Learning to embrace/love windy days?

[pooneej]

So I returned to riding after a long time away from it. I'm primarily a runner but 2 herniated discs got me back on the bike to do something active since I can't go to fitness center and do elliptical or arc trainer.

Anyway, its cold and windy these days here in NJ. Any suggestions or motivation on how to get out there and suck it up? I skipped today because it was pretty good wind and 42 degrees. Subjective I know but to me that is finger freeze temp (with full fingered gloves- reynauds sydrome here)

[Tickdoc]

Windy here most days. I just judiciously plan my route to either; a) suffer into it first, then reward myself with a tailwind home, or b) plane route with a crosswind as much as possible, or c) don’t ride.

I opted not to ride at all as it was blowing an impressive 36 mph today. That no fun any way you slice it.

Best of luck!

[Macadamia]

Just have to plan what direction you're going. Even if you have a lot in the tank, finishing a ride into a headwind is boring and demoralizing. One of my favorite rides was when a hurricane just missed us, and riding at a near standstill into it, then freewheeling at like 17mph on the way back

[pooneej]

Windy here most days. I just judiciously plan my route to either; a) suffer into it first, then reward myself with a tailwind home, or b) plane route with a crosswind as much as possible, or c) don’t ride.

I opted not to ride at all as it was blowing an impressive 36 mph today. That no fun any way you slice it.

Best of luck!

I have been doing that - headwind on way out then tailwind on way back.
on one leg of that ride a heavy crosswind gust nearly made me lose control of bike. I was grabbing for my water bottle and wasnt expecting it. It was pretty WOW .

But yeah that tailwind - 28mph steady riding almost effortless felt great.

[bigbill]

I'm in NW Arizona, most afternoons are 20+ mph winds year round. The big windmills like it. In the summer we ride early to avoid the heat and beat the wind. I rode yesterday in 25 mph gusts but did multiple laps on a smaller loop. Treated it like an interval.

[Blue Jays]

And opt for the non-aerodynamic wheels on the especially windy days! :)

[dbnm]

Here in Albuquerque, we have wind from January 1 to December 31.

I use it as a training tool.

[Elefantino]

Major windy day today. Brutal block headwind for most of the first half of the ride, nice tailwind for the second half.

I beat a 13-minute Strava segment by 2 minutes because of the tailwind. I'll never touch that on a calm day!

[Andy sti]

Don’t have speed on your computer screen. I think this helps mentally.
My main screen has power, HR, time, and power zone. I don’t care how slow I’m going into the wind.

[AngryScientist]

Hey neighbor, where are you in NJ?

windy days suck.

they literally suck the energy out of you, especially on familiar routes that should be "fast" and you're crawling into a headwind.

dressing properly is the first defense. windblock gloves, vest and cap are key.

after that, as andy mentioned - forget speed. head down. aero as you can get to minimize frontal area and pound it out.

(i'm a runner too, and if it's really windy, i'll definitely run over riding!)

[Spaghetti Legs]

Riding in cold weather (and I’m not hard core about it) is a combination of good clothing and motivation to get out and get past the first mile or two as you’ll warm up after that. Get some of those small hot hand warmers, put one in each palm and that will help fight off the Raynauds spasm.

As far as wind, just route planning as others noted. If it’s really windy, I try to get as much hill climbing as possible riding into the wind since I don’t seem to notice it as much; lotta times the hill will block the wind.

[charliedid]

It's hard for me here in the Windy City. Not many choices unless I want to drive too far. I do not embrace it easily but don't have much choice.

I don't buy the "it's like hill training" because no it isn't.

[Hellgate]

It was windy today in Austin. Yikes! I always check my weather app a begin the ride into the wind. That way I can spin home.

[pooneej]

Hey neighbor, where are you in NJ?

windy days suck.

they literally suck the energy out of you, especially on familiar routes that should be "fast" and you're crawling into a headwind.

dressing properly is the first defense. windblock gloves, vest and cap are key.

after that, as andy mentioned - forget speed. head down. aero as you can get to minimize frontal area and pound it out.

(i'm a runner too, and if it's really windy, i'll definitely run over riding!)

I'm way down south - vineland.

So I'm starting to learn how to dress properly now. With running I know exactly how much / how little to have on for all temps. Riding in anything under 70 degree weather is new to me now so even a 65 degree ride is chilly (for me) and I wear a light windbreaker type jacket with long sleeve polypropylene top under.

That forget speed thing is it. I'm not going to focus on it at all into wind. I'll just go by HR.

Now I'm psyched to get a ride in tomorrow lol. ANother few weeks I hope to be running again but want to keep riding also. This WFH 100% is great for training. I only wish I didnt have the back problem.

