Dealing with wind

[westtexas]

I really, strongly dislike the wind these days. Normally I am all about a lot of sunshine and a good breeze, but now since I'm more serious about my cycling, I find it really puts a cramp in my style.

I had a great ride yesterday with my brother - about 3 mph faster on average than I usually go for my typical 10 mile ride. So probably I was a little sore today starting out to begin with, but I could only do 6.5 miles of my 10 mile ride today because riding into the wind (the first 3.25 miles) was just exhausting me.

I try to plan rides around the wind, such that at the end of the journey when I'm most tired I've got a tail wind going. But riding into 10-15mph winds with up to 25mph gusts really makes you feel like you aren't going anywhere for all that effort you are putting in.

So, what are the ways y'all deal with wind? Definitely up for hearing about it because I'm about to move to a very very windy place that will make this wind seem like a light breeze, and I gotta get prepared for it

[redrhodie]

I totally avoided the wind at first, well as much as I could. If I saw the tops of the trees moving just a little, it was too windy for me. Then, like everything else in cycling, I slowly got stronger. But, yeah, I'd follow the direction as much as I could so I'd have a tail wind, and I still always check the forecast to see how it's blowing.

Now, I can ride in wind up to 35 mph (well, I've done higher than that, but if stuff is blowing around, I won't ride). I get in the drops and spin as best I can. Into a hard headwind, it's not that different from climbing (except for body position), and I'll get in my easiest gear, and try to think positive thoughts, and smiling helps. If you keep telling yourself this really sucks, then it will. If you tell yourself how great it's going to be on the way back, and how you're just paying the piper now, you'll have more fun.

Oh, and don't look at your speed on your computer. It doesn't take the wind into account. It might say you're going 8 mph, but really, you might be putting in the same effort as riding 16 mph with calm winds. You may be getting an even better workout, getting stronger, building muscles, all that good stuff. So, learn to love the wind. It won't happen overnight, but keep trying, and it will get better.

[oz rider]

+1 to red's thoughts. Except that being small, I get blown around a lot more than most people, so there's a point at which I will bail in gusty cross winds. I remember one day riding with some guys along the beach and where they just wobbled in a gust, I was moved sideways about a foot. So I headed inland for a more protected ride.

Headwinds though - drops, spin unless you're doing strength work, think about the return and how strong you'll be in two weeks when the body adapts.

[PamNY]

I couldn't improve on what redrhodie said. I was a little scared by wind at first, but now I know what I consider safe, and so will you after some practice.

I didn't even think about it making me stronger till I read that here (duh) but it really is true. And I like the challenge of it, and the practice in case I do touring.

[OakLeaf]

Just by coincidence - here's what my sister in Texas posted on Facebook today:

The good news is, if you get up and ride early, you miss the wind. The bad news is, I don't get up early. The good news is, the wind makes me strong. Very, very strong. Sometimes angry, but always strong.

[dlolide]

I live in Texas too, and the winds lately totally suck. I avoid it as much as I can as well, I am a very small person who doesn't weigh much, so I get blown around a lot.
However, the wind does make you stronger eventually, and as everyone else said, just think positive things while riding.
I used to say to myself when riding, how much the winds sucks, why me?, but I changed my attitude and now say "the wind is my friend, the wind will not beat me, I will win, I will be stronger". I know I might seem crazy but it works for me. You should try it too! Think of how much stronger you will be and when there is no wind, how you will pass people around you because you have trained with your best friend "the wind".

[Biciclista]

I joined my bike club for a 2 day set of rides. On day one, we had to ride 18 miles (from town A to town B) into a headwind. At the end of that ride, i hurt so badly that i didn't ride the next day.
Another ride, my DH was on a tandem with my daughter in law. She wasn't feeling good (and was tired of the headwind) but i was determined to stick it out. When she finally gave up, it felt SO good to turn around and head back home (with a tail wind. I was standing and whooping and carrying on, i felt SO good, I was smiling all the way back!
I would hate to live somewhere (like west Texas) where you have so much wind.
In florida, they call that "their hills"

[Becky]

In florida, they call that "their hills"

The difference being that you can coast down a real hill

Give me hills any day....I'm worthless in the wind.

[Tri Girl]

The difference being that you can coast down a real hill

Give me hills any day....I'm worthless in the wind.

+ a billion!!!

[westtexas]

Seriously, it's been blowing a lot out here lately. But seeing two new threads pop up on wind and from this thread, looks like everyone's been having a windy spring.

Sun-Tues of this week the wind was steady at ~ 25 mph and I didn't go out and ride. Yesterday it was a much more manageable level, ~ 5mph and I got in a good 12 mile ride. Today a little more breezy and as soon as it cools off a little more (into the 80s today) I'm going to venture out. I've been sick too with a horrible cough so that certainly hasn't helped.

I'm definitely a hill person. Gives you a goal. You get to the top and you are done with it, and on the way home you can use it to rest. Wind is just relentless, ugh.

[sundial]

Wind can definitely make you feel frustrated. If you can manage an early morning ride the wind is usually calmer before the heat of the day sets in. Also, when it's really, really windy I like to ride in the hills on the backroads where the trees will block most of it.

[Catrin]

I get frustrated when I am in a headwind strong enough that I cannot coast down a hill That is part of the attraction of hills!

[Biciclista]

can't you flat landers get on your bike, ride 40 miles (with a tail wind) and then get someone to pick you up? (that sounds kinda fun!)

[Jiffer]

Drafting, drafting, drafting!!! If at all possible, ride with at least one other person and take turns pulling. You'll recover some while drafting and can take turns bearing the brunt of the wind. The more people the better.

Other than that, get tucked down into the drops if you can. No loose jackets or vests flapping in the wind slowing you down.

Always remember that while it sucks to ride in the wind, it is making you stronger. That windy ride may not go very fast, but others will be even faster than they would have, had you not ever ridden in the wind.

And finally, just make a decision that you're just going to have to deal with the wind. It will suck. But you will do it. And you will be proud of yourself that you did!

I just came home sluggishly slow in the cold wind by myself yesterday after dropping off the group ride. Wasn't feeling so great, but sure would have gone faster had I the energy to stay with them and draft. I feel your pain! We get some crazy wind where I live.

[Geonz]

+1 on the Do Not Look at the Computer. Make your effort level the thing that matters.

A group of us went out for a fairly long ride one day (we do a 'perimeter of the town' thing on Memorial Day or Fourth of July), and three youngsters (under 30 ) had emailed to make sure we weren't going to go too fast for them...

We sailed for a while, then turned, then turnedb ack into the wind. We all started working That Much Harder, for about two miles, at which point I said "here's where we decide how much fun we're going to be having in ten miles. Let's back it off a tad." I backed off to a sustainable effort level.

Turns out one of the people on the ride was planning to do a multi-day tour, and had been worried that she wouldn't be able to ride long distances if it were windy... because before wind had wasted her... because the groups she was with had always revved up the effort.

So it's a choice. You can rev up the effort and it will make you mighty, or you can ride at the same effort level you usually do and it will just take a little longer and still make you mighty, but probably less cranky :-)