This wouldn't happen on a Schwinn Varsity

[SlackMan]

Thanks for posting. I got a good laugh out of that, especially given my experience yesterday. My wife called me in the afternoon to say that she was near where I work, that it was crazy windy, and that I should go home with her instead of riding my bike. I took a quick glance at the weather website, saw the winds were mostly tailwinds, and told her I'd be fine. Leaving work, I have to ride through a bike/pedestrian tunnel right next to a huge stadium and other large buildings. Coming up through the tunnel, I hit a wall of wind that brought me literally to a dead stop, almost causing me to fall over. I powered up and out of the tunnel, only to be hit with a fierce cross wind that was blowing my front wheel, making steer into oncoming pedestrians. I was laughing, pulling with all my might to steer away from the pedestrians, but kept being blown toward them (to a look of horror on their faces). Thankfully, I was able to power past before hitting them, or more likely, falling. After getting out of that wind tunnel area, I then had a fine time riding home, cruising for a good part of the way at 30 mph.

[kevinvc]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

I did two decades of annual gorge windsurf trip. Try taking boards off a car when it is 40mph+ wind. First you take board off and put it under car wedged by tire. than you rig sail pointing down wind. then you attach sail to board and do a funny walk dance to the put in. all the while hoping not to hit anyone.

when it is that windy you better have anything loose INSIDE your car put away since as soon as you open the door it blows out.

I loved sailing there. cannot imagine the PITA of riding there on a big day.

You windsurfers are freaking crazy! It's bad enough to want to be on the water in those conditions, but you freaks seem to actually enjoy getting tipped over.

I rode to Crown Point one day and it was so windy, some people were literally crawling because it was so hard to walk. The Vista House had a sign on the door saying they were closed because of the wind. On a later trip I found out they had to close because otherwise the wind might have torn the door off the hinges. We stopped for my buddy to pee and he started laughing hysterically as his stream was flying a good 20'.

Gorge wind aint messing around, yo.

[oldfatslow]

Whatever. Just another winter day in central Texas.


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[joosttx]

Originally Posted by oldfatslow

Whatever. Just another winter day in central Texas.


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You mean west Texas..,

I was riding with Lionel on Mt Diablo Sunday and the winds on top were so strong that Lionel unclipped once because he was being blown off the road. We saw one huge branch get blown off a tree and on our descent a tree had blown down across the road. On top of Diablo I was holding my bike by the stem and the wind caught it and blew the entire bike into the air while I was holding it. Crazy stuff

[Zoodles]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

And there, sir, is a group of truly fit individuals.

I can only imagine the trouble that football players would have walking against such a vicious opponent as the wind.

I don't get the gist of this comment. I assume you think bike racers are all built like Froome and, compared to football players, less athletic or fit? If football means soccer you may have a case. However, I'm guessing you mean American football in which case they would closed the roof/cancelled the game due to wind, no?

Have you ridden in wind strong enough to lift a bike?

[54ny77]

Yes, with friends during a big ride and stopping for Mexican food lunch.

Bad idea, not recommended.

Originally Posted by Zoodles

Have you ridden in wind strong enough to lift a bike?

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by kevinvc

You windsurfers are freaking crazy! It's bad enough to want to be on the water in those conditions, but you freaks seem to actually enjoy getting tipped over.

from the river bank it looks crazy, but OMG you should see the view from being on the swell.

some days it is so big that you can't see over the lip when you are deep in the trough, and guys are flying aerials over your head.

The Gorge is the premier high wind spot in the ConUS. The only place that trumps it is Maui because of the true ocean wave.

I remember when those old 1920's craftsmans facing the river in HR were $30k. Idiot me didn't buy one.

[Seramount]

I hate wind.

it's only good for kites and sailboats...I own neither.

[rustychisel]

Not as scary as descending Ventoux when the mistral is blowing hard... just sayin'

[Ronsonic]

Some of the worst winds I've seen were near downtown St Louis - wind comes off the river and funnels between the buildings building velocity. Once saw a guy on a Harley get slapped to the ground pulling away from a stop light.

Here in Tampa we get some good ones and they shift around a lot. If you're like me you can consistently be heading into the wind both ways on an out an back.