The Chainlink

Is Wind a bicycle rider's friend or foe?

There is an old Gipsy saying from Hungary: "The cold is nothing without wind."  Truer words were never spoken as the weather could be cold, but no one feels it as much when it isn't accompanied by wind. (As far as the word Gipsy is concerned, it's derived from "Egyptcian," the word an English anthropologist used to describe the Nomads who migrated from nothern India into Europe during the Medieval ages; It was hortened later and became Gipsy from Egyptcian.)

Is Wind a bicycle rider's friend or foe?  Which one is it depends on you to decide. I remember riding 4 Miles to and 4 Miles from my Elementary School on weekdays for more than a half a decade. This resulted in the robust health of my heart, lungs, and especially my thigh muscles that a few years later, even though I was only 65-70 Lbs, was able lift/squat 400 Lbs in our High School Gymnasium in Hungary in 1975-76-77. 

Considering the brutal Chicago Wind Chill factor, it is without question that all riders must use common sense and adequate protection against frost bite!  Common sense should tell you to stay off your bike when the temps fall near or below Zero. But if you still want to venture out into the Cold and Windy City streets, make sure that you dress properly! In one of my previous replies I wrote to use Ski Goggles to protect your eyes and part of your face from the cold. I now wonder if wearing a Ski outfit might also be a good idea to protect your body from the extremes of weather?  Mind you, I did not check the prices of Ski outfits that might be even more costly than your bicycle? 

In closing, this is very important, make sure that your bike's moving parts are well lubricated and your tires are filled to their proper pressure! After each ride on the salted streets or roads, please wash off the salt from your tires and moving parts! Salt dries out the tires and can rust some of the metal parts of your bicycle! A hose wash in a bathtub or outside should help you to remove the salt and preserve your bike's condition.                

     

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on January 30, 2012 at 6:57pm

Foe.

Bike Winter Chicago- "Snow's not the problem, it's the wind that blows!"

Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on January 30, 2012 at 8:24pm

Ahhh, it's a double edged sword. That tail wind pushing me,helping me, down the lake front, turns ugly on my trip home.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 30, 2012 at 8:26pm

It really depends on if it is blowing with you or against you really...

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 30, 2012 at 9:06pm

I make wind.

Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on January 30, 2012 at 9:56pm

Sometimes..and I Kid you not...The wind is blowing against me coming and going, only in Chicago!

Steve Istvan Horvath said:

Hello S. Presley!

Well, if the Wind turns on you on the Lake Front on your trip home, I suggest you to take an alternate

Route inside the city buildings where you may protected against the wind by the buildings around you.

Mind you, those conditions could also change in a heartbeat either in your favor or against it, which ever nature decides to do.  At any rate, I'd take the more protected route shielded by buildings as opposed to riding in the open area of the Lake Front, notorious for bad weather conditions.  My man, the choice is yours, but one thing you and neither one can escape is that Nature always has the upper hand! Ride Carefull! 

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on January 31, 2012 at 12:02am

+1

 I used to live in Rodger Spark and used the LFP for a frequent workout- Hollywood to Oak or Grand and back, sometimes twice if I had time.

 I could near always count on having the wind agin' me both ways.  Good times.

 

 


S.Presley said:

Sometimes..and I Kid you not...The wind is blowing against me coming and going, only in Chicago!

Permalink Reply by Adam Kitzmann on January 31, 2012 at 2:27pm

The wind can kick the shit out of you in this town. I think I've had a tailwind like 4 times in the last few years riding every day at least to and from work. That being said, I agree, it's a hell of a good workout. 

Permalink Reply by Tim S on January 31, 2012 at 2:30pm

We don't have hills in Chicago we have wind.

Permalink Reply by ID on January 31, 2012 at 3:17pm

+1

I can attest to this. There are many a day where I have rode into work from Rogers Park into a S/SW wind, thinking the whole way that it will at least be better on the way home. Then get out of work, and have the wind blowing out of the N/NW on the way home and uttering a slew of four letter words on the way home. There's nothing like the SW and NW gusts that are part headwind/part crosswind and you aren't sure if you are going to stop or fall over.

S.Presley said:

Sometimes..and I Kid you not...The wind is blowing against me coming and going, only in Chicago!

Steve Istvan Horvath said:

Hello S. Presley!

Well, if the Wind turns on you on the Lake Front on your trip home, I suggest you to take an alternate

Route inside the city buildings where you may protected against the wind by the buildings around you.

Mind you, those conditions could also change in a heartbeat either in your favor or against it, which ever nature decides to do.  At any rate, I'd take the more protected route shielded by buildings as opposed to riding in the open area of the Lake Front, notorious for bad weather conditions.  My man, the choice is yours, but one thing you and neither one can escape is that Nature always has the upper hand! Ride Carefull! 

Permalink Reply by igz on January 31, 2012 at 3:18pm

there is another saying, amongst us chicago cyclists.  "there is no such thing as bad weather, only being dressed poorly". i believe in that.  and being militarized, i am of the belief that one must always be prepared.  there are days that i dont even have to open my backpack, but i always have it with me, filled with water/wind resistant pants, overshoes, space gloves, hats, socks, and a poncho.

 

but of any weather event, i hate wind the most.  due to the nature of my commute, i have to face the wind at least once. whereas we can protect ourself from the wind in terms of skin protection, we cant fend from it physically.  and it kicks my ass!

Permalink Reply by igz on January 31, 2012 at 3:20pm

and i will have to say that 'romani' is the preferred recognition.

Permalink Reply by Carma Nibarger on February 9, 2012 at 6:27pm

lol!  one of my friends was telling me about the hills of austin... and I don't know about those, but I do know something about riding against the wind... it feels like the very universe is against you, and you have no idea when it will ease up or change directions.

Tim S said:

We don't have hills in Chicago we have wind.

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