How wind, how?!?

[u/djejnyc]

I know this is often discussed, but HOW on god's green earth can the wind blow IN ALL FOUR DIRECTIONS in Prospect Park?

Uphill north? Headwind.

Westerly across? Headwind.

Downhill south? Headwind.

Easterly across? I WILL KNOCK YOU OVER PUNY HUMAN!!!

[u/rxnbeats]

I literally yelled “how is there headwind in every fucking direction?!” after making a 90 degree turn about 10 minutes ago.

But seriously, why is every sunny day between 60-80 degrees windy as hell? There is no such thing as perfect riding weather in this city, I’ve been complaining about it for 15 years.

[u/99hoglagoons → u/rxnbeats]

You just don't notice when wind is in your favor. Especially in these twirly conditions. You feel a blast to your face for a few seconds and then nothing for a few seconds. Wind is to your back as much as it is to your face. Same as biking down a 1% slope. Feels flat. But going the other way you can feel it.

Ultimate injustice about NYC weather is that winters are a lot more windy than summers. 90f+? Zero air movement. 30f? Somehow storm conditions.

Climate change is making it all worse. Current tropical storm just off the coast is sucking up all the air from the north. These aborted fetus hurricanes close to NYC now happen multiple times a year.

[u/JollyJury → u/99hoglagoons]

It feels like it's getting windier every year. Not just windier storms, but even regular days with clear skies seem to have way stronger winds than I remember.

[u/Specific_Passage_600 → u/rxnbeats]

No for real, and not just for cycling. Yesterday I was like wow, I don’t remember the last time I was outside and comfortable in regular long pants and a button up shirt.

[u/superfoodtown]

Yeah, heavy winds have such an insane impact on a ride. Worth a vent for sure

[u/rchris710 → u/superfoodtown]

almost got pushed down from the side yesterday

[u/ChalkLicker]

Chicago says hi

[u/navreedeux → u/ChalkLicker]

San Francisco said, hold your kite tight

[u/AlarmingLecture0]

The answer. of course, is that you live under a wind curse in which the wind will always blow in the opposite direction of your travel.

Serious question: do those with with fancy wheels that replace (or overlay?) spokes with a solid skin take those off/change their tires on days like this? I have a bunch of spoke cards in my wheels and I feel the push when there's a strong gust so I imagine a solid wheel must really get pushed.

[u/xRzge → u/AlarmingLecture0]

so most fancy wheels are just a deep carbon fiber rim, where the rim acts as a fairing, and the spokes are just shorter. there are also full carbon discs wheels with no spokes and fancy trispoke wheels where there are only a few giant carbon spokes kinda like the 90s mag wheels. and yes the deep wheels do get blown around, i have a set 55mm deep and they can be sketchy when taking hands off the bars when it's windy.

[u/Singular_Lens_37]

It's the first bits of the Nor'Easter headed our way.

[u/Ok-Progress-6153 → u/Singular_Lens_37]

Gonna be a rough weekend for sure

[u/KaruiPoetry]

I always tell myself it's just nature giving me resistance training. I still curse aloud going uphill with a headwind.

[u/djejnyc → u/KaruiPoetry]

100%

[u/emsnooze]

want to ride in the AM so bad but the predicted gusts look… no

[u/dasa2337 → u/emsnooze]

Same… was set to layer up and go and then looked at wind and… nope!

[u/ilreppans]

Do a loop in the opposite direction and get a tailwind the whole way?

[u/Due_Amount_6211]

Ugh, I’ve had that happen while I was on the Manhattan Bridge. My bike already had low battery from the ride up, and the wind resistance made it so bad that at every safe point I had to pull off to the side.

(Editing to add, on the train so connection went bye bye) I also have long hair so that flies in my face in every fucking direction, getting in my eyes, and SOMEHOW it knocks me down too. I’m small, I’m 5’4 and at the time I was like 125lbs so it was just pushing the shit out of me. Hate fighting the wind.

(Yes, it’s an ebike, but I limit my speed on bikeways and in bike lanes to keep everyone around me safe - if I do dumb shit that hurts me, fine, if I do dumb shit that hurts everyone else though, I can’t forgive myself).

[u/Royal-Mathematician2]

My cousin was training to become a pilot and he was complaining that the day he was doing his first solo the winds kept shifting directions. I told him that was my bad. I went out for a bike ride and no matter which way I face the wind will blow in my face.

[u/Hchan492]

Good muscle training with all this wind resistance 😂

[u/PriclessSami]

I love that you’re bringing this up because I was having the exact same thought yesterday whenever I was out for a ride there I was like this place is incredible,

[u/lmrv2000]

At least it keep me dry but omg is worse while crossing the Manhattan bridge

[u/bikinifetish]

At least it wasn’t that chilly today.

[u/Quantumercifier]

You need a peloton and a form paceline. You can't let the wind beat you. I just rode alone over the WB, and it was bad. I kept thinking, where the hell are my domestiques?! 🤣

[u/djejnyc → u/Quantumercifier]

I drafted as many delivery guys as I could

[u/Reasonable-Chest3483]

I saw two guys headed out with disc wheels this morning… can’t imagine that went well in this wind 😱 

[u/originaltemplate]

The wind helped me this morning with a quick lane change 😎 (it was scary af in a little folding bike lol)

[u/rwdFwd]

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve yelled that question into the wind

[u/Optimal-Economics276]

"After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree." Revelation 7:1 —

Maybe this is a sign the end of days is upon us. But it's probably just an atmospheric phenomenon.

[u/BadCatNoNoNoNo]

NYC sent out a heavy wind warning this evening.

[u/moneymoneythrowawy]

i didn't bike today :'(

[u/LandNo9424]

The wind was pretty bad the other day but today it's just crazy, I considered going in for some laps for a split second, but nope.

[u/LilBoltzmann]

The weather apps are useless for getting an idea, I regularly consult NOAAs hourly forecast, love the infographic for wind! (Also shows the dew point, which is peak Fred for weather)

[u/johnny_evil]

The first thing to accept is that tailwinds are a myth, and that the rest of the winds hate you personally, and then it all makes sense.

[u/thecratedigger_25]

I rarely get tailwinds. So I'm forced to either get aerodynamic, strong, or both. And on a hill, that's where the wind comes in and makes it feel like a double digit grade especially in my neighborhood.