# When is it too windy?



## nuttall1991 (24 Dec 2013)

With all the news about the weather recently, especially the wind, is it safe for cyclists to head out?


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## Peter Armstrong (24 Dec 2013)

Probably when it gets like this..


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## Mo1959 (24 Dec 2013)

nuttall1991 said:


> With all the news about the weather recently, especially the wind, is it safe for cyclists to head out?


Currently around 20mph gusting winds here. As far as I am concerned that is too strong for me to cycle in but I suppose we are all maybe different in what we will risk.


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## SpokeyDokey (24 Dec 2013)

I have a simple test - if I had hair would the wind mess it up? I

If yes then it's too windy to ride.


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## nuttall1991 (24 Dec 2013)

yeah it's 20mph here too (Manchester) so decided to get the bus to work, but walking about it didn't seem all that windy so I'm thinking I should've risked it...


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## ianrauk (24 Dec 2013)

Just have to use your own common sense (and learn a decent death grip of the handlebars  )


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## shouldbeinbed (24 Dec 2013)

its a personal call to make, what strength wind are you happy gritting your teeth and pedalling into married to, if you are on a road, are you happy and confident in your ability to respond to a gust that would blow you under a trucks wheels in the worst case.


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## Julia9054 (24 Dec 2013)

I hate cycling when it is windy. Turns what should be a pleasure into such hard work. 
Different thresholds though for cycling to work (will only take the car as a very last resort) or cycling for fun (if I'm not going to enjoy it, I won't go)
I use the Met Office weather app. Not only does it show wind strength but strength of gusts too.
Think I'll be on the turbo under the Christmas tree watching Wallace and Grommit today!


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## Dave 123 (24 Dec 2013)

I picked my lad up from work yesterday afternoon and stuck his bike in the car. It was too windy, but the main reason is that our ride from cambridge to hardwick takes us up Madingley hill where the most dodgy, spindly 30-40 foot trees grow in the hedge, and quite often fall over.

It is the uncontrollable elements that I'm not keen on. I might just find out who owns the trees in question.


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## GrasB (24 Dec 2013)

When trees start blowing over...


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## DRHysted (24 Dec 2013)

When the windsock couldn't decide what direction the wind was blowing from, and the meter at work was recording gusts over 50mph. To the extent that they were having problems weighing off lorries because they were rocking on the weighbridge (which is mostly sheltered).
I called home for a lift.


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## BrynCP (24 Dec 2013)

According to the Met Office there are currently 20mph SW winds with 35mph gusts.

I am just about to head out and try and break my max distance by 1 mile on a brand new route. My new route avoids a direct SW facing element instead triangulating around it, as I can bear a crosswind more than trying to cycle at it! It's only 23 miles, but I also have no means to fix a puncture so perhaps I am just a fool!


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## HLaB (24 Dec 2013)

I decided it was too windy today; the met forecast of 66mph gusts put me off they've only recorded 54mph so far!


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## BrynCP (24 Dec 2013)

So the wind wasn't too bad.

However, I got a puncture 11 miles in So now I have blistered feet


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## ComedyPilot (24 Dec 2013)

It is only ever too windy until you turn around, then it can never be windy enough.


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## MickeyBlueEyes (24 Dec 2013)

Anything over a constant 25-30mph or 50mph gusts I think is verging on too windy.


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## beanzontoast (24 Dec 2013)

Well, there are fence panels whose dimensional integrity has been well and truly compromised around where we live. That and bins blown over, plastic drain covers mysteriously transported to the other side of the road, inflatable Santa's no longer waving cheerily from atop houses and offices nearby...

That's enough of a clue for me.


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## JoeyB (24 Dec 2013)

Its too windy when you start going backwards.


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## Dusty Bin (24 Dec 2013)

Headwinds and tailwinds are largely irrelevant. Crosswinds are the killers, quite literally. If the crosswind makes it hard for you to hold a line (especially when riding past gaps/gates in hedgerows, then it's too windy.


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## BrynCP (24 Dec 2013)

Dusty Bin said:


> Headwinds and tailwinds are largely irrelevant. Crosswinds are the killers, quite literally. If the crosswind makes it hard for you to hold a line (especially when riding past gaps/gates in hedgerows, then it's too windy.



I find a crosswind easier to deal with? Maybe it's my combined weight but I've never been physically blown to the side. Saying that, I do stick to deserted roads and/or shared paths, so maybe I just don't think about it.

Headwinds make me drop to a snail's pace, literally, and make me question what am I doing when I could be at home in the warmth!


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## sutts (24 Dec 2013)

I was so glad to turn around today after 12 miles in the direct headwind! I think I broke the land-speed record on the way back.


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## ayceejay (24 Dec 2013)

I think that is lovely but when it happens the other way round it sutts. Have you ever been unaware of the wind but super aware of your fitness and the ease of attaining speed only to turn a corner and meet reality? Me too.


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## 50000tears (24 Dec 2013)

Dusty Bin said:


> Headwinds and tailwinds are largely irrelevant. Crosswinds are the killers, quite literally. If the crosswind makes it hard for you to hold a line (especially when riding past gaps/gates in hedgerows, then it's too windy.



Agree 100%. Couple weeks back with 20-25mph+ wind and by far the worst part was once I hit the highest point of the route and had what is normally a 30-40mph decent. This day I was reduced by the cross/head wind to just over 20mph and was getting blown towards the curb when it gusted. I took the lane as I would do anyway on that decent. Still don't know whether the motorist beeping behind me half way down before overtaking me was just letting me know he was there or expecting me to move over. Was glad when I got to the bottom though.

Generally speaking though I am happy in winds of that strength but will take more care not to go to such exposed areas in strong winds again.


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## sutts (24 Dec 2013)

ayceejay said:


> I think that is lovely but when it happens the other way round it sutts. Have you ever been unaware of the wind but super aware of your fitness and the ease of attaining speed only to turn a corner and meet reality? Me too.



Lol, oh yes! I really hate those days when the wind seems to come from every direction too!


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## snorri (24 Dec 2013)

While more weight may make the bike less likely to be affected by side winds, there tends to be a relationship between weight and windage and it's the windage that causes the instability in side winds, I think. The only time that I have found myself lying in a ditch with my bike beside me due to a side gust I was in touring mode with four panniers and more luggage on my rack.


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## Exile (25 Dec 2013)

Today was too windy for me to ride for fun. We had winds gusting regularly between 30 and 40 mph, and even reached near 50mph, which is just too strong for a fat 'un like me to be cycling it (I present quite a lot of 'surface area' ). I would probably brave winds like today for urgent things like groceries, appointments and such like, but leisure cycling is right out. Still, there were a few riders out on the MTB trails locally, so at least a few people were happy to be out in it.

The main problem with strong winds, and especially the stronger gusts, is the crosswind. As others have mentioned, a crosswind from a side road or between hedges/wall can send you off course very quick and leave you in a really nasty situation. I've been blown almost out of my lane before now, and it's not nice on a quiet road, let alone anything else. As horrible as riding into a headwind can be, and as much as we can moan about it, it's not going to blow you into traffic or off the road.


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## KateK (31 Dec 2013)

Hmm, went out yesterday with winds round 20 mph and much stronger gusts. First hour was definitely a bit taxing, crosswinds through hedge openings and from passing lorries. I kept to quieter roads, definitely not the weather to be driving with traffic shooting past. Had to divert up a hill to avoid floods. Managed to avoid coming off on 3 inch high gravel from field run off. Right after the bottom of a hill too. Should have remembered it from last week, but was pedalling along thinking. Now Where was that large patch of uneven....whoa...oo..ooo...oooo..


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