Dealing with wind

[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.