What's the stongest wind you've ever cycled in

iain_j

Did 30 miles into a ~30mph headwind in Wales a few years back, with lots of hills on the way too. If I'm going directly into the wind I'll keep pushing on as the further I go out, the longer I'll have a tailwind for on the way back

That day, I did indeed have a tailwind for the return leg, but it gave me some grief coming down one of the hills. It was pushing me much faster than I was comfortable with on the descent, I was having to brake hard for the corners and as soon as I released the brakes to get round the corner, I was pushed too fast again.

Best though was during the 2004 Wild Wales Challenge, coming down a lane off the northern flank of Cadair Idris towards the coast, with a fierce headwind, horizontal rain, and the road coated in a gloopy mixture of surface water and sheep sh!t (not to mention the grass and gravel down the middle of the road). I overshot one corner and the grass verge was so wet and gloopy my front wheel just sank into it.

suzyb

The wind is still howling here. Must be at least 24 hours it's been like that

I didn't get much sleep last night because of it and I think it's going to be the same tonight.

itboffin

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

700 7 °C WSW 38 mph 56 mph Very Good
1000 6 °C WSW 35 mph 46 mph Very Good
1300 6 °C W 30 mph 43 mph Good
1600 6 °C W 29 mph 45 mph Very Good
1900 6 °C W 28 mph 41 mph Very Good
Night 2 °C W 26 mph 39 mph Excellent

Good I look forward to my non commute, did I mention I get to choose the start / end

WSW you say?

itboffin

suzyb wrote:

The wind is still howling here. Must be at least 24 hours it's been like that

I didn't get much sleep last night because of it and I think it's going to be the same tonight.

Ear plugs...... I snore :roll:

Kieran_Burns

It's COMPLETELY still here. If there was any smoke, it would be going straight up.

Am I in the eye???? :shock:

iain_j

This morning comes close to the strongest wind I've ridden in. It was howling against the window while I was having my breakfast but when I went out I thought "ah it's not that bad", apart from the rain against my forehead giving me an ice-cream headache.

That was until coming down the hill towards the river - I was getting thrown all over the place - and then the last mile to work, directly into the wind. It was gently downhill but I was struggling to turn bottom gear.

Good fun though :P

greg66_tri_v2.0

Three years ago. A cross wind outside the MI6 building. It drove me from the middle of lane 1, across lane 2 and into the oncoming lanes. Fortunately nothing coming the other way, but there wasn't a thing I could do to stay on line.

Shook me up a bit for a while.

always_tyred

Greg66 wrote:

Three years ago. A cross wind outside the MI6 building. It drove me from the middle of lane 1, across lane 2 and into the oncoming lanes. Fortunately nothing coming the other way, but there wasn't a thing I could do to stay on line.

Shook me up a bit for a while.

Dozy old bu*g*r.

il_principe

Gospel Pass - March 08. Feck that was a bastard, as soon as we got out of the treeline the wind hit us, it was blowing right in our faces - I was standing in 34/11 and barely making headway, I think all 3 of us wanted to dismount but we kept each other moving until we crested the summit. The descent was ridiculously slow as well, we kept thinking - "should have climbed from Hay!" Would have been a rapid ascent. I've never worked so hard on the bike since!.

@Greg66 I hate those fecking crosswinds - I've had a few hairy moments with the deep rims on, not fun - esp on a lightweight bike.

suzyb

itboffin wrote:

suzyb wrote:

The wind is still howling here. Must be at least 24 hours it's been like that

I didn't get much sleep last night because of it and I think it's going to be the same tonight.

Ear plugs...... I snore :roll:

I did eventually.

Woke up this morning and the wind is away. But the snow is back instead

Wonder what odds you would have got for a white christmas and easter.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Il Principe wrote:

@Greg66 I hate those fecking crosswinds - I've had a few hairy moments with the deep rims on, not fun - esp on a lightweight bike.

Yeah - I was on the predecessor of Bike 1. Plenty of surface area for a cross wind to pick up. Like a bloody sail.

Always Tyred wrote:

Dozy old bu*g*r.

Thankyouverymuch.

lost_in_thought

Serves you both right for the pose-y deep rims. :P

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

Serves you both right for the pose-y deep rims. :P

I spy, with my little eye, a single entendre. :twisted:

snailracer

When I lived in the midwestern USA, I rode in winds so strong, it picked rainwater up off the ground and blew it upwards. Shortly after, a tornado came through and flattened the neighbouring street.

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Serves you both right for the pose-y deep rims. :P

I spy, with my little eye, a single entendre. :twisted:

There's a joke in there somewhere, I'm struggling to a) work it out and b) tone it down for BR consumption.

I'm very hungover.