How do you deal with the wind?

[DarcyInOregon]

I got blown off my bike last November by a strong side gust and ended up with a fractured rib cage, a punctured deflated lung and a serious concussion. The lesson I learned is that the wind can be dangerous, and when it is too gusty, I do my workout at the gym. I don't even pay any attention to the weather reports; I look at how the tree limbs are whipping about, and if there is a lot of whip and to-and-fro motions, I stay off the bike.

I also know of cyclists who were blown off their bikes by a combination of the strong wind and the wind blast from a passing semi.

It isn't the strong steady wind that comes from a consistent direction that is difficult and dangerous, but the unpredictable varying winds that blow gusts of varying speeds from multiple directions, depending upon the contours of the land, incoming storm systems, and overhead air pressures.

Even with the strong steady winds, going into a strong headwind doesn't give me a quality of ride. I have to gear down just to keep up a momentum, and my heart rate goes down, and I am going so slow I figure I might as well be at the gym, or out walking, hiking or jogging at the college track.

However, sometimes going into a strong headwind does have a reward, and that is when I am out solo and I pass a male cyclist or two who are even slower than I am.

[sundial]

Where I ride the flats, it's very open with big skies and few trees to block the wind. (Think Kansas!) When it gets really gusty I lower my center of gravity and shift to a slightly easier gear and just keep going. By the 3rd cycling season you will probably be used to the windy conditions.

If it's windier than what you are comfortable riding in, look for a quiet country road that is lined with trees. That will cut down on the wind tunnel effect.

[malkin]

I agree that wind makes me stronger, but only up to the point where it makes me miserable or puts me in danger. Then I just don't ride.

We have those microburst-tornado conditions and sometimes I've been scared when I'm in my house! If I were out on a bike in that kind of wind, I'd get off and hide out for a while.

[Melalvai]

I give myself a little more space. I ride at least 18" (about one arm's length) from the edge of the usable roadway. I almost said I "usually" ride 18", but actually I give myself more space for all sorts of reasons, including strong gusts. So I'm probably more than 18" more often than not.

[VeloVT]

Relax, put your nose down and go. When it's really windy, I'll usually get down low in the drops, slide forward a hair on the saddle, and pull everything in (knees and elbows, and keep my torso low). Then stop looking at your speed -- pick your desired level of exertion and base your gearing on that. Don't work harder to fight the wind.

[marni]

We have those microburst-tornado conditions and sometimes I've been scared when I'm in my house! If I were out on a bike in that kind of wind, I'd get off and hide out for a while.[/QUOTE]

We get those around here only it's usually lightning and thunder then wind and then rain pouring down like a faucet turned on full hitting a plate. These can come up out of an almost cloudless sky in about five minutes. Many is the ride where I have spent a portion of it crouching in a ditch along the side of the road with my bike in a ditch on the other side.

Best piece of advice I have had recently about riding in the wind, especially in a straight head or side wind is to " ride stiff, low and narrow" meaning make yourself work just a bit harder in a comfortable pace, keep your center of gravity low in the aerobars or drops, and keep everything tucked in close to your body." Although nothing can change the actuality of having to ride in the wind, this seems to help. So does just accepting that you are going to ride in the wind and won't be making any land speed records but then I am the sort of person who isn't going to let a bit of wind stop me.marni

[nscrbug]

Heck, at 150-something pounds, I don't consider myself a small woman at all...but even I have managed to get pushed around on the bike with just a 20-25mph wind gust. I hate the wind, but since it's an almost daily occurrence here...I've learned to deal with it. I agree with the other ladies that recommend pushing a slightly harder gear for more stability. I will also go into my drops, when faced with a fierce headwind...makes me a bit more aero.

[malkin]

... " ride stiff, low and narrow"...

Hunker down!

After watching Levi Leipheimer at the Tour of Utah, Brewer said, "He rides like a component..." Think of yourself as part of the bike. A small and aerodynamic part of the bike.

[Catrin]

Hunker down!

After watching Levi Leipheimer at the Tour of Utah, Brewer said, "He rides like a component..." Think of yourself as part of the bike. A small and aerodynamic part of the bike.

hmmmm wondering how to do this in a very upright position...

[Roadtrip]

hmmmm wondering how to do this in a very upright position...

HA. I was just thinking the same thing. I'm very upright and while I have enough weight on my frame to hold the bike down, I'm still like a big sail on top the bike and the wind is brutal and wants to move me around.

Have loads of power in my legs, but the gas tank is quite small at this point-- something I'm working on tho-- working on more miles and adding hills.

Shannon