HOW WINDY IS TOO WINDY? Can a rider get blown over? Have you?

[Mikebike125]

I went riding where we had a head wind of about 15mph and gusts at 35+mph. My friend and I got stopped dead in our tracks and stayed up balancing about 5 seconds until the wind let up. We were on a century ride and really couldn't turn back as we were 80 miles into it.

 

[Lazarus-g]

Hi Ric moved yet ?

If you can remember me we rode for a few miles around Cowbridge awhile ago, (had to go home when the wife called )

Still back to the topic, I thought I'd post the obligatory Welsh hill post, it has to be riding over the Black Mountains only a few weeks ago whilst coming back home from the club weekend away. Kept on getting blown across the road , thankfully there wasn't much traffic and managed not to ride headfirst into a car then decided to lean into the wind to counteract it's effects but the only drawback was when the wind dropped I proceeded to fly off the other side of the road and onto the grass.

Took the wise decision to go down the hill at the same speed I went up it and lived to tell the tell.

 

[jerrek]

[It is very windy where i live (victoria Australia). If the wind is to high and you have to ride and steer to go straight. Its not worth it if you are going to have side winds. I have seen people blown completely off the road or from one side to the other. Riding in the group is especially dangerous.
I now call these windy days - rest days. 1 day off the bike won't kill me.

 

[HowardSteele]

well its not known as the Cape of Storms for nothing we have two predominant winds SE and NW both building to gale force on occassion.
We try and cycle along the sheltered side of the mountain but inevatably you will round the bend into the teeth of the blow.Ive seen a mate and his son get side swiped by the gust and litrally get blown over,Much to our amusement and their foul language.

 

[carpediemracing]

Story 1 - Back in the day before deep dish wheels, I went out on a dual disk setup - 24" front, 700c rear, Nishiki TT bike. It wasn't that windy, maybe 10-15 mph, but when I rode between two buildings, the gust of wind from the alley was enough to push me across 1/2 of the relatively busy street. I was lucky not to hit anything. I rode about 4 mph back to my dorm and swapped out the front wheel before going back out.

Story 2 - I went to Coconut Grove - Miami area - FL to do a race there (Hincapie was supposed to be there and a teammate's parents lived there). But Hurricane George showed up and the race was cancelled. People were boarding up windows etc. I could only bring one pair of wheels and as I thought the race would be fast, I had my two TriSpokes (Specialized back then, HED now). I coaxed my two friends to go out on a ride in the 50+ mph winds. We managed to get south to Key Biscayne, crawling into the viscious headwind (mostly in a 39x21). But when we turned around... wow. I told my friends I had to do a sprint to see how fast I could go. I managed to maintain about 60 mph for a minute (a mile). I passed someone who was driving on the highway next to me and they pulled level with me as I started to blow up. I think they were more excited than I was! So much fun. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to ride another hurricane since.

In windy race (crit or circuit races) conditions, I still use either a TriSpoke or a Reynolds Carbon DV front wheel. Since I don't see sustained 50 mph speeds typical in road races, the deep rimmed wheels aren't a problem. It used to be that an Araya "aero" rim, about 28mm tall, was considered sketchy in windy conditions. Now a 50mm rim is not unusual. The way to get aclimated is to train on the same front wheel (I have a clincher TriSpoke front I got just for this reason - but no Reynolds training wheel). I don't train outside a lot now due to work but I feel comfortable using deep dish wheels up to about 30+ mph winds. I just ride a little more aware of the wind and the fact that my front wheel is more vulnerable to moving around.

cdr

 

[Tripped]

Noob Qustion:
How do you work out the speed of wind?

 

[mikesbytes]

Since this thread has turned into a "Tell me your story".

Around 2003, rode over Sydney Harbour bridge in winds that were so strong that I rode in absolute bottom gear not just up the bridge, but down the bridge as well. It wasn't a head wind issue, the wind was swirlling around, with constant changing direction. At the pillars the wind was the worst, you felt like it was going to lift you off the path. Lucky there's sucide restant fencing

 

[Pureshot78]

Since this thread has turned into a "Tell me your story".

Around 2003, rode over Sydney Harbour bridge in winds that were so strong that I rode in absolute bottom gear not just up the bridge, but down the bridge as well. It wasn't a head wind issue, the wind was swirlling around, with constant changing direction. At the pillars the wind was the worst, you felt like it was going to lift you off the path. Lucky there's sucide restant fencing

[size=-1]Crake to undergo surgery in New Zealand
Australian cyclist, Paul Crake, 29, will undergo surgery in New Zealand's Christchurch Hospital on Wednesday after suffering spinal injuries in a crash during Saturday's stage of the Powernet Tour of Southland.

Crake was one of five cyclists blown off the road by a powerful wind gust as they headed into the final two kilometers of the 79 kilometer eighth stage from Te Anau to Lumsden, north of Invercargill. He was taken to Invercargill Hospital by ambulance and on Sunday flown by air ambulance to Christchurch.

