Severe weather warning.

[SixPotBelly]

Had planned a 150km ride out for a cup of coffee today. Just getting ready and had a final refresh of the Met Office site to check what time the rain's coming and found they've only gone and issued a Severe Weather Warning, albeit on the lowest rung of their 3-step scale of panic. Seems an abnormally strong jetstream is blowing a couple of active systems our way this afternoon. Might get a bit on the windy side, apparently.

Do I cut short my ride, or man up and obey rule 9? The forecaster say the afternoon's gales are will be southerlies turning south-westerlies. I'll be heading out north east so will be riding straight into them on the way home. No chance of any freak half-respectable Strava times from them, then. Might be good practice for the Fens on Sunday, though

Anyone else planning a ride this afternoon? Going to rethink or just get your head down and get on with it?

[okgo]

Just plan a route that is either head or tail wind rather than lots of cross. Be fine.

[tobinen]

Yes, I'd say rules 5 and 9 definitely apply. Should see some decent top speeds with that tailwind

[SixPotBelly]

okgo - Thanks. Sounds like a plan. I'm not running deep section wheels, or aero anything for that matter, so I'll be less effected than some.

tobinen - No tail wind! It'll be dead calm on the way out, but with gale force headwinds brewing up just in time for the leg home. Proof will be my times on Strava

[burriana]

Change your route. First rule of route planning; come back WITH the wind!

[PeteB0]

+1

Grew up in East Anglia; always, always come back with the wind

[WinstonWolf]

You can't outwit the Fen winds

[SixPotBelly]

If only going the other way were an option. I'm starting from the northern boundary of London. To go the other way would be to ride into the metropolis. 30 miles of bumper to bumper traffic before I popped out the other side.

[Steve vRS]

Bit of a cross wind for me on the ride home but I may bother a few segments!

[47p2]

I cycled the 3 Pistes Sportive yesterday, of the 1000 cyclists who had paid for the event only 549 actually tuned up and attempted it. the wind gusts were so strong they blew me across the road, headwinds reduced my speed to 2.8mph and the sleet and snow ensured we were kept cool climbing all 9,500 of elevation. Descending at 47mph and being blown across the road is not fun, leg cramp whilst climbing The Lecht is not fun, 2.8mph into a headwind is not fun, 7.5 hours in the saddle is not fun. Just sometimes we as cyclists have to MTFU and get on with it

[JEA1K]

Was on a very windy 54 mile road race yesterday ... a 2 mile straight with a headwind which slowed the bunch to 14 - 18mph but the 2 mile straight with the tailwind saw me almost spinning out on a compact 50/11 on the flat! You just gotta work with the wind and plan/adjust your route accordingly .... just pisses me off on the days when you get the 360 degree Yorkshire wind.

[SteveSteveson]

JEA1K said:

Was on a very windy 54 mile road race yesterday ... a 2 mile straight with a headwind which slowed the bunch to 14 - 18mph but the 2 mile straight with the tailwind saw me almost spinning out on a compact 50/11 on the flat! You just gotta work with the wind and plan/adjust your route accordingly .... just pisses me off on the days when you get the 360 degree Yorkshire wind.

Matches the Yorkshire hills that go up in both directions

I'm glad I got my in to the wind bit done this morning. 16 miles with 10-15 mile head wind, no problem. Got a few PD's where the wind dropped.

Hope is going to be... interesting. Almost all of it with a 30 plus tail wind. I just hope the rain stays light. Not so much peddle powered as wind powered.

Um... actually, that doesn't read as well as it did in my head...

[SixPotBelly]

SixPotBelly said:

If only going the other way were an option. I'm starting from the northern boundary of London. To go the other way would be to ride into the metropolis. 30 miles of bumper to bumper traffic before I popped out the other side.

If only finding the keys to the unlock the bike lock had been an option. Three hours it took until I finally remembered what I'd done with them. That's the morning wasted, then.

[S10GTA]

SixPotBelly said:

SixPotBelly said:

If only going the other way were an option. I'm starting from the northern boundary of London. To go the other way would be to ride into the metropolis. 30 miles of bumper to bumper traffic before I popped out the other side.

If only finding the keys to the unlock the bike lock had been an option. Three hours it took until I finally remembered what I'd done with them. That's the morning wasted, then.

Good excuse

[SixPotBelly]

S10GTA said:

Good excuse

I've a book full, but this one was genuine.

The one about my dog eating my homework may have been embellished though.

[Roger Irrelevant]

I did my first century of the year about six weeks ago ago; 50 miles straight out to the coast at Flamborough with a howling tailwind meant almost 25mph average on the way there without really trying all that hard. The way back though - christ almighty - on some hills I swear I was using lower gears going down than I had going up them earlier in the day. So it was a right bugger, but if the purpose of the ride is for training (and not 'just for fun') I actually quite like doing it that way - if I'd set out into that wind I may well have turned round after an hour, but as it was I had no choice but to knuckle down for 3 hours + of hard graft. That ride definitely stood me in good stead for the Fred Whitton a few weeks later.

[marky911]

It's fine out there. I've just done 37 miles around Worcester in the wind and rain. It was like a summers day compared to what we get up in Northumberland.

[okgo]

Rode home into the headwind, it was pretty strong actually. Not that enjoyable getting crap blown in your face. Didn't help I was on my single speed either really. Still managed to teach some mamils a lesson in Richmond Park mind you