This past week I had the opportunity to ride across Texas to El Paso and into New Mexico. On the way home I experienced 35 MPH cross winds. That got me thinking about how folks handle winds.
I did a little google searching and there were many different strategies with differing results from putting a knee out as far as possible on the side the wind is coming from, to shifting in the seat to move the weight towards the wind.
The problem with these strategies is what happens if the wind is suddenly blocked by an overpass or a semi-truck.
For me the answer was pretty simple. Focus as far down the road as you can and counter steer. It only took very slight inputs to keep the bike tracking down the road. Of course I sometimes felt like a sailboat heeling in the wind. I also accelerated as I passed semi-trucks and prepared for the blast I would feel as I passed the front.
What works for you?
I did a little google searching and there were many different strategies with differing results from putting a knee out as far as possible on the side the wind is coming from, to shifting in the seat to move the weight towards the wind.
The problem with these strategies is what happens if the wind is suddenly blocked by an overpass or a semi-truck.
For me the answer was pretty simple. Focus as far down the road as you can and counter steer. It only took very slight inputs to keep the bike tracking down the road. Of course I sometimes felt like a sailboat heeling in the wind. I also accelerated as I passed semi-trucks and prepared for the blast I would feel as I passed the front.
What works for you?
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