Scans have revealed minor fractures to his C1 and C2 cervical vertebrae and dislocations of his T5 and T6 thoracic vertebrae. He also sustained numerous cuts and bruising.

Doctors say it is too early to predict the full impact of his injuries but will operate to stabilize his cervical vertebrae and to pin and secure the T5 and T6 vertebrae.

ACT Cycling Federation President and competitive cyclist, Steve Blair, was by his teammate's side within moments of the crash occurring.

"Two kilometers from the finish of the stage they came down a slight descent and it was just incredibly windy and they were caught by a gust and blown down the bank," said Blair. "Four riders got up but Paul didn't.

"Paul hit his back on a fence post at the bottom and lost consciousness for four or five minutes but when he came around he was quite lucid and all his vitals were good," he said. "The race doctor was on the scene really quickly and did all the right things to immobilize him and get him to hospital.

"Paul is fully aware of his situation and the nature of his injuries and his Mum and Dad are here along with friends to give him all the support he needs as he recovers from the surgery," said Blair.

Crake was a member of the Australian team at the 2004 Road World Championships in Italy, was third in the road race at last year's Australian Open Road Championships and this year placed second on the fourth stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under into Willunga. This season he has raced as a professional in Italy with the Naturina Sapore di Mare team. Crake switched from stair-climbing to cycling in 2002. As a stairclimber he notched up five straight victories in the annual sprint up the 86 flights of stairs (1576 stairs) to the top of New York's Empire State Building between 1999 and 2003 and still holds the record for the fastest ascent of 9mins33secs. - By Cycling Australia[/size]

Emphasis added by me.. these were pros mind you.

 

[Rhubarb]

[size=-1]Crake to undergo surgery in New Zealand
Australian cyclist, Paul Crake, 29, will undergo surgery in New Zealand's Christchurch Hospital on Wednesday after suffering spinal injuries in a crash during Saturday's stage of the Powernet Tour of Southland.

Crake was one of five cyclists blown off the road by a powerful wind gust as they headed into the final two kilometers of the 79 kilometer eighth stage from Te Anau to Lumsden, north of Invercargill. He was taken to Invercargill Hospital by ambulance and on Sunday flown by air ambulance to Christchurch.

Scans have revealed minor fractures to his C1 and C2 cervical vertebrae and dislocations of his T5 and T6 thoracic vertebrae. He also sustained numerous cuts and bruising.

Doctors say it is too early to predict the full impact of his injuries but will operate to stabilize his cervical vertebrae and to pin and secure the T5 and T6 vertebrae.

ACT Cycling Federation President and competitive cyclist, Steve Blair, was by his teammate's side within moments of the crash occurring.

"Two kilometers from the finish of the stage they came down a slight descent and it was just incredibly windy and they were caught by a gust and blown down the bank," said Blair. "Four riders got up but Paul didn't.

"Paul hit his back on a fence post at the bottom and lost consciousness for four or five minutes but when he came around he was quite lucid and all his vitals were good," he said. "The race doctor was on the scene really quickly and did all the right things to immobilize him and get him to hospital.

"Paul is fully aware of his situation and the nature of his injuries and his Mum and Dad are here along with friends to give him all the support he needs as he recovers from the surgery," said Blair.

Crake was a member of the Australian team at the 2004 Road World Championships in Italy, was third in the road race at last year's Australian Open Road Championships and this year placed second on the fourth stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under into Willunga. This season he has raced as a professional in Italy with the Naturina Sapore di Mare team. Crake switched from stair-climbing to cycling in 2002. As a stairclimber he notched up five straight victories in the annual sprint up the 86 flights of stairs (1576 stairs) to the top of New York's Empire State Building between 1999 and 2003 and still holds the record for the fastest ascent of 9mins33secs. - By Cycling Australia[/size]

Emphasis added by me.. these were pros mind you.

I heard on the radio this morning that Paul has currently lost feeling in feet / legs. I hope that they can fix him.

Dreadful news.

 

[fabiosav]

Wow. That is just a terrible story. I hope it works out: if they mention it in Aus keep the thread informed.

 

[jrstevens]

Do you have a max wind speed beyond which you will not go out? I am talking about a blustery, unpredictable wind, not necessarily a steady head/tail. Can a bike/rider be actually blown right over or seriously go out of control? Has this ever happened to you? Normal rims, not TT disks etc….

Yesterday was insane in New York (50mph/80kph gusts) but some were out there. I went out, turned around and hit the trainer…

Wimp or sage?

Happened to me today heading up a hill used commonly for repeats. The wind started coming out of nowhere as I was doing a muscle tension interval only going about 6-8 mph. My front wheel with aero spokes turned as my speed slowed and the wind was so powerful it swiped it out from underneath me and I actually ended up falling into the wind. I instinctively threw my knee out to break the fall and banged it up pretty good. Worse part was as I tried to replace my chain so I could remount and turn back down the hill the wind kept tossing my bike in the air. I imagine I looked quite the fool

 

[carpediemracing]

Wow. That is just a terrible story. I hope it works out: if they mention it in Aus keep the thread informed.

ironic how this question was asked and then the Crake accident occurred.

