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Technique question - How to deal with crosswinds?

by robdymondpittman
Wed, Aug 05, 2015 15:43
9

Back home in Newfoundland for the summer, and coming up against some crazy wind. 45kph-75kph is a typical day along the coast. I'm not in the position to update my bike setup at the moment, but are there any technique tips you could offer to avoid being blown off the road? I mostly find it a problem when moving at higher speeds (eg. descending).

Thanks in advance!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
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crouch onto the frame, clamp the top bar between your thighs, and lean towards where the wind is coming from.

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fukawitribe replied to Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
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Judge dreadful wrote:

crouch onto the frame, clamp the top bar between your thighs, and lean towards where the wind is coming from.

..that way you'll be close to your bike when you get blown off the road (or under a rig and you won't care then) 3

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CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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Frankly those speeds are unsafe. I was went out once when the wind whipped up. My pace was super slow, but more worryingly I was nearly blown into a ditch and few moment later nearly blown under the wheels of a truck. Stay at home, there is no safe foolproof technique with wind that strong

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fukawitribe replied to CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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CXR94Di2 wrote:

Frankly those speeds are unsafe. I was went out once when the wind whipped up. My pace was super slow, but more worryingly I was nearly blown into a ditch and few moment later nearly blown under the wheels of a truck. Stay at home, there is no safe foolproof technique with wind that strong

This. Most of that range is gale or near gale, and you're not going to able to dictate what happens regardless of equipment - especially if it's gusty. If practical, i'd say get/get on the turbo, grab an ANT+ dongle and speed sensor and maybe sign up to the Zwift beta - go chasing real people on an imaginary island for an hour or two or join some of the race nights.. very enjoyable, very addictive, very hard to go slow on for long 1

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pants | 8 years ago
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Burgers.

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giff77 | 8 years ago
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Much the same as 2 Wheeled. If you have deep rim wheels swap them out. I got caught out one year due to not paying attention to the weather forecast. Came off a 12 hour night shift and straight into a storm. Fortunately it was a steel fixed wheel I was using but had deep rim wheels due to my thinking they looked cool. Until the first blast of crosswind that is. Have swapped them out for a pair of standard rims. Nice and stable now.

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2 Wheeled Idiot | 8 years ago
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Don't sit up and put on a gilet whilst riding past a gap in the hedge 20
Just stay as low and aero as possible whilst still in full control of the bike, lean instead of steer to account for the wind and that's about all you can do I think.

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bikebot | 8 years ago
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You need to encourage more friends and family to ride, so as to provide a windbreak.

Also see rules #5 & #9

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foot_loose | 8 years ago
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If its too windy, stay at home!

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