What's the heaviest wind you will ride in?

Just a question that came to mind with the hurricane through my area
tomorrow. Fortunately, I'm off work, but I wouldn't try riding to work
tomorrow even if we were open, because winds are forecasted to be 35-40 mph
by quitting time. I rode through some fairly windy days last winter. On a
couple of days, I was not even comfortable enough to ride across one
particular bridge with the high gusts. I didn't check the wind speeds for
that day, but I do know we had some wind gusts in the 25-30 mph range some
days last winter. So what is the heaviest wind that you feel
comfortable/safe riding in? And by comfort, I mean able to keep control, as
opposed to how much work you have to do if you're riding into it.

If the wind is steady (like in Kansas), then 25 is OK. If it is gusting
(like in the mountains or coast) 20 would be my max. Maybe less, depending
on traffic.

Ron


"M. Barbee" wrote in message
...
Just a question that came to mind with the hurricane through my area
tomorrow. Fortunately, I'm off work, but I wouldn't try riding to work
tomorrow even if we were open, because winds are forecasted to be 35-40
mph
by quitting time. I rode through some fairly windy days last winter. On
a
couple of days, I was not even comfortable enough to ride across one
particular bridge with the high gusts. I didn't check the wind speeds for
that day, but I do know we had some wind gusts in the 25-30 mph range some
days last winter. So what is the heaviest wind that you feel
comfortable/safe riding in? And by comfort, I mean able to keep control,
as
opposed to how much work you have to do if you're riding into it.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 01:40:38 -0400, "Eric S. Sande" wrote:


In a hurricane all bets are off. I only remember one really
big one in DC met in 1972, I wouldn't recommend riding in a
hurricane under any circumstances. It is absolutely amazing
how much water and wind are present, but it's the airborne
debris and flooding that pose the immediate dangers.

Hey Eric, are you gonna try and make BikeDC on Sat? WABA has decided to soldier on, rain or shine. I'm debating whether or not conditions will be safe enough to warrant a ride in from Fairfax

=-Luigi



--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

"M. Barbee" wrote:

Just a question that came to mind with the hurricane through my area
tomorrow. Fortunately, I'm off work, but I wouldn't try riding to work
tomorrow even if we were open, because winds are forecasted to be 35-40 mph
by quitting time. I rode through some fairly windy days last winter. On a
couple of days, I was not even comfortable enough to ride across one
particular bridge with the high gusts. I didn't check the wind speeds for
that day, but I do know we had some wind gusts in the 25-30 mph range some
days last winter. So what is the heaviest wind that you feel
comfortable/safe riding in? And by comfort, I mean able to keep control, as
opposed to how much work you have to do if you're riding into it.

My wife and I once got caught in a full-blown (pun intended) tropical
storm in southeast Florida. The wind was blowing 40+mph, and was
"interesting". We were on a tandem - I don't think I could have kept
a single bike on the road when the gusts hit. Even the twofer was
getting moved back and forth several feet at the whim of the wind
(it's very unpredictable when the wind is coming around buildings).

It was fun going 40+ mph (64km/h) down A1A with the rain hitting us IN
THE BACK though... ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

So what is the heaviest wind that you feel comfortable/safe riding in?

If it's gusty and I'm on a bridge, in a crosswind, I'd rather not
be there if it's say 20 mph gusting 30. A steady wind is different,
in the open you can compensate for a steady crosswind except that
if you're on the road with cars passing you upwind you get an
instant lull and gust as each car passes.

In the city, as Mark says, the buildings make a big difference in
terms of predictability. I've ridden in conditions of over 30
mph winds here, at that point you start getting airborne debris
like dirt, plastic bags, small tree branches and heavier construction
plastic sheeting which you can't maneuver to avoid in traffic. Trash
cans get blown into the streets.

At 40 mph the size and weight of the debris increases, and
depending on how saturated the ground is you start seeing trees
going down and taking power lines with them.

This kind of excitement is normally reserved for big T-storm
cells and tornados, and is usually associated with more rain
and hail than is, ah, normally the case.

