Wind Speed - Whats safe?

triban

Hi All,

i'm quite new to road cycling, and eager to get out there but it's pretty windy right now, 20mph + according to the weather report. This seems high to me, especially as i notice the wind a whole lot more on the bike than i do if walking.

Does anyone have an opinion on what wind speeds are just to high to ride in, considering cross winds and being blown into traffic etc!

thanks for your tips!

Htron

I fear the sudden gusts. Unpredictable gusts are dangerous where a constant steady wind is less dangerous I feel.

pride4ever

I dont go out on windy or blustery days. Just not enjoyable and dangerous. I'd say anything over 18mph is windy.

Crouching Peeky

The headwind in this morning was not fun at all. If the wind isn't going the same direction tonight i.e. a tailwind home, I will be writing a strongly worded letter to god asking him wtf he is playing at.

My commute is 23kms (Romford to the City) and I average 22-24kph over the entire journey. I couldnt get it above 17 this morning. Thighs still burning now. This is going to be a hard week I think.

Bobbinogs

Whilst I do keep tabs on wind speed (and will try to avoid anything over ~20mph), the bigger worry for me is, as per above, gusting winds since they make bike handling so unpredictable.

I went out for a spin last week and midway through a fast descent got caught in a strong gusting cross wind...scared the live out of me!

Best thing to do in a strong wind though is get the biggest chap in the club to sit on the front and then everyone else resist the temptation to take a turn. Think of it as helping him to lose weight whilst you get some benefit

marcusjb

Bobbinogs wrote:

Best thing to do in a strong wind though is get the biggest chap in the club to sit on the front and then everyone else resist the temptation to take a turn. Think of it as helping him to lose weight whilst you get some benefit

+1

Besides, a little lad like me (60kg) becomes pretty much useless on the front if the wind's really up. So, yep, unless you're a big strong rider, embrace your inner wheel-sucker, find the biggest, strongest rider you can and sit in! I'm more than happy to take my turn any normal day - but there comes a point with the wind where just pure horsepower is the only requirement and us littler riders will rarely have enough to be of any great use.

Anyway, as per others, it's the gusts that can catch you out and can easily push you across the road (watch out for gates or gaps in hedgerows etc. as there is a point where you may catch a sudden gust from the side). Can be very scary if you're not expecting it.

Wheel choices make a difference as well - windy days are not so good if you're running hugely deep rims! (take note urban hispters with your purple 80mm deep section rims!!!).

It can often be harder in urban conditions with wind chanelling down the road between buildings etc. - tends to speed the wind up and lead to more 'swirly' gusts.

'Safe' is hard to define - use your common sense - if they are prediciting trees being felled etc., then probably best to stay in. Other than that, use your noodle and look ahead for signs of really gusty sections (what are branches on trees doing etc.).

triban

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

i tend to be a bit over cautious, so i figured i was being a wimp!

But there are some strong gusts blowing atm, so i think i'll hit the rollers instead!

slowbike

pride4ever wrote:

I dont go out on windy or blustery days. Just not enjoyable and dangerous. I'd say anything over 18mph is windy.

I wouldn't put an absolute figure down for "windy" as it'll depend on your experience and where you're riding.

18mph in the countryside may not be too bad - but the same in a built up area can see winds accelerating between buildings and creating very strong gusts ...

I quite often find myself commuting back into 18-20mph slight cross winds but the only time it's been dodgy (for me) was a ~40mph wind - that was a struggle (and the max wind I've been out in that i'm aware of!) but I know the road well and it's not a long journey - although it did wipe >25% off my speed on the final straight (head on wind) ..

So for the OP - 20mph wind and still new to your bike - I'd be cautious, if you're really keen then a short & slow ride around local roads and see how you get on (worst case you can get off and walk) - it'll give you experience and next time you'll feel better about going out in the same wind.

ianbar

its too windy today for me, as much as we all love cycling i feel its dangerous when too windy and not enjoyable.think its pretty windy all week but today should be the worst of it (yorkshire).

