Wind.

[teigyr]

Despise the wind. If I see tree branches moving, I go to the gym. Hills, you see, have an end. Wind? You'd THINK if you had a headwind and turned around, you would then have a tailwind. NO! It follows me. Honestly, I've been known to raise my fist to the sky and curse the powers that be.

[withm]

Being at sea level we get LOTS of wind. If I ride to work, it's 13 miles due north. The prevailing wind is usually out of the north, so it's 13 miles of headwinds and no where to get out of the wind since I have the ocean on one side and the bay on the other. Typically the wind shifts in the afternoon, so somedays I am treated to headwinds in both directions. Oh joy. Up to 25 mph is ok I guess, but slow. Very slow.

Somebody famous said: "Hills make you strong, but the wind makes you mean." I don't know who said it, but I believe it wholeheartedly.

[Deanna]

If I need to get some miles in, I'll ride as long as I can move forward and not stand still or go backwards. I figure, I'll eventually get the tailwind. It seems like it's always windy these days, if it ever stops I'll probably feel really strong and fast!

[deedolce]

Wind weanie here. I went out once in 30+ mph, and nearly got blown into traffic, and that was the last time for me! I'd rather do something else and live to ride another day.

[Geonz]

OUt here, if you don't ride in the wind, you don't ride.
TOday's "Saunter" ride was in I think 13 mph winds. I've done 20 & 25 and still had a reasonably good time. Couple of SUndays ago I called a ride and rode out there - the prediction was 20-25 mph and I said people could ride behind me - and thought it was pretty hairy in town... and we went 3/4 a mile towards the prairie and I just figured it was too gusty for stability.
Got home and the weather channel said the wind was 45 mph, gusting to 56. Holey Cow!!! I didn't feel like a weenie then...
... My reality criteria is that if I would be embarrassed telling somebody in the ER why I was out riding *voluntarily* in the conditions that put me there, I should go back home. And I"ll ride one of my heavy bikes and not in a group.

[ehirsch83]

so funny, I was thinking just this the other day!
I was out and it was supposed to be headwinds, so I thought no big deal ride 12 miles north in 15+mph ne winds(so gusting in the 20s), turn around and be pushed home!
haha joke was on me, the headwinds changed to crosswinds! So I ended up going nowhere for 25 miles! it took me ages(i think I averaged around 15.5mph) There were definite times when my speed was around 13, and I felt like I was being blown backwards and sideways.
I am not sure when enough is enough, sometimes I look out at the palms just blowing sideways and say no way- not fun! don't want to be blown sideways into traffic, and then other days I am all gung(sp?)ho! for it..

I guess I would rather be riding out into a headwind then a tailwind(always more fun being blown home then vice versa)
Crosswinds above 15mph are just dangerous to me(I don't feel very safe being blown into the street when the cars already want to drive in the bike lane).

Also whoever said the hills make you strong wind makes you mean is right!
I would much rather have climbs, where you can see when it ends over winds where you can't see when it is going to let up.

[Python]

Just checked our weather forecast for the next 10 days. Winds are East-Northeast and anywhere between 10mph and 17mph.

The good news is I've got a tailwind all the way to work

The bad news is, I've got a headwind and uphill all the way home

so I crawl over the doorstep gasping "Coffee...coffee..."