The Answer is Riding in the Wind

Apologies this week to Bob Dylan, it was so windy it blew the froth off my post ride coffee!


Ever since I was a kid riding a mile (1.6km) to school, the wind has been my nemesis.  I'm almost paranoid to the point I swear it's been following me around all these years.  From post ride coffee, to campfires, to bike rides, rattling bedroom windows and swirling around high rise office blocks, it's almost always there.  Our family home was north of the school so in the summer mornings we would usually get a light push to school and a howling furnace like blast to ride home into.  

Beach Road, Melbourne's most popular cycling destination is a classic example, where riders starting from the CBD cruising down thinking how fast am I and cursing all the way back. Or occasionally you get hit with a wind change which rarely goes your way.

We've all been there, heading out on a ride into a light breeze only to find ourselves having to push home into a horrendous head wind.  I've occasionally used the excuse and heard the excuse it's too windy to ride, so I've given some thought on how to best counter my nemesis and still enjoy the ride.
  • Head for the nearby hills where the wind is likely to be less of a factor and you'll have your mind taken off the wind by the greater challenge of the climbs
  • Pick a ride with a cross wind instead.  My favourite in Melbourne is to ride west out towards Williamstown and Altona
  • Ride into the wind on the first leg of your journey so you get the tough part out of the way while you're still fresh
  • Map out a square ride which has a bit of every direction in it
  • Find new rides via Strava, guide books and other local websites
  • Ride bike paths with lots of twists and turns and large noise shielding walls offer some protection from the wind such as Melbourne's Capital City, Gardiners Creek or Koonung Trails 
  • Go to a spin class or set up the wind trainer
  • Move house so you can get that hard part out of the way first, okay a little impractical but something no serious cyclist should ever discount

 For those times you can't avoid the wind 
  • Keep low on the bike, take a turn out front and share the workload with other riders
  • Concentrate on a steady cadence of 90+ RPM and lower the expectation of going fast
  • Pace yourself on the flat with a tail wind and make the most of it when you're homeward bound. 
  • Ride at a sustainable pace, that is don't spend your petrol tickets too early or you'll run out and trust me it will be an even longer ride home
  • Use your hands to make a protective barrier around your coffee so you don't lose any
What are your tips for riding in the wind?

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