving; isn't it nice to just putz along and not have to worry about going fast; etc., etc.

Allow yourself to go slow on your commute, it also makes you enjoy riding more when you can get out and really ride! At least, that's my take on it.

spoke

[Pedal Wench]

Ughh. I just saw the forecast for a 24-hour race I'm doing this weekend. 15 mph winds, gusts up to 25mph. It's a short loop, so at some point on each lap, I'm sure I'll get a tailwind, but it's really discouraging to think about.

[solobiker]

Hey Smurf, get ready for spring when the real winds hit!! Yikes, talk about winds..When those Chinook winds come down off the foothills I can hardly get to double digits when riding.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I’m kind of a new kid on the block in reference to commuting. But I just love the challenge in my 12 mile-ish one way commute. I guess it’s the whole "thanking the wind" for making me stronger and what not. I do seam to have to keep convincing my self of this every time I hit the last hill before I arrive at work.

I did want to ask you more seasoned riders, what you think about night riding: I mean, after dark are there really any serious dangers other than our own navigational errors. And do you guys carry stuff like mace?

Hi Homestretch, welcome to TE! :)
Your question about night riding is a very good one- it has many aspects that are well worth discussing. You should start a new thread under this 'commuting' forum with that very question, and I bet you will get lots of interesting answers and good advice! :)

[Jenerator]

Hey Smurf, get ready for spring when the real winds hit!! Yikes, talk about winds..When those Chinook winds come down off the foothills I can hardly get to double digits when riding.

Oh yea, forgot about Solobiker's technique of dealing with the wind...sandbagging...todays 30mph winds with 60mph gusts were nothing, just wait a few months, then it'll really get windy. :)

[solobiker]

Oh yea, forgot about Solobiker's technique of dealing with the wind...sandbagging...todays 30mph winds with 60mph gusts were nothing, just wait a few months, then it'll really get windy. :)

Not sure what you mean by that?? I didn't ride today mainly because my back issues flair up with the wind. My above post was just talking about the spring winds, they tend to be stronger and I definately don't find enjoyment when riding with 60mph winds. And as I said to Smurf, just wait until spring. :o That is when the real winds begin.

[solobiker]

Several years ago a friend and I went out for a ride during a windy spring day and could not get above 7mph, when we typically were averaging 16-17. We only lasted about 10 miles and gave up.

[Jenerator]

Not sure what you mean by that?? I didn't ride today mainly because my back issues flair up with the wind. My above post was just talking about the spring winds, they tend to be stronger and I definately don't find enjoyment when riding with 60mph winds. And as I said to Smurf, just wait until spring. :o That is when the real winds begin.

Just poking fun at sandbagging cyclists..."that's not wind, that's just a slight breeze, wait til spring when the wind really starts" My personal limit this winter has been gusts over 70. I'm scared of the big things that get blown around when the wind gets that high.

I've always thought of Jan/Feb being the really windy months, but looking at data from '69-'03, Dec/Jan lead with most days with gusts over 70, followed at a very distant second by March, and Nov, Feb & April close behind. None of the stats really matter though when you're headed uphill and into the wind at the end of the day. It's still tough. I like the idea of thinking about the wind as a training aid, which works for me for winds into the 20s-30s, but it's higher sustained winds where I have to work hard to ride downhill and the gusts that really get to me.

Other sandbagging examples:

"I'm out of shape"
Translation:
I ride 400 miles a week and haven't missed a day since the Ford
administration.
I replace my 11-tooth cog more often than you wash your shorts.
My body fat percentage is lower than your mortgage rate.

"I'm not into competition. I'm just riding to stay in shape" ---
Translation:
I will attack until you collapse in the gutter, babbling and whimpering.
I will win the line sprint if I have to force you into oncoming traffic.
I will crest this hill first if I have to grab your seat post, and spray
energy drink in your eyes.

"I'm on my beater bike"
Translation:
I had this baby custom-made in Tuscany using titanium blessed by the Pope.
I took it to a wind tunnel and it disappeared.
It weighs less than a fart and costs more than divorce.

"It's not that hilly"
Translation:
This climb lasts longer than a presidential campaign.
Be careful on the steep sections or you'll fall over -- backward.
You have a 39x23 low gear? Here's the name of my knee surgeon.

"You're doing great, honey"
Translation:
Yo, lard ***, I'd like to get home before midnight.
This is what you get for spending the winter decorating and eating
chocolate.
I shoulda married that cute Cat 1 racer when I had the chance.

"This is a no-drop ride"
Translation:
I'll need an article of your clothing for the search-and-rescue dogs.

"It's not that far"
Translation:
Bring your passport

[Geonz]

welp, sandbags would be a good thing when there is a lot of wind.

I have this "sleeper" mentality. So, if the prairie winds mean that I am going 10 mph but iwth a heart rate of 155... ha! ha! ha! I'm getting stronger and you'll never know!!!!

Wind means more workout benefit for less time and distance. More for your time an dmoney!

Of course, *today* ... I got blown into work with a nice 12 mph tailwind... then the REAL winds came through and I had 35 mph tailwinds blowing me home. Dang, I wish my bike computer worked!