Ah Yes, Riding in a Crosswind
My customers ask me all the time about riding in a crosswind. I figured this would be a good way to address the issue. While most of the tips and techniques are intuitive, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First of all, be sure to give yourself room. Ride in the center lane, but if it’s a tight two lane road, ride on the center right portion of your lane to give yourself some breathing room from the oncoming traffic. Calculate how much the wind is pushing you around and make adjustments from there. Look at the tops of trees to try to predict if there are gusts ahead. When you do encounter a gust, don’t slow down immediately, as that makes you more unsteady. Keep that pace, then slow down after the gust if needed. Ride at a speed you are comfortable with.
Be prepared to take a break and get a cup of coffee. Short, powerful gusts tend to be very unpredictable, and the higher the wind speed and stronger the gusts the more dangerous the riding. When it’s too dangerous, take a breather.
Most of the time, when the wind is knocking your bike around people tend to overgrip. Lean a tad forward as well and drop your shoulders slightly, to lessen your profile. Of course, you need to hold on tighter, but not letting the bike get knocked around a little may make you an easier target for the wind, since you are too stiff. On the other hand, you do need to countersteer. It may take a bit of time to find the right balance of relaxation and aggression.
And finally, wind can make a sunny day very, very cold. We’ve got tons of windproof jackets and gear to not only keep you safe, but warm.
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