When is the wind too strong?

[Aggie_Ama]

I am looking at my window today at sunshine, clear skies and WIND!! It is sustaining speeds of 28 mph and gusting over 40 mph. When we rode with gusting to 30 mph I felt very unstable. When is it too strong for you?

[Geonz]

Depends on which bike I"m riding, and whether the winds are steady or gusty, and whether they're cross winds.

Around 30 I figure that even with my heavier bike and my heavy butt, there will be debris a-flyin'. Basically over 20 I'm likely to make it a relatively short ride, though there have been *fun* exceptions. There's nothing like going 20 miles into a stiff wind to really get you in shape, even if you end up resting three or four times in between... it's interval training au naturel!

[Velobambina]

I rode in 50mph gusts on Thursday, and I wouldn't recommend it. It was the first day in more than a week that I could get outside for a ride (serious sleet/snow accumulations made it unsafe--I finally could easily navigate around the remaining ice bergs on the trail). Back to the wind, it was awful and I was almost blown over by crosswinds a few times. I was also pelted by debris every so often. On the other hand, it was an excellent strength workout (physical and mental toughness) and it was a good test of my balance. I was just so happy to be riding outside again, too.

[divingbiker]

I commuted home Thursday in the same 50 mph gusts as Velobambina, and it wasn't fun. It didn't seem exceptionally dangerous, but it was exhausting, especially since I was riding into sustained 25-30 mph+ headwinds. I didn't ride my bike to work yesterday when the winds were just as strong but the temperature was about 15 degrees colder.

I'd say about 20 mph is the highest I'd venture out into willingly for recreational riding. But when it's time to go home from work, just about anything is doable.

[mimitabby]

I'd say anything strong enough to move your bike to where you didn't plan it to be is too much wind because it could push you in front of a car.

I can't imagine riding in 40mph or 50 mph winds, I rode once in 25 mph gusts and it was scary enough.

[Aggie_Ama]

Well size the wind was sparking out of control grass fires, I wasn't going out. They have a lot of the roads we ride closed. We went for a very short mountain bike ride north of the fire area.

[crazycanuck]

Can I be a smart &&&...I wouldn't ride if I saw Dorothy & toto fly past....

I'll move along before someone thwacks me..

C

[Eden]

I'd say anything strong enough to move your bike to where you didn't plan it to be is too much wind because it could push you in front of a car.

I can't imagine riding in 40mph or 50 mph winds, I rode once in 25 mph gusts and it was scary enough.

hmmm might keep me off the road too often if I followed that rule..... Not that I get moved a very far usually, but even little wind gusts can push me around. Tomorrow I'll be doing my first ever ride with a disc wheel (a TT) and I must admit I am a little nervous about wind.

[Bad JuJu]

Can I be a smart &&&...I wouldn't ride if I saw Dorothy & toto fly past....

My friend and I went for a ride on one of those days once, CC, and I could hear in my head that music from when Dorothy sees the witch ride by her window in the storm.

We knew it was going to be bad coming home when we flew up a hill that's usually a somewhat of a struggle for both of us. That was something like a 25mph wind, and it was plenty for me.

[spokewench]

I live in Flagstaff. If I didn't ride in the wind I would not ride!

Our Spring and our Fall and part of our Summer - oh, and our winters are windy!

Spring especially. So I ride cause I have to in the wind. I've been in some really strong gusts - once when I first got my really light Giant TCR with radially spoked aero wheels, I got blown from the middle of hte road (yes I was riding on the double yellow cause the wind was so strong.) It (Cross Wind of all Cross-winds) blew me all the way to the edge of the road in one spot where I don't even want to guess what the mph wind gusts were. They were steady at 45-50 so the gust was like being in a tornado!

I don't recommend it - it was really scarey

[annie]

It is the gusts that are the most scary!! Especially if it's a crosswind. I will face a headwind of 20-30 mph and be ok. It's tough, but I feel safe enough. When it's gusts of 30 or more, and a crosswind, then I don't think it's safe out on the road. Too easy to get blown into traffic. I'd rather go off-road, in the trees and be protected from the wind.

Annie

[TsPoet]

It's official, I'm a wimp.
You guys are my windy heroes, I'll just cheer you on.

[BeeLady]

OK OK - weather predicts 10 mph winds tommorrow and I was considering putting off my ride but after seeing the posts from you dedicated cyclists I realize I can't wimp out. I had a bad wind experience some months ago and really rode way past my comfort zone. Don't want to do that again for awhile.

It use to be hills - but hills have a downside where I can recover if needed. Hills are my friend now. But wind, depending on my relation to it, can just go on and on and on and wear me out. I'll remember the wind tunnel comparison next time (tomorrow?) and just be glad I'm not being billed by the minute for my headwind.

[cosc]

The wind in SD probably averages 20 or so. The road bike I bought last summer seems to blow around too much in a crosswind. Mabe my thicker spokes and v-shaped rims contribute to this problem. Anyone have any experience with how rims and spoke can affect handling of a bike.

[violette]

If I'm peddling forward but am going backwards, it's a sign to park the bike!

Another Smart$#@ !!