Newbe question..How much wind is too much wind

[jojoxie]

I live in a place where wind is a fact of life. I've just come home from a lunch time ride in gusty 16mph winds. My limit is around 20mph after which I ride my recumbent t*ike instead of the unicycle. I find it easier to uni into the wind rather than against, is this normal?

At what wind speed do you time served experienced uni riders draw the line?

Cheers,
Joseph.

[Tirving]

Originally Posted by jojoxie

I live in a place where wind is a fact of life. I've just come home from a lunch time ride in gusty 16mph winds. My limit is around 20mph after which I ride my recumbent t*ike instead of the unicycle. I find it easier to uni into the wind rather than against, is this normal?

At what wind speed do you time served experienced uni riders draw the line?

Cheers,
Joseph.

Wait.......what???
I speak for myself but can assume many on this forum uni for fun; why let the wind ruin it?

[Tak]

Originally Posted by jojoxie

I live in a place where wind is a fact of life.

+1. I just ride anyway. If the wind is strong and gusting, I might miss a few mounts, but no big deal.

[tholub]

Originally Posted by jojoxie

I live in a place where wind is a fact of life. I've just come home from a lunch time ride in gusty 16mph winds. My limit is around 20mph after which I ride my recumbent t*ike instead of the unicycle. I find it easier to uni into the wind rather than against, is this normal?

At what wind speed do you time served experienced uni riders draw the line?

Cheers,
Joseph.

The marathon race at UNICON XV had some of the craziest winds ever ridden. At the mouth of the harbor they were over 50mph. I was stopped in my tracks more than once, but never came off.

Two years ago at Moab the wind on the ridge top was even stronger than that. It was nearly strong enough to move a unicycle laying on the ground; if you picked the unicycle up, it would float. It was also a cross-wind, which is harder to deal with than direct head or tail winds. I didn't find it rideable.

[Klaus]

Originally Posted by jojoxie

I find it easier to uni into the wind rather than against, is this normal?

At what wind speed do you time served experienced uni riders draw the line?

I don't consider myself an experienced rider, but I ride much better with tailwind than headwind. (Isn't "into the wind" and "against" the same thing? )

But I don't like too much wind - so I try find find shelter in the forest on windy days.

[jojoxie]

Originally Posted by Klaus

I don't consider myself an experienced rider, but I ride much better with tailwind than headwind. (Isn't "into the wind" and "against" the same thing? )

Yes, sorry, I must learn to proof read my posts I should have said that I have more control into a headwind than with a tailwind.

[Klaus]

OK, I was just curious - English isn't my first language...

So we obviously have opposite preferences - but we still don't know which is normal!

(By the way, tailwind was also a big help for me when I still struggled with freemounting...)

[Dane M]

How much wind is too much wind? However much it takes to knock you off your unicycle.

Wind is a great balance practice situation, plus you work harder, so more exercise and you use more of your body to compensate.

[hans]

We had a lot of wind on day 3 of the south island unicycle tour.
Some of us could still manage to ride.
Read the whole story at http://www.sinzuni.org/d3.html

Hans

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by jojoxie

I find it easier to uni into the wind rather than against, is this normal?

I thought into the wind and against the wind were the same thing. Those don't bother me as much. The worst for me is a cross wind, or an angled wind from the front. Especially when riding a big wheel or road machine.

Once I remember trying to ride across one of the huge parking lots at Jones Beach, Long Island. The wind was so strong it would push our wheels (40" and 45") aside. We had to tack like sailboats to get across! Then on my 36" with handlebars (or any uni with a long handlebar) side winds have more leverage, so they're more annoying.

Originally Posted by Dane M

How much wind is too much wind? However much it takes to knock you off your unicycle.

I disagree. It's however much prevents you from getting back on.

In the Unicon XV Marathon tholub mentioned above, I was literally bitch-slapped off my unicycle by the wind. You need a unique combinaiton of conditions for this: a narrow road sandwiched between the sea and a pretty steep rise immediately on the other side. Coming around the end of this rock into a sharp curve in the road, the wind just smacked into us. I was surprised at the amount of force it had. Had I been ready for it (this was lap 1 of 4) I probably wouldn't have been knocked off, but the same probably happened to a bunch of the racers. That's the only time I chose to walk instead of try to ride in the wind. (Unicycle: A 29" Schlumpf with KH T-bar handle)