zarbog

If I look out the window and the birds are being blown sideways, I just stay inside.

Witterings

Hmmmmmm ... a close call but maybe you're right .... headwind and hills .... nah

rosefarts

I grew up in Cheyenne and I also rode all my life. I'd ride in anything.

I remember screaming at the wind just to express my distaste for it. I've been knocked off my bike a few times by a gust. I have had plenty of close calls with tumbleweeds and grocery bags.

When I moved to a nicer area (that's litereally, anywhere), I enjoyed riding so much more. I currently live in a breezy place and I won't go for rides if it's gusting badly. I used to be tough, now, I like to enjoy myself.

I've definitely noticed that if i start out against the wind, hoping for some real speed on the way home, the wind will shift and I'll have to fight the wind in all directions. There is a moral to that story somewhere.

Notso_fastLane

Yep. I've done the riding down the road yelling at the wind thing.

I spent 8 years in Wichita KS (note I didn't say 'lived'...that ain't living!) and a normal day there has gusts in the 30-35 mph range, with the steady usually a minimum of 12-15. If you didn't ride in the wind, you didn't ride. :/

OldTryGuy

Went out once specifically because winds were gusting 45+mph. Had to cross Tom Adams Bridge over Lemon Bay so I got off and walked. At the top my bike was lifted up. 20+mph not a problem going out to do stand up while pedaling on upright bar hybrid into the wind since no hills are around. We have 2 to 3 mile long straight roads with little traffic so standing into the wind is great exercise maintaining 15/17mph for the distance.

pdlamb

Oh, heck, no! Once you get to the top of a hill you have the downhill to look forward to!

indyfabz

Riding with a strong case of the winds is no fun either, especially if you are in a group.

mr_bill

Four years ago, in this clip the wind is steady 30 mph gusting to 45 mph.

Note the flags at the beginning of the clip.

Note which way I get blown at the Cathedral.

(Out in the plains the wind "only" blows in one direction.)

-mr. bill

99spokes

I used to not let wind influence my decision to ride. Had a close call on Maui HI that forever changed my mind. Not sure what the velocity of the wind was but it moved me 6 feet out into traffic in an instant. Terrifying.

Stay safe!

delbiker1 

Today is a good day for this thread. Here near Bethany Beach, DE. the wind is steady blowing from WNW 25 plus mph, gusts into mid 30's . I am going to get out at some point today. It may even be just the 2 mile circuit of riding the streets in my neighborhood a few times. I am pretty well blocked from WNW wind, except for the 1/2 mile stretch that goes by my house.

Mauriceloridans

For a great pleasure ride I can take whichever city bus carries me farthest upwind and return with a tailwind. I live a mile from the transit station.

bogydave

12boy

The thing about headwinds is you can feel like uphill when going downhill. There is a point, especially when going uphill where it isn't fun any more and you can hurt yourself. As was said above, a stout gust can pick you up and move you over far enough that someone in a car can hurt you. Living in Wyoming I ride in moderate winds, say 20 mph or so but usually in the winter because I am so sick of being indoors I will take the abuse. I agree it's the gusts that make it dangerous.

ramzilla

Florida is pretty flat. So, It's all about the wind my friend. I always start out against the wind so I sail back home. It's damn hard to ride in a 20 mph wind. It's hard to walk in 30 mph winds. Most sane people stay inside if it gets around 40 unless you're tough enough to go to the beach and watch the crazy surf. I've operated motorized vehicles in 80 mph Category 1 Hurricanes a few times. You better hunker down and put the hurricane shutters on once it gets up to 100 mph. Everything is usually OK up to that point. Stuff starts to break when gets over 120. We had a wind speed indicator at Richmond Naval Air Station that broke when it hit 220 during Hurricane Andrew back in 1992. We found small light cars that blew 100 - 200 feet away from where they were parked after that one.

wipekitty

Completely depends. Is it hot? cold? raining? Mild temperatures and some wind gusts are fine - and are actually quite nice conditions in the spring in the upper Midwest!

If the gusts are too bad, I'll try to avoid spending time on ridgetops with crosswinds, and I tend to descend very slowly with high crosswinds. It can also help to get a group together so everyone can take turns pulling into the wind - and with a group, you can really let 'er rip once you hit the tailwind!

Dr.Lou

With wind over 15 mph and or rain, I'll usually find a different form of exercise. There are always exceptions...

canklecat

Yikes! That's why I usually ride rural areas on windy days. Even then I've had a couple of crosswind gusts that blew me toward passing vehicles. Fortunately most drivers out here will give cyclists 10 feet or more of room, even if it puts them head-on into oncoming traffic. Good for us, bad for them and other drivers.

I'll adjust my route to suit the wind. Some of my loops are elongated, so if it's predominantly south or north wind, I'll choose an elongated oval loop with only a short exposure heading east or west. And vice versa for our relatively uncommon days with heavy east or west winds, although my usual loop still exposes me to about a mile of travel north-south. Last time, in February, it was a little too exciting on a highway shoulder with traffic passing at 50-70 mph while the wind was blowing me toward their lane. But when I reviewed my video later it wasn't nearly as close as your experiences in that video.

rumrunn6

there's wind & then there's WIND

dvizz

My regular solo ride is 31 miles with winds coming from the SW. The winds this month have averaged 10-15 mph so I can get a good pace heading out. It's the return loop that makes the ride challenging especially with the fuel your body uses up down near the E level. I guess I would prefer a tail wing heading home.

bargo68 

Last Sunday I rode from Berkeley across the Richmond bridge into San Rafael. The Richmond bridge is 5 1/2 miles long. There was an unrelenting 30MPH wind that I rode directly into the whole way across. I did not top 5 MPH and never got in a gear steeper than 30/26, could not hold a line at all and the wind did not let up much once I touched down.
That ride sucked! I don't know from gale force, but I will not put myself through that again anytime soon.

Rajflyboy

rain & wind = trees fall down

be careful out there

Miele Man

When I want to go for a recreational ride and it's quite windy, if possible I ride into the wind on the way out and with the wind on the way back.

CHeers

Korina

Thought about going out today for a recreational ride; it's sunny and about 50F. The gusty wind is also blowing at 17mph, with a wind chill around 42. No thanks.

fooferdoggie 

I remember one winter when it was about 20 just as I unclipped a huge wind gust blew me over on my unclipped side.

rumrunn6

Wind Map