During winter months, we are having more chances of encountering windy days. That is due to the effect that the jet stream has on our weather and so the strength of the wind. For us cyclists, riding on a windy day can be very painful and surely not enjoyable!

But what it is the Jet Stream and how does it affect the weather at a ground level? The UK Met Office writes about it:

“The jet stream is a core of strong winds around 5 to 7 miles above the Earth’s surface, blowing from west to east. The jet stream flows high overhead and causes changes in the wind and pressure at that level. This affects things nearer the surface, such as areas of high and low pressure, and therefore helps shape the weather we see…”

For those who want to learn more about it, here’s a nice video about this phenomenon:

In this article I will be talking about how make friends with the wind and how to best deal with those days where even holding a straight trajectory with the bike can be a tough experience.

Route planning, dress choice and position on the bike are the immediate things one should take into consideration and try to address in order to improve the experience on the bike.

Let’s start from the position on the bike:

• If you are riding into the headwind, you might want to hold a very  compact position to try saving energy and be more aero. Elbows in, heads up and perhaps sitting on the hoods are the most beneficial points to remember. The aerodynamic is the most important thing to take into consideration, so avoid as much as possible to go on the pedals, as you might become a big target for the wind.

• With tail wind you can afford to have a little bit more of a relaxed position. You can sit up a bit, make advantage of that sail effect, and take some strain off from your muscles. Perhaps even to recover from a big effort.

• With side wind you better sit on the drops, assume a strong and rigid position so you can power through properly. Hands steady and with a strong grip on the handlebar: a fundamental part to avoid getting caught off guard from swirling gusts, especially when riding though traffic & buildings. Be prepared to react quickly, always looking a little bit further down on the road for gaps in the edges or fences.

If you happen to see dust of leaves being blown off ahead on the road that means wind will kick very strong there.

It could also be helpful to look for landmarks where there are flags hanging, so we can get a better idea of where the wind is blowing from. Once you have got that in consideration, it will be easier to plan your ride.

What to wear and which bike:

Something else that can improve your sense of safety on the bike while riding on a windy day is what you are wearing and how you wear it. Flappy vests, open jerseys and -generally speaking- baggy clothing can create lots of turbulence that will slow you down and give you a terrible headache.

As well, if you can chose which bike or set of wheel to pick on a windy day, try avoiding the use of deep section rims or equipping your bike with many bags (unless you really need them) as you might facilitate the sail effect, especially on cross wind. With low profile rims 18-35 mm instead of 45-55 there is less surfaces the wind can catch and as a result you will feel more comfortable riding. Deep section rims are surely faster on a flat segment but unless you are racing they won’t give you a pleasant feeling on a windy day.

During windy days, even if you feel tempted to use earplugs, try to be very focused on the traffic to hear in advance if a truck or a car is approaching from the back. A tight or high speed sudden overtake can make you lose the trajectory and the control of your bike.

Ideally you always want to avoid finding yourself pedaling completely against the direction of the wind. It is clever –instead- trying to tackle the gusts a little bit off from their direction. Unless you live in the UK or India or Australia, you will find yourself on the right side of the carriage on any road. For that reason you will be less likely to be exposed to the wind coming from 2 o’clock because eventually you will be sheltered from buildings or side fences. On the other hand, a wind coming from 11 o’clock will affect more your stability on the bike as there is going to be more space on the road for the wind to blow.

If you happen to ride in a group on a windy day you can really take advantage and shelter from the person sitting in front of you. What you really need is to consider if the wind is coming a bit off from left or right in relation to the direction you are riding, and then sit a bit offset behind your friend on the other side. In that case, you will use his-her body to protect you from the wind. Even pro’s are using this technique during races, getting massive advantage and sometimes influencing the result of races. Here in Italy we call this way of riding: “Ventaglio”. In English its “Echelon”.

Route choice:

Last but not less important is the choice of a route. Planning carefully ahead will leave you with fewer things to think about while we are already on the bike, enjoying the time outside much more.

In winter when its cold, I would suggest leaving the windy part of your loop at the end of the ride. In this way you will finish your workout –all sweated-, just in time to arrive to the front of your house, ready for a shower. In summer, however, when cold temperatures are not an issue, my advice is to tackle the part of the ride against the wind at the beginning: that will release a lot of pressure at a mental level, and you’ll be able to enjoy the second part or your ride with the advantage of being pushed by the wind.

In any case, during those days, the safest option will be to avoid riding along open stretches or roads with lots of traffic. Staying away from crowded routes, trying to avoid steep descends and routes trafficked by lorries, (with the danger of a tight overtake) is the best guess.

Always remember to use common sense and give priority to your safety instead of just following the instinct of going out. If you have the equipment why not going on Zwift or a weight session instead?