Wind

sarajoy
sarajoy Posts: 1,675
edited April 2009 in Commuting chat
OK, so it seems kind of blustery today. And going home yesterday was rather harder than usual in places.

BUT if you look on the weather forecast, what numbers do you look for - at what wind speed would you start to think "Ack, that's going to be a hard ride."?

15MPH? 20? I don't really have a reference point...

Obviously I know it depends which direction it's planning to blow in, but even a strong tailwind can be disconcerting.

I'm not about to plan my rides on the weather forecast, as it's generally wrong, but it'd be nice to be prepared...
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Comments

  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    sarajoy wrote:
    OK, so it seems kind of blustery today. And going home yesterday was rather harder than usual in places.

    BUT if you look on the weather forecast, what numbers do you look for - at what wind speed would you start to think "Ack, that's going to be a hard ride."?

    15MPH? 20? I don't really have a reference point...

    Obviously I know it depends which direction it's planning to blow in, but even a strong tailwind can be disconcerting.

    I'm not about to plan my rides on the weather forecast, as it's generally wrong, but it'd be nice to be prepared...

    Try these too together they're usually on the mark

    wind speed etc http://www.xcweather.co.uk/
    general weather reports for your area http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/tod ... de=Bristol
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
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  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    And I could just have looked up the Beaufort Scale, doh!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale
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  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    It does me no good whichever way the wind is blowing my location relative to the many hills and that fact that all my routes these days are loops means I will end up riding into the wind, I used to plan my rides based on current wind reports but 99% of the time the wind has changed by the time I get out or half way so I end up riding a headwind the whole way :twisted:

    I have never lived in such a windy place as Wiltshire it's really beginning to fuck me off now :twisted: :roll:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I just look at how far the trees are bowing.
    FCN 2-4.

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  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    So it looks like 20MPH and upwards is when it gets hard-going. Hmm.
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  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    In terms of wind strength being a problem the answer is: it depends.
    Depending on fitness some will barely notice a 10mph headwind but it will put others above threshold and turn them into a jibbering wreck.

    I remember early last year, when I wasn't that fit, hurling vituperations into a headwind going up sawyers hill in RP. Got fitter, haven't noticed similar headwinds in quite the same way since.

    Blustery side winds are the worst for me.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
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  • flamite
    flamite Posts: 269
    had a great tag team towing session yesterday eve on embankment, we kinda agreed at parliament sq to help eachother out and just went for it, scalping the rest of the peleton as a pair, wish i could find a towing buddy like that every time theres a b!tch of a wind...
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    Don't worry about it. Once you get into a mindset of worrying about the weather, you'll go out thinking its going to be awful. And it will be.

    As G66 said, "wind schmind" :)
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  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Is it me or is the wind direction the wrong way round at the moment?

    I'm sure that most of my rides used to be a slight headwind in the morning and slight tailwind in the evening. But at the moment it's either headwind both ways or the other way round to normal.
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  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    flamite wrote:
    had a great tag team towing session yesterday eve on embankment, we kinda agreed at parliament sq to help eachother out and just went for it, scalping the rest of the peloton as a pair, wish i could find a towing buddy like that every time theres a b!tch of a wind...
    1930-1945 or so? One red top, black 3/4s the other with tribars and a half-hearted hi-viz vesty thing?
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
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  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    Tailwind? What's a tailwind?

    I look at the trees. Not so helpful in winter, but don't tend to let weather disrupt my commute unless it's heaving down for the morning run. If it's blowing branches off trees I'll drive purely for safety reasons. Even a gentle headwind can make it seem like hard work. A lot depends on frame of mind. Cycling into a 20MPH wind is going to be very hard work for pretty much anyone.
  • jeepie
    jeepie Posts: 497
    If the wind mph is projected to be over 16mph I ride my hybrid. I have to ride through very open countryside and over 16mph worry about being blown about in very fast moving traffic so I ride my hybrid....Another reason why commuting on a hybrid is the best choice ;)
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Another good trick to do in the wind is fast exposed down hill sections with a loose headset, that'll put hairs on your chest :shock: :roll:

    Really helps if your brakes are old and have the stopping power of cheese :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • flamite
    flamite Posts: 269
    JonGinge wrote:
    flamite wrote:
    had a great tag team towing session yesterday eve on embankment, we kinda agreed at parliament sq to help eachother out and just went for it, scalping the rest of the peloton as a pair, wish i could find a towing buddy like that every time theres a b!tch of a wind...
    1930-1945 or so? One red top, black 3/4s the other with tribars and a half-hearted hi-viz vesty thing?

    No, more like 1830, yellow 80s bike and an aussie...
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Jamey wrote:
    Is it me or is the wind direction the wrong way round at the moment?

    I'm sure that most of my rides used to be a slight headwind in the morning and slight tailwind in the evening. But at the moment it's either headwind both ways or the other way round to normal.

    Absolutely - I've noticed that as well.

    Usually it would be a headwind home and a tailwind in - which is the standard westerly, now it's completely opposite... which frankly is fine by me as the wind is generally lighter in the morning
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  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    flamite wrote:
    JonGinge wrote:
    flamite wrote:
    had a great tag team towing session yesterday eve on embankment, we kinda agreed at parliament sq to help eachother out and just went for it, scalping the rest of the peloton as a pair, wish i could find a towing buddy like that every time theres a b!tch of a wind...
    1930-1945 or so? One red top, black 3/4s the other with tribars and a half-hearted hi-viz vesty thing?

    No, more like 1830, yellow 80s bike and an aussie...
    :) Just checking. See SCR thread.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Jamey wrote:
    Is it me or is the wind direction the wrong way round at the moment?

    I'm sure that most of my rides used to be a slight headwind in the morning and slight tailwind in the evening. But at the moment it's either headwind both ways or the other way round to normal.
    Oh dear. This means that the gulf stream has shifted. And you thought this winter was bad.
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Wind just saps your energy - especially on a fixie!

    My rule of thumb, is if I would not row in it, I would not ride in it - to stop rowing out of my club the wind has to be above 23mph......
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I just played 2 hours of "put jumper on, take jumper off" - tiz an annoying and boring game.

    Grrrr bloody wind :twisted:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    gtvlusso wrote:
    Wind just saps your energy - especially on a fixie!

    My rule of thumb, is if I would not row in it, I would not ride in it - to stop rowing out of my club the wind has to be above 23mph......

    Do you just go by wind speed or water state? Because 23 mph with the flow is not nearly as bad as 23 mph against the flow.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

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  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    it's more to do with turning and boat swamping, not to mention wind against flow can be very bad as you can get waves, on the thames, if you get the tide going out and the stream against the wind, then you can get some seriously bad conditions.
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  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    It just interested me that someone would say 23mph as though that was a definite limit for that stretch of water, where as when I rowed we would assess the water state and base our "go / no go" on that. We lost our number once surfing under Hammersmith Bridge and were then held at the course start for 2.5 hrs while the officials waited for it to calm down. That should have been a no go from the start.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    So how many rowers or ex-rowers are there on this forum?

    Feltup,
    gtvlusso,
    Always Tyred,
    me... (putting the first A into ARA)
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  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    jimmypippa wrote:
    So how many rowers or ex-rowers are there on this forum?

    Feltup,
    gtvlusso,
    Always Tyred,
    me... (putting the first A into ARA)
    Well I say "row", in the sense that there are two oars, a sliding seat and I daren't look where I'm going.

    Can't imagine rowing in some of the weather I cycle in.

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