Texboy

In my local weather, the wind is about 30mph. Is it okay to ride a bike safety?

10 Wheels

Safe YES. Fun Nope.

Notso_fastLane

It can get a little sketchy at those wind speeds if it's a cross wind, particularly if you're riding with traffic. Semi-trucks, in particular, can briefly block the wind, then when they pass, let it through again. The sudden on/off/on can make you swerve several feet.

If you're prepared, it's not much of a problem, but it does require an extra level of awareness.

I don't mind riding in winds (if I did, I would have never ridden when I lived in KS), but it's one of the situations that I prefer two wheels instead of 3. My velo is much more affected by crosswinds, and the steering is much more twitchy in that situation. 2 Wheels is actually easier to swerve and reduce the actual side to side motion in a crosswind.

I also ride motorcycles, and it's very noticeable on those as well.

jadocs

Depends

Joe Bikerider

This morning at our local airport (Concord CA) they are reporting winds N@20 gusts up to 40. It was pretty hairy out there just now. On the bridge over Treat Blvd I got blown to a stop and walked the rest of the way across. Once I got down to ground level things got better. I was able to continue my ride north to Pleasant Hill grinding along. On my return South I just scooted along. No trees down in my yard so it was a nice morning. My face is definitely wind burned though. Better than sitting at home.

fooferdoggie 

we had gusts upto 60 here in Portland when the fires were out of control. but when we started our ride (on our e tandem) it was about 20 but it got bad fast. we were pelted with plant material and dust. got sideswiped with a super strong side gust that rocked us. it was crazy but kinda fun too.

Joe Bikerider

And speaking of wind, I always check the airport readings because, well, they actually care. The TV weather people are more focused on temperature but I think wind is important too. And on a couple turns this morning I was reminded why the Golden Gate bridge can be so hairy. Riding along with the wind is not a big deal but when you go behind a tower and then come out into the wind again it can be, well hairy. By that I mean a force that needs to be dealt with upon sudden application. I mean like a gust. Anyway, just get out and ride.

rydabent

But I feel that my regular trike is far safer in a cross wind coming from the right. It stay far straighter than a regular bike or recumbent bike. I dont get push out in front of traffic with sudden gusts.

Im just north of you in Nebr, and have the same winds. And yes if we waited for calm winds we would do very little riding. When the winds are above 25 mph I do try to plan a route where there is a cross wind rather than riding into the wind.

Flip Flop Rider

hit it

jadocs

one thousand...two thousand...three thousand...four thousand....check canopy.

sam21fire

25 gusting to 30 on my ride home from work tonight...and wind chill of 8F. Not completely fun but not horrible and not unsafe.

Russ Roth

It was something similar that took out Chris Froome.
I went riding 2 days ago virtually straight into a 20mph wind with occasional gusts for about 11 miles. Maintaining 12mph was not fun and the legs suffered enough with the cold added in that even with the wind behind I couldn't get the final average over 16mph, finished at 15.9. Typically if the wind gets up past 20 I hit the woods, plenty of riding and no wind to make things miserable.

jon c. 

If the weather is warm and the roads are empty, it's a lot of fun. Under a lot of other conditions, not so much.

jaxgtr

We had some pretty strong winds last weekend, I took off on a ride and within the first mile, I was got pushed into the traffic lane, so I decided it would be a trainer day.

10 Wheels

Mine Broke in a 30-35 mph wind

berner

It is not uncommon for some wind gusts, especially so in unstable weather, to be twice the speed of sustained winds. So a 20 MPH wind could have 35 - 40 MPH gusts.

Notso_fastLane

My worst experience with wind was my second ride from Tucson to Phoenix, back in the 90s (old, chromoly frame, no name tires, downtube shifters...) 147 miles, and about 75% of it was into a 15-20 mph headwind. What was usually a 8.5-9 hour ride took nearly 12 hours. I think my average speed was 10-11 mph for most of that ride.

Just about every ride in KS was like that, but I didn't do those kind of distances.

jadocs

I'm surprised you finished that. I would have called a cab.

xroadcharlie

I only ride locally and seldom have to deal with traffic or distances over 10 miles. So from a safety standpoint I'm not terribly concerned. I sometimes ride into a 30 mph wind and find that the right gears make a fine equalizer. Biking close to traffic with strong winds can definitely be a problem, especially with crosswinds. I'd do my best to avoid biking close to traffic in those conditions, Even take another route when possible.

Thanks to a triple 28/38/48T chainring and a 14 - 34T freewheel I can always find a comfortable gear. I'm just not very fast. Had trouble keeping up with a couple of teenage girls LOL.

It seems these comfort bikes with bolt upright seating aren't at their best fighting 30 mph wind. I wonder if it works the other way. When we have a 30 mph tailwind does the bolt upright position offer any advantage over my old drop bar road bike.

EviLDORK

I was part of a group of cyclists caught in a storm with a tornado quite close to us and everyone was able to weather the storm without falling. I like to think that my smartphone will help me avoid storms like that now, but smartphones weren't a thing then.

I think the greatest danger from the wind is getting hit with falling branches or electrocuted by downed power lines. Lots of MUPs are built alongside high voltage power lines.

Climb14er

Typically with sustained winds of 30mph, gusts many times accompany, upwards into the mid 40's. I don't know about the folks who have no problem with the winds, but for me, it puts a lot of stress and some concern riding, or climbing high peaks in these conditions.

rydabent

Again since I come from a windy state, try to plan your route, so that most of it is a cross wind. But even at that with your forward motion, you will still have a crossing head wind. But still that is better than trying to ride 15 mph into a 40 mph head wind.

79pmooney

I used to race sailboats under the Gate. (We knew well that the "Gate" was the "neck" in the wind pipeline where it had to accelerate to get through.) Coming in from the ocean, you would get a blast somewhere under or just past the bridge. From then on, it was the full San Francisco Bay wind. As a spectator, go to hillside on either side of the bay on the bay side or watch from a boat in the bay. Focus on the expensive yachts from southern Cal. Fun to see them wipe out. The locals are quite boring. They have already gone to their heavy spinnakers, are fully prepared, have positioned themselves to be out of the way of sudden right turns and just cruise on through the mayhem.

Korina

Texboy , have you gotten out and ridden?

I didn't last week, when the gusts were over 40mph with an inch of rain. I stayed home and dry; my mama didn't raise no idgits.

Sunwukong

Is it just me, or do the strong cross winds off my regular coastal ride feel like a 30 mph headwind riding out and riding back?