How windy is too windy?

[sundial]

After reading about Ticia's experience with major headwind, I was wondering.....how windy is too windy to ride?

My cut off for the wind-o-meter is 35 mph crosswinds. Ack!

[Thorn]

We'll go out at 20-25, but not higher. And, only if we are really itchin' for a ride. My tolerance for wind is higher in the spring than in summer.

Our windiest ride was 25mph winds with gusts over 35. I only remember because it was on vacation and we had to get from Point A to Point B. No options. It was only 35 miles, but it was the hardest 35 miles I ever rode. At one point, we started climbing a long sustained 5% grade. The hill blocked the wind. It felt like we were riding downhill!

[pinkychique]

If it's a long ride, I'll cut it off at 30, if it's just to/from work/wherever, I'll cut it off at 40ish, depending on the direction. If it's blowing hard from the west, then it blows me back up the hill to my house! if it's opposite, then it's much lower, like 25.

Something I discovered for really bad cross winds: hug your top tube with your knees and loosen your upper body; then you'll be more stable.

[Geonz]

So far, both days with the worst winds haven't happened 'til it was just going to blow me home. Today's one of 'em

[Tri Girl]

If I didn't learn to ride in 20-30 mph winds- I'd have to stop riding altogether. That's all it ever does here in Oklahoma is blow, blow, blow... This has been a really windy winter, and I'm hoping it won't be as windy a summer. I've never ridden in anything above 35 tho, and even less than that can be miserable. On the day of my IM race two years ago I had a headwind for 75 miles of the bike: 20 mph with gusts up to 30. Twas not fun.
I'm a wind wimp tho in winter. I won't ride if it's above 15- it just too cold for this winter weenie.

[PscyclePath]

I was heading out for the Sunday afternoon club ride yesterday afternoon, and passed this red-tailed hawk who was swimming and flapping as hard as she could go into the wind, and was just suspended in mid air, like a big feathered kite. Yep, it was windy

[sundial]

If I didn't learn to ride in 20-30 mph winds- I'd have to stop riding altogether. That's all it ever does here in Oklahoma is blow, blow, blow... This has been a really windy winter, and I'm hoping it won't be as windy a summer.

Do you ride where there's little trees to block the wind? Where I cycle, there's nothing to block it and I duke it out with the crosswind and headwind. I can't figure out how I can have headwind both directions.

[redrhodie]

I'm right with you, sundial. There's no protection from wind here.

I don't know how windy is too windy for me. I rode today and there were whitecaps on the water, and flags were out straight, so I'm guessing gusts were around 30mph. This was a pretty normal ride. Since most of my regular routes are loops, I get wind from every direction. Good new is, I almost never talk myself out of a ride because it's too windy anymore. I think taking my computer off has helped, since not worrying about my speed has made me more able to relax and not overexert into a headwind. My new bike is also really aerodynamic, so I'm sure that's helped. I no longer swear like a sailor because of the wind, and that's real progress for me!

I do have different routes depending on wind direction. I can never avoid a headwind at some point, but I can plan it so I have more downhills than uphills into the wind.

Tailwinds to you!

[shootingstar]

35 mph is the limit. I'm 98 lbs. and if I don't have much weight in my panniers, I feel alot more insecure in high headwinds/crosswinds....but it depends where I'm riding. If there aren't many cars, I will go at it for awhile.

But on a car bridge..it can be scary..and in our area we have enough bridges, with only some that have a barrier between self and car, with a narrow lane for bike. This type of precaution is noticeable after cycling and living in Toronto compared to Vancouver. Of course, Vancouver has milder weather but has deceiving black ice..

In quebec, I walked a bridge span with my loaded panniered bike from Isle d'Orleans over the St. Lawrence River...wind must have been around only 40 kms/hr. but that RAINY crosswind was scary and took effort to hold the bike straight just to walk down.

[mimitabby]

35 mph is the limit. I'm 98 lbs. and if I don't have much weight in my panniers, I feel alot more insecure in high headwinds/crosswinds....but it depends where I'm riding. If there aren't many cars, I will go at it for awhile.

But on a car bridge..it can be scary..and in our area we have enough bridges, with only some that have a barrier between self and car, with a narrow lane for bike. This type of precaution is noticeable after cycling and living in Toronto compared to Vancouver. Of course, Vancouver has milder weather but has deceiving black ice..

In quebec, I walked a bridge span with my loaded panniered bike from Isle d'Orleans over the St. Lawrence River...wind must have been around only 40 kms/hr. but that RAINY crosswind was scary and took effort to hold the bike straight just to walk down.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!