[teleguy57]

I play the mind games that I'm in Belgium, and channeling my inner Spartacus, Tomekke, Degenkolb, De Vlaeminck, Phil Gil (or any of your favorite Flandriens-- and yes, I know most of my list are not from Flanders).

It actually works for me; through in a little sleet and I'm even more self-congratulating about being outside when others are not. And yes, the right clothes make it possible.

Riding in anything under 70 degree weather is new to me now so even a 65 degree ride is chilly (for me) .

Wow, here in WI we regularly ride into the teens or 20s F; for me 45F is balmy.... :)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49783090167_29496faf34_c_d.jpg

[Llewellyn]

There's nothing quite as brutal as a morning easterly in Perth. Not much fun but you've just got to get out there and accept that it's windy and suck it up. Works for me.

[Matthew]

At least you don't live on the east side of Lake Michigan! I'm literally a mile off of it. Most days are breezy at a minimum. 60 miles of open water does nothing to slow it down! Went out this morning, upper 30's and gusts over 25mph. I usually got out into the wind, then enjoy the tailwind home. But yeah, cold and windy sucks.

[Monsieur Toast]

I try to ride earlier in the mornings to avoid the wind coming off the Sierra. Usually won't head out any later than 10am unless it's an abnormally calm day. And for those days the wind is going to be an issue I don't even mess with certain rides / loops. Couple zones around here gust so hard they just throw you into traffic which is less than ideal.

[unterhausen]

Right now, I'm mostly riding in the state forest, so the only concern with wind is when it knocks down a tree.

I find that in general, it helps to be fat when riding in the wind.

[teleguy57]

I find that in general, it helps to be fat when riding in the wind.

Dang, you had to give away my real secret weapon.....

:eek:

[sw3759]

after riding in the 40+ mph winds on pikes peak a few years back these 25-30 mph days dont seem as bad.

for super windy days like over 30mph i ride my x01 the 26" wheels and wide mustache bars make it much easier to deal with cross winds than my traditional road bike

this may sound strange to some but my the most essential part of dealing with windy days are my foam ear plugs.been using these for 25+ years and it really helps me deal with unrelenting wind much better mentally.ymmv

[commandcomm]

We get our fair share of wind in Oklahoma.

I have been on rides when I started where I was not paying attention to the wind direction. Turns out it was at my back and I was feeling great like wow I am flying. Then I turned around and said on crap.

[biker72]

Always into the wind to start. Tailwind helps me get home faster when I'm tired. It's time to go home if the crosswind gets so bad you start to loose control.

[unterhausen]

I have been on rides when I started where I was not paying attention to the wind direction. Turns out it was at my back and I was feeling great like wow I am flying. Then I turned around and said on crap.I live in a valley, and the wind almost always comes from the southwest. If it's windy, that's the direction I head out. I have gotten 5 miles from home and thought I was feeling really good that day and about 15 seconds later I realize it's because I have a tailwind. Although there is a place west of here where the mountains cause the wind to double back, so it's tricky.

[choke]

At least you don't live in Wyoming...

http://cycle.ciocctoo.com/wws.jpg

[madsciencenow]

Don’t have speed on your computer screen. I think this helps mentally.
My main screen has power, HR, time, and power zone. I don’t care how slow I’m going into the wind.


Solid advice. Ignore speed and focus on power.

Beyond this I get low on the bike and convince myself I like it. If I’m in the drops or in a low position on hoods I feel it less than sitting up and getting hammered. Duh, but every little bit helps.


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[bigbill]

I play the mind games that I'm in Belgium, and channeling my inner Spartacus, Tomekke, Degenkolb, De Vlaeminck, Phil Gil (or any of your favorite Flandriens-- and yes, I know most of my list are not from Flanders).

It actually works for me; through in a little sleet and I'm even more self-congratulating about being outside when others are not. And yes, the right clothes make it possible.



Wow, here in WI we regularly ride into the teens or 20s F; for me 45F is balmy.... :)

When I was up in your hood in 2015, I only brought one long sleeve jersey because it was May. I wore it most days. Made it easy to decline offers to move to corporate in Neenah. Now I'm in NW AZ and it was 42 this morning but next week we start getting warmer with 80 during the day and 50's at night. Not Phoenix hot, we're at 4000 feet.

[bikerambler]

The wind today was brutal, almost felt crushed.
1697997049
Felt like I was pulling a ball & chain…
1697997050

[zap]

I love wind. Just hunker down with back flat and tt it.

Now that we are riding the tandem lots in this C19 era, my wife knows that windy day's=sufferfest+.

Cold. Not so much these day's.