Cycling is an outdoor sport loved by many people around the world. During cycling, we often encounter sunny weather. However, adapting to different weather conditions is an essential skill during the cycling process. For example, strong winds. Encountering strong winds while cycling can bring many challenges to our riding experience, which also increases the difficulty of cycling, such as reduced stability, obstructed visibility, reduced driving speed and so on.
Therefore, when encountering wind during cycling, we need to take some necessary precautions to ensure our own safety and a smooth riding experience.
Reduce Speed
Reducing cycling speed appropriately in windy weather is a wise choice. When the wind speed is high, it is easy to cause greater resistance to cycling, so appropriate deceleration can increase stability and provide better handling ability for bicycles.
At the same time, appropriate deceleration can also increase the response time to the wind to a certain extent, reduce the possibility of accidents, especially in downhill sections, special care should be taken to minimize the impact of wind on cycling to avoid losing control.
Adjust Bicycles
Adjusting the bike appropriately in windy weather can also improve stability. Check and ensure that the tire pressure is moderate and keep the bicycle in good condition. If it is a mountain bike, consider adjusting the suspension system to adapt to different wind conditions. A stable bicycle can alleviate the troubles of riders riding in the wind.
Adjust the Riding Posture
When facing strong winds, we should try our best to reduce the wind resistance of our bodies and minimize the impact of the wind on ourselves. We can improve cycling stability by lowering our heads, bending our elbows, and so on.
Choose the Appropriate Route
In windy weather conditions, choosing a driving route with obstructions is an important safety strategy. People need to avoid choosing the areas that are too exposed to the wind, such as bridges, coastlines, etc.
If possible, try to avoid cycling through high-rise areas as there may be wind gust effect that increase the challenge of cycling. When the wind blows over buildings or other obstacles, the air flow is obstructed and interfered with, forming a wind gust effect.
It may cause higher wind speeds on the leeward and crosswind sides of the building, resulting in strong gusts. In narrow passages between tall buildings or urban canyons, wind speeds may further increase.
Take Note of Wind Direction and Force
Strong winds can bring significant resistance to cycling, especially crosswinds. Crosswind is one of the most common problems during cycling. It has a significant impact on cyclists, making it easy for them to lose balance and affecting their handling of the bike. We should maintain our perception of the wind, adjust our riding posture and speed to reduce the risk to ourselves.
When the crosswind strikes, riders can shift their body's centre of gravity slightly towards the windy side, which can reduce the risk of being blown down by the wind. Keep both hands tightly gripping the handle, and maintain control over the bicycle.
Continuously Observe Weather Conditions
Starting to blow is a type of weather change. Therefore, it is necessary to check the weather forecast in a timely manner and understand the wind conditions in the coming hours. If possible, choose to avoid riding during periods of high wind power, or carefully consider whether to ride in the presence of wind and rain predictions. Do not ride in unsafe weather conditions.
Be Aware of the Surrounding Environment
Strong winds may bring unpredictable conditions to the roads. For instance, it may cause damage or collapse of trees, road signs, or other objects, especially flying objects or branches.
Therefore, it is necessary to remain vigilant and avoid objects that may be affected by wind to prevent accidents from occurring, especially whether there are obstacles on the road surface. If necessary, stop to avoid dangerous areas.
Reasonably Plan Your Itinerary
On windy days, cyclists should plan their itinerary reasonably and avoid prolonged exposure to strong winds as much as possible. Reasonable itinerary planning can ensure that riders have sufficient physical and mental strength during the cycling process, and improve overall cycling safety.
If the wind is too strong and poses significant risks to cycling, riders should be prepared to park in advance. Choose a safe place to park, wait for the wind to weaken or find other means of transportation to replace cycling.
For e-bike users, it is important to pay attention to the battery level. Strong winds will increase the difficulty of cycling, and the battery level can affect whether you have enough power to reach your destination. Therefore, people can plan the rest of cycling route based on the battery level, so that they can find charging devices when needed.
- Biking in Windy Conditions
Speaking of e-bike travel, riding an electric bike on windy days may have some advantages. For instance, electric bicycles are equipped with an electric power assist system, which can provide additional electric power assistance during cycling.
In windy weather, regular cycling may require more physical energy and cycling may become more laborious. Electric power assistance can reduce the burden on cyclists. The electric power assist function of electric bicycles can help riders cope with wind resistance and reduce fatigue.
Generally speaking, electric bicycles are relatively heavier than traditional bicycles, and e-bike conversion kits will also add some weight to regular bicycles, which can more stably resist the influence of strong winds.
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Conclusion
Overall, riding in strong winds requires more caution and attention to ensure safety comes first. Hope everyone can maintain safety, health, and enjoy the wonderful experience of cycling.