Worst ride yesterday.

[Tz779]

I rode a very satisfying ride Tues, four laps of a five-mile loop.
I went out yesterday, warmer, 63F, but wind was a bit strong. It took me forty minutes to complete two laps! The headwind seemed to follow me every direction. Lately it has been gusty, not like SF(!), but spun thru those bits of road.

Yesterday, it just broke my spirit.

[zap]

You have to have positive thoughts when it comes to wind. Presenting a smaller self helps much.

[gone]

I try to practice what I call "the Zen of the wind".

You don't fight it, you take what it gives you. If that's 8 MPH, it's 8 MPH.

Pushing hard into the wind, the wind wins. Every time.

[Tickdoc]

Uggh. Lots of wind here and I have been on a few rides that just demoralize you.

The worst is going out into the wind so you get that payback on the ride home, and a front comes through switching the wind so you get to enjoy it on the way back too.

[Seramount]

we've had a few weeks of breezy, windy, gusty weather. has made it difficult getting motivated to ride.

last week there were cold north winds 18 mph with gusts to 31...and from a direction that meant grinding directly into it.

my solution was to take the day off from the bike.

today, winds are 1 mph, gusting to 3...I can deal with that.

[Spaghetti Legs]

When I lived in Memphis, the wind was an everyday challenge (West Tennessee Hills I called it) but I got used to riding in it. Now, living in the Blue Ridge, the hills and winding roads make brutal headwinds a rarity. I'll take a long climb over a headwind any day.

[Andy sti]

I was on the trainer for 2 hours - your ride sounds better. Wind is wind, can’t beat it. I find not looking at speed helps. If you have a power meter a watt is a watt so going slow into a headwind at 200 watts (or whatever) is totally fine. Just don’t look at your speed, that can be demoralizing.

[b33]

Wind. On a "loop" it's gonna work against you 330 degrees and work with you on 30 degrees.

I loathe it myself, but do what it commands.

[fiamme red]

Better a ride with 30 mph headwinds (provided that the winds don't put you in danger) than anything on a trainer.

[bigbill]

In NW Arizona the predominate wind 8-9 months of the year is from the southwest at 15-20 mph. The rest of the year the wind is from the northeast at about the same speed. I ride past wind turbines. In the warm months (SW wind), I leave early before the wind build and head southwest so I get a push home. I have gravel routes to the north for the cooler months. I ignore the wind on the MTB. >20 mph, trainer.

[benb]

You didn't crash, you didn't get hurt, the temps weren't freezing, it wasn't raining or snowing, sounds like you didn't get road chemicals all over your bike, sounds like no one flipped you off or tried to run you off the road.

So look on the bright side.. the wind is not the worst thing that could happen. I'd love to go for the ride you got right now.

[ERK55]

Well c’mon up to NY state where in a still day in January your riding speed of 15-20 mph will give you an effective wind chill of 15-20 deg F, if not lower.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by benb

You didn't crash, you didn't get hurt, the temps weren't freezing, it wasn't raining or snowing, sounds like you didn't get road chemicals all over your bike, sounds like no one flipped you off or tried to run you off the road.

So look on the bright side.. the wind is not the worst thing that could happen. I'd love to go for the ride you got right now.

This. Need a Like button.

I live near a large body of water. At some points I ride on a road close to and parallel to the water. A couple of months a go I was making a loop in a residential area which is at the end of a peninsula. Going out the peninsula wasn't bad, as I was inshore a bit and protected by houses and trees. When I took the left to make the return trip (parallel and next to the water) I could see 2-3 foot waves with whitecaps. "This is gonna be ugly," I said to myself. I was right.

It was still a good ride.

And when the weather gets warmer there are usually fewer such days. I think of times like that as putting out effort as if I were going up a hill, but still riding on flat road.

Maybe a couple of shots of that whiskey, bourbon, or whatever will help. AFTER the ride, of course.

[Dave]

I rode a little yesterday, but the cross winds were dangerous. I tried several different roads and finally gave up with only 16 miles. That's why I don't own deep profile carbon wheels. Gusty winds can suddenly pick up and spoil a ride.

[Clean39T]

We've all been there.

Wind be like:



And I be like: