Wind ...

Caroline_ie

Hi All!! Another silly thread from me, but I need your advice.
Ireland is windy ... you'd think I'd be used to it by now but eeeer... No.

Cross winds usually turn my bike into an out of control kite ... How do you guys deal with that?

Drapper

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Hi All!! Another silly thread from me, but I need your advice.
Ireland is windy ... you'd think I'd be used to it by now but eeeer... No.

Cross winds usually turn my bike into an out of control kite ... How do you guys deal with that?

get yourself a gore helium gilet! and the wind is gone far far away! keep your head low in the saddle!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360029180&N=Gore%20Helium%20Gilet

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Cross winds usually turn my bike into an out of control kite ... How do you guys deal with that?

Pray that I don't come off at speed and land in front of a car!

daymobrew

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Cross winds usually turn my bike into an out of control kite ... How do you guys deal with that?

I was coming down from Kippure toward Glencree/Hell Fire Club around 11:30 today. The cross winds were freaking me out - I just slowed down a lot. And the wind was quite nippy - I had the arm warmers on for a bit.

blorg

I know what you mean, I had a fair bit of a crosswind myself up over Sally Gap today. Position is probably a lot of it, I try to get down low in the drops and sort of lean (onlt slightly!) into the wind.

From what I read I get the impression wheels play a big part- I believe certain deep section wheels can be a nightmare in cross-winds but I don't think you would have a problem with your wheels- are they the non-star hub Roval Fusees? They were a wheelset I was considering before I got my DT Swiss ones and IIRC the non-star ones were meant to be quite good in crosswinds.

Caroline_ie

blorg wrote: »

non-star hub Roval Fusees?

Yep! That's what I have.
I'll try the drop technique tomorrow PM when I head back that way again. I am determined to find that waterfall ...

blorg

I should be heading for a spin that way myself tomorrow after lunch- have an all-day horror meeting Tuesday in UK HQ (AKA "the mainland") so have to get something in terminating at Dublin airport around 19:30 ;-)

Victor

Maintain positive pressure when pedalling - don't freewheel. When you are freewheeling you have much less control of the direction the bike is taking. As someone said he loved doing wheelies of the kerb and he loved cycling with no hands, but was rather sore when he realised he couldn't do both at the same time.

If you are on the side of a mountain and there is a stiff breeze - avoid the mountains.

irishmotorist

One thing that I've found on some (short) uphill parts on my daily cycle where I can expect crosswinds, is to get out of the saddle, thereby putting more weight on the front wheel. This seems to practically eliminate the effect of a crosswind for me. This probably isn't much use on a 20 minute climb though.

bobtjustice

Anyone out on the bike today be carefull, I had a wind/cleat induced spill this morning at some lights and that wind is strong as hell today.!
I hate wind hate it hate it hate it.!

daymobrew

Victor wrote: »

Maintain positive pressure when pedalling - don't freewheel. When you are freewheeling you have much less control of the direction the bike is taking.

This helped me on Saturday. Maybe the momentum of moving legs added to counterbalance the cross wind.

ednwireland

i put on loads of weight helped loads cant get up the hills anymore though

dub_skav

ednwireland wrote: »

i put on loads of weight helped loads cant get up the hills anymore though

Me too, I find that weighing over 100kgs means it needs to be a fairly strong wind to shift me. I'm struggling up the hills, but only just

Caroline_ie

I am not sure I like the 'gaining weight option' ... I am actually aiming at climbing more efficiently ... so I guess It can only get worse for me as I am not likely to get any bigger or taller anytime soon ...