Initial results say that he will be paralyzed.

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/11210.0.html

Crake's future uncertain
By Agence France Presse
This report filed November 16, 2006
[size=-1]Australian athlete Paul Crake has been left paralyzed after an accident during a cycling race in New Zealand, and may never regain the use of his legs, according to reports released early Friday. [/size]

[size=-1]Crake, whose multiple credits include an Australian road cycling medal, mountain running champion and Empire State Building stair-climbing champion, was seriously injured when he was blown off his bike during the Tour of Southland race last Saturday. [/size]

[size=-1]He has since undergone surgery at a specialist spinal unit but has been unable to move his legs and doctors say the paralysis may be permanent. [/size]

[size=-1]"They're not saying never but I mean it's serious and obviously only time will tell," ACT Cycling Federation president Steve Blair was reported saying in the Southland Times. [/size]

[size=-1]"From the moment he regained consciousness he hasn't been able to feel his legs and it's likely that he won't regain the use of his legs." [/size]

[size=-1]Crake's parents said he was "very alert and aware of his situation". [/size]

[size=-1]"Despite the severity of the accident we are taking a very positive attitude," they said in a statement. [/size]

[size=-1]"Negatives can be turned into positives and that's something Paul certainly has the capacity to do." [/size]

 

[Wurm]

2 days ago, I rode in a 40 MPH-gusting headwind for 30 miles, and reached my destination about 40 minutes before the rainstorm really hit. I was coming back from staying overnight at a family member's house in another town, so I had to do it to get back home. Holding the front end with a 48mm aero wheel when the wind would slam over at an angle was not easy!

 

[hidesertphil]

Just yesterday I was out in Joshua Tree National Park after work where we had a wind advisory. Sustained winds of 20-30 mph with gusts over 45. I loved it, but I wouldn't do it in town around traffic.
On one occation in 2003, I was at 6000ft on the sunrise hiway where to the east was the desert floor thousands of feet below. The wind coming up over the hill was so hard I had to ride in the middle of the road, so when it hit, I would blow across the road but not off the road. No traffic that night either.
Oh, and coming down some mountains near Death Valley.
Anyway, I don't think you are a sage or a wimp. I have an indoor trainer, too. Real convenient.

Do you have a max wind speed beyond which you will not go out? I am talking about a blustery, unpredictable wind, not necessarily a steady head/tail. Can a bike/rider be actually blown right over or seriously go out of control? Has this ever happened to you? Normal rims, not TT disks etc….

Yesterday was insane in New York (50mph/80kph gusts) but some were out there. I went out, turned around and hit the trainer…

Wimp or sage?

 

[531Aussie]

I've never been blown over, but I've had some close calls.

We get some crosswinds that are so strong that I pretty much have to hold the drops on not the hoods.

 

[Aaron H]

Not too sure how windy too windy is but I've been out a few times where I've had to lean into crosswinds to stay upright.

I also used to have (still have) a bad habbit of chasing trucks, and went out one really windy day, riding with a tailwind this truck went past doing about 35mph 'ish so I decided to latch onto the back and ride in it's slipstream, this lasted for ages but it had to end.

What I didn't realise was that I was so cocooned in this huge trucks slipstream that the tailwind I was in had turned to a crosswind, once I left the slipstream all I could remember was it was like someone had grabbed my bars and was violently shaking them, don't know how the hell I stayed upright but that has to rate as one of my scary moments.

 

[J-V]

My wife has been blown over once going uphill on Lookout Mountain (in CO). Me, never, but she only weighs in at about 120.

It's just no fun to ride in strong, gusty and unpredictable winds.

 

[sogood]

What I didn't realise was that I was so cocooned in this huge trucks slipstream that the tailwind I was in had turned to a crosswind, once I left the slipstream all I could remember was it was like someone had grabbed my bars and was violently shaking them, don't know how the hell I stayed upright but that has to rate as one of my scary moments.

Confucious say... Never ride near a truck.

 

[xbgs351]

A few years back a big gust of wind blew my front wheel out from underneath me, resulting in a heavy fall. The rims were deep dished. On standard wheels I doubt that it would have occured.

 

[redbacks]

I yearn for windy days, it's give you such a power workout riding into it. The windier the better i reckon. I live on a road where the wind is almost constantly blowing North. This means I go riding heading south into it. It makes it so easy to fly home with the wind behind you. Around 6pm the gusts are averaging 20-30 km/h. I'd ride 25km to some other little town, which would take me about 50mins to 1hour, then on the way home i'd be back within 45mins. This is just easy pedaling too, 60-70 in a 17-18 tooth.