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Windy riding (no beans were hurt in the making of this thread)

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  • 21-01-2012 1:56pm
    #1
    --amadeus--
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,096 ✭✭✭


    As a novice I dislike the wet but can live with it. I back off, take my time, stay a bit more upright in the turns and I can manage fine.

    But I *hate* the wind. I especially hate gusty crosswinds that seem to manage to slide the bike wheels out from under you. And riding a big fared Varadero with a full screen I might as well just hitch a sail up. I was googling for advice on dealing with this and I came across a really good article called "Dang wind"; it's really American but seemed to have good advice. on it but does anyone else have any advice? Am I the only one who hates the wind?


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    #2
    Please Kill Me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭Please Kill Me


    Yeah, when it's cold you can wrap up. When it's wet you can stick on your WP's. But there's f**k all you can do about wind. Personally I get as low as I can (chin on the tank) and just steer/lean into the wind and punch through it.


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    #3
    Kev.OC
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Kev.OC


    Please Kill Me wrote: »
    Yeah, when it's cold you can wrap up. When it's wet you can stick on your WP's. But there's f**k all you can do about wind. Personally I get as low as I can (chin on the tank) and just steer/lean into the wind and punch through it.

    Alternatively, you can leave the bike at home and take the car. :D

    But if you're caught out on the bike when the wind picks up, like Please Kill Me says, all you can do really is hug the tank and try to minimize the surface the area the wind can hit.


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    #4
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭daenerysstormborn3


    Very windy around these parts today and as I was going around roundabouts I could feel the bike bouncing back against the wind. I tend to just wrap myself around the bike as tight as possible, leave as few gaps for wind to get through, lean into it and just drive as normal.


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    #5
    LookBehindYou
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 994 Mod ✭✭✭✭LookBehindYou


    Lean forward and become part of the paintwork. You need the weight on the front wheel and drive it on in a lower gear, leaving more space in your traffic lane to allow for a bit of wandering. lean towards the wind and antisipate where the wind gets blocked : Buildings, hedges, etc.
    Main thing is to relax.

    In wet, all you need is to be smooth and relax.


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    #6
    BrokenArrows
    Registered Users Posts: 7,500 ✭✭✭BrokenArrows


    Ya i ride a varadero too. My first time in very windy conditions was horrible but you get used to it and you find your own balance for the particular bike you are on.


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    #7
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭daenerysstormborn3


    LookBehindYou wrote: »
    Lean forward and become part of the paintwork. You need the weight on the front wheel and drive it on in a lower gear, leaving more space in your traffic lane to allow for a bit of wandering. lean towards the wind and antisipate where the wind gets blocked : Buildings, hedges, etc.
    Main thing is to relax.

    In wet, all you need is to be smooth and relax.

    +1 on that, very important to keep this in mind.


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    #8
    ogriofa
    Registered Users Posts: 353 ✭✭ogriofa


    I know what you mean. Here's a doosey of a tip for you.... Squeeze your knees into the tank.
    This keeps your arms less tense/rigid. When the wind slams into you just go with it. You aren't gonna beat a 70mph wind (with you doing 50+ yourself)

    That and second/thirding and fourthing the advice above to be very aware big trucks & busses.


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