Mikey23

It's been very windy here in Cornwall for the last few days and looks to continue. I have cut out one of my routes which is a trunk road, ie fast impatient traffic and goes past a wind farm with a strong cross wind. Would be reckless to ride that to say the least. What I tend to do in adverse conditions is do local loops and do them at a reduced speed. That way you get a chance to wimp out. Boring I know but I have developed a route of ten, thirteen or seventeen miles which I can repeat as necessary and it keeps me busy until better weather appears

sungod

if *you* don't feel comfortable and safe in the wind, then it's too windy

things like the weight of you+bike, the road conditions and terrain make a difference too - i'll ride my commute happily in winds that i wouldn't risk if i were facing fast descents

elderone

Went out today and on the out leg was sunny and breezy but not to bad.On the way home it turned vicious and the head wind and cross winds were horrible.Then hail stones in the face was like being poked with needles,so ended up wet,cold and drained.Wind is no fun.

Mikey23

But the satisfaction of a tough ride done

chrisaonabike

When I started three months ago, gusts scared me. Now that my handling has improved, I don't notice them so much. I think you just get used to it, and instinctively correct as you feel the gust arrive.

Not sure I fancy hail in the face though.

Edit... blimey, it's almost four months! On Weds!!

dynamicbrick

There's an element of reading the road involved - watching fallen leaves/rubbish being blown around, that sort of thing, and know the direction of the prevailing wind relative to your direction and route.

Down here in Brighton, 95% of the time the prevailing is from the east - so on really windy days (i.e. most of them) it's just a case of deciding whether I want to start or finish the ride with the wind. Round the corners of the tall Regency buildings it can be a bit dodgy, but if you're prepared for the sudden blast it's usually not a problem.

I won't ride if it's gusting over 45mph, as that's the point it gets seriously iffy and you're just as likely to be hit by flying rubbish as blown off the bike.

It's also no fun at all into that sort of headwind - chin on the stem, smallest frontal area possible, 7mph if you're lucky, sand-blasted and odd sensation of having a freezing front and a boiling back. Then there's the joy of having a 30mph+ wind behind you when you turn; you boil over having suddenly lost the cooling headwind, and I get the most incredible cramp in my calf muscles.

However, there's much fun to be had effortlessly overtaking the cars doing 30mph whilst sat up and freewheeling

wishitwasallflat

I have often wondered the same thing and to date the worst I've been out in was 20mph with gusts 30-45mph and it was only really hairy when crossing a bridge (Tees in Boro) - it took work to control the bike getting blown into traffic! The rest of the time it was just head down, low gear and try to keep cadence up. I think 20mph and 40mph gusts will be my limit from now on but its personal - I reckon I'm ok cause I'm fat and ride a relatively heavy bike - a light weight on a light bike would probably need to be mare cautious.

Mikey23

http://www.cyclingbrussels.be/?p=387

This is probably a little too windy!

MattC59

Htron wrote:

I fear the sudden gusts. Unpredictable gusts are dangerous where a constant steady wind is less dangerous I feel.

+1
Even worse, gaps in hedges. You shelter for a bit behind the hedgerow, relax, then get blown across the road when you pass a gate !

Crankbrother

If it's too windy to reach down and a drink from your bottle then it's too windy to ride ... sadly you need to get out on your bike to test the theory ...

marcusjb

Mikey23 wrote:

http://www.cyclingbrussels.be/?p=387

This is probably a little too windy!

Ha! The poor kid who can't even get on his bike. Awesome.

Yeah, I would probably stay at home on that day. Though from what I understand from Dutch riders, you need to reevaluate your definitions of windy over there.

Great video (poor music)!

Mikey23

Yup the music is pretty pants and doesn't improve with age... Love that vid though, took me a while to rediscover it when I saw this thread

slowmart

Bend your elbows, keeping your arms, shoulders and grip relaxed.

Any side gusts will still hit but won't transfer to such a degree to your steering.

As for headwinds, nothing other than hard work!

Rigged

As others say, headwinds can be soul destroying, tailwinds can make you feel like Bradley WIggins, but a crosswind can be outright dangerous.

Upwards of 15mph I think twice about whether I go out, although I have once ridden in 30mph winds that had me genuinely worried. I won't be doing that again in a hurry!

Most of my riding is along country lines which is great for the low traffic but it means in high winds every entrance to a field and drive you pass you get buffeted by a gust of wind. Even knowing it's coming there's little I can do to prevent swerving momentarily in moderate winds. I certain wouldn't want to ride in those conditions where I'm sharing the roads with cars!