In a hurricane all bets are off. I only remember one really
big one in DC met in 1972, I wouldn't recommend riding in a
hurricane under any circumstances. It is absolutely amazing
how much water and wind are present, but it's the airborne
debris and flooding that pose the immediate dangers.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

I did the Seagull Century (on the Eastern shore of Maryland) back in 1995.
The terrain there is absolutely pancake flat -- in 100 miles you do about
150 vertical feet of climbing. In other words, not a lot of shelter from
the wind.

Anyway, that year there was a hurricane parked off of Virginia Beach (300
miles south or so) on the ride day. The only real "hill" you have to climb
is a small bridge from the mainland over to Assateague Island (and back
again). I literally came to a dead stop on the downhill side of the bridge
while heading to the island. I was straining to turn a 42x28 gear
*downhill*. The wind guages on the island were showing pretty consistent 30
mph winds with gusts into the mid-40s. I saw a lot of people getting blown
over, but my guardian angel was able to keep me upright. It was a lot of
work though -- thankfully there wasn't much traffic as it was impossible to
keep any kind of straight line.

I had visions of a tailwind for the return trip (Assateague Island is about
60 miles in), but the hurricane started moving ashore, so I battled into it
for the last 40 miles as well.

Kevin

"M. Barbee" wrote in message
...
Just a question that came to mind with the hurricane through my area
tomorrow. Fortunately, I'm off work, but I wouldn't try riding to work
tomorrow even if we were open, because winds are forecasted to be 35-40
mph
by quitting time. I rode through some fairly windy days last winter. On
a
couple of days, I was not even comfortable enough to ride across one
particular bridge with the high gusts. I didn't check the wind speeds for
that day, but I do know we had some wind gusts in the 25-30 mph range some
days last winter. So what is the heaviest wind that you feel
comfortable/safe riding in? And by comfort, I mean able to keep control,
as
opposed to how much work you have to do if you're riding into it.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:59:09 GMT, Kevin Furrow
wrote:

I did the Seagull Century (on the Eastern shore of Maryland) back in
1995.
The terrain there is absolutely pancake flat -- in 100 miles you do about
150 vertical feet of climbing. In other words, not a lot of shelter from
the wind.

Anyway, that year there was a hurricane parked off of Virginia Beach (300
miles south or so) on the ride day. The only real "hill" you have to
climb
is a small bridge from the mainland over to Assateague Island (and back
again). I literally came to a dead stop on the downhill side of the
bridge
while heading to the island. I was straining to turn a 42x28 gear
*downhill*. The wind guages on the island were showing pretty consistent
30
mph winds with gusts into the mid-40s. I saw a lot of people getting
blown
over, but my guardian angel was able to keep me upright. It was a lot of
work though -- thankfully there wasn't much traffic as it was impossible
to
keep any kind of straight line.

I had visions of a tailwind for the return trip (Assateague Island is
about
60 miles in), but the hurricane started moving ashore, so I battled into
it
for the last 40 miles as well.

Kevin


I was riding home one time in Arizona and got stuck in a monsoon (a vicious
storm with high winds that may or may not bring rain, lightening, hail,
etc.). There was no rain, but the wind was horrible. I was busting my
butt to ride at 10 mph (if that -- I couldn't see to look down) on
perfectly flat ground.

--
Bob M in CT
Remove 'x.' to reply

In article ,
Mark Hickey wrote:

snip

It was fun going 40+ mph (64km/h) down A1A with the rain hitting us IN
THE BACK though... ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

This is how Floridians train for hills!

You have to watch out for the SnowBirds, - Phoenix too!

HAND

Isabel is comming - 60mph winds

--
"Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness"

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

Hey Eric, are you gonna try and make BikeDC on Sat? WABA has decided to
soldier on, rain or shine. I'm debating whether or not conditions will be
safe enough to warrant a ride in from Fairfax

=-Luigi

The weather should be fine by then -- the rain should hit this afternoon
and tomorrow morning, and that's about it. Road conditions are
something entirely different. Probably major roads will be fine by
then, though.

Peter

When I was a kid I had a chance to ride my Schwinn in a hurricane. It was fun then, but I
wouldn't try it again.

Does anyone think it's funny how Isabel is going to the capital? I can't help but think
that mother nature is coming to punish Bush for his policies on the environment. I hope
she doesn't subscribe to a take-no-prisoners war policy!

Dave