I took a short Easter ride over the Tappan Zee Bridge (Hudson River) yesterday. Holy Cow! I felt like I was going to do a couple of unplanned lane changes. I got really tense. What's the best way to ride through these gusts?

 

We had a storm front that blew in the other day with 30-40 mph wind gusts that pushed me all over the interstate. I held on tight and tried to lean into the wind when it hit me. I also made a point to stay on the inside lane (wind was coming from my left) and away from other vehicles. It was scary but I enjoyed the adrenaline rush it gave me.

 

Keep your eyes focused on where you want the bike to go. Keep a comfortably firm grip on the bars, but try and relax. If you're going to get blown into another lane, it's going to happen, but you'll handle it better if you're relaxed. If it starts to scare you, slow down a little...you'll have more time to deal with any unwanted direction changes.

Remember, you have two big gyroscopes revolving around your axles...they resist changing direction big time.

 

When I break wind on my bike, I often intentionally change lanes.

 

It has been doing that for weeks here in NM anywhere from 30-50 mph and a occasional 60 mph. I just shift in my seat a little, and try to relax and flow with it. sometimes you just have to go slower.

 

thanks ... i'm at work and needed that!

 

I dont think leaning into the wind is a good idea, the wind whips over me some times and comes back on the other side. I have been tempted to lean/push into wind only to have the wind reverse and make me feel like im going over.

 

I aggree with Lincoln33. There are times when the wind will gust from one direction for a bit, then shift to a different direction and all you can do is adjust with it as you ride.

Preparation is the key, IMO. If you focus a bit more on what you're doing, adjust your riding style to suit the conditions and increase the 'awareness' factor for others around you, you will be more apt to ride through the gusts without any major issue(s).

 

Returning back from Texas last week this is what I ran into in Central CA of all places. I was heading North on I-5 around Lost Hills, wind was blowing out of the south. Traffic was running about 70-75 mph. I could see the dust blowing up ahead so turned on my camera and switched it to video, that I have mounted on my handlebars. Stay alert out there folks!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...21470723941809

Doug "Digger" Graves

 

Here in the mid-west we call that a breeze I can understand why it could be unnerving though if you seldom ride in wind like that.