Wind!! Who knew it could be so dangerous?!

[Blicky Te⚡️la]

Or maybe it was just me. But it was wicked windy in Boston today, so much so that it impacted my ride. While riding at just 10-15mph I was getting bad speed wobbles and felt really uncomfortable. Upon passing over three Charles River via the M.I.T. Bridge, simply got off and walked the wheel the rest of the way.

im not sure if the wobbles were due to me tightening my legs, overcompensating for the imbalance or what. But it was scary AF!

Edited February 28, 2020 by General Principle

[atdlzpae]

Yeah. The worst is side wind. It makes it a constant struggle to keep riding straight.

Edited February 28, 2020 by atdlzpae

[.....]

I've hit gnarly headwind on a slight grade and WOW, you arent kidding. Whenever the wind gets pretty mean, I seem to get wobbly as well. I dont know if its the mechanics or the mentality causing it. Either way, I keep that in mind if i ride a LOOONG way with the wind, as coming back is harder. I too am curious what causes this, or is it as simply obvious as it seems... wind = unexpected balance shifts.

Edited February 28, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[atdlzpae]

I think that the wind is uneven (turbulent). That's why it's so wobbly.
It's not our fault, it's physics.

[Bob Eisenman]

The North Shore has a bridge that sometimes gets hard to handle cross winds. Head winds are awkward if not constant and tail winds make the ride feel loose.

Even in town today on the flat bike path near the open area of commuter rail tracks I was getting a blown around by gusts of cross winds. 

My upper body profile with a bulky parka is several square feet. Plus a Monster profile below. 😕 I become a small sail catching air a few feet higher than the tire/road.

The Monster requires quick weight shifts to compensate in blustery wind and go relatively straight (on the monowheel) at slow speeds (10 mph).

The narrow bike lane on the M.I.T. bridge is inches from auto traffic one your left and a big sidewalk curb on your right. Too tight for error.

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Bob Eisenman

[Blicky Te⚡️la]

56 minutes ago, Bob Eisenman said:

The North Shore has a bridge that sometimes gets hard to handle cross winds. Head winds are awkward if not constant and tail winds make the ride feel loose.

Even in town today on the flat bike path near the open area of commuter rail tracks I was getting a blown around by gusts of cross winds. 

My upper body profile with a bulky parka is several square feet. Plus a Monster profile below. 😕 I become a small sail catching air a few feet higher than the tire/road.

The Monster requires quick weight shifts to compensate in blustery wind and go relatively straight (on the monowheel) at slow speeds (10 mph).

The narrow bike lane on the M.I.T. bridge is inches from auto traffic one your left and a big sidewalk curb on your right. Too tight for error.

 

That is exactly why I got off, stepped over the median and humbly walked my @ss towards Cambridge...

[LanghamP]

2 hours ago, General Principle said:

While riding at just 10-15mph I was getting bad speed wobbles and felt really uncomfortable.

After a while even gusts of the type you see before thunderstorms won't stop you from riding. Indeed, you'll look forward to such conditions, and while you'll be cranked over and zig zaging in the most sketchy of manners, the wind cannot knock you down.

Just remember this conversation, and a year down the line come back to it. You can no more be knocked off your wheel from the wind than you could accidentally lose a leg while riding. You can't even imagine being knocked off by th wind, it's inconceivable.

[Bob Eisenman]

 

1 hour ago, General Principle said:

walked my @ss towards Cambridge..

MIT side going to Boston on the bridge at 2:40 - 2:50 in this video

I've been known to use the sidewalk (in either direction) but have resolved to fairly (fair to pedestrians) using the bike lane the last few times. I don't even like feeling of the dips created by the joiner sections in the bike lane and heading to Boston in the bike lane leaves you at a stoplight competing with two wheelers for space or moving onto the sidewalk on the other side.

 

[erk1024]

2 hours ago, atdlzpae said:

I think that the wind is uneven (turbulent). That's why it's so wobbly.
It's not our fault, it's physics.

When you are riding into the wind, you have to put more force on the front of the pedals. I think that adds more tension to the whole system, and that's why you get more wobbles into the wind, not turbulence.

But yeah, riding into the wind is tough. A side wind is also tough because you have to lean sideways into it the whole time, and that can lead to wobbles as well. No fun. But downwind is great!

 

[LanghamP]

12 hours ago, Bob Eisenman said:

using the bike lane the last few times. I don't even like feeling of the dips created by the joiner sections in the bike lane and heading to Boston in the bike lane leaves you at a stoplight competing with two wheelers for space or moving onto the sidewalk on the other side.

I had to think if using bike lanes in the opposite direction is a good thing or not. Obviously you might have a head on collision with bicyclists but getting doored is also dangerous. And you will get doored if you ride in a bike lane long enough, but getting doored from front where you slam the car door is undoubtedly less injurious to you. 

[Blicky Te⚡️la]

16 hours ago, Bob Eisenman said:

 

MIT side going to Boston on the bridge at 2:40 - 2:50 in this video

I've been known to use the sidewalk (in either direction) but have resolved to fairly (fair to pedestrians) using the bike lane the last few times. I don't even like feeling of the dips created by the joiner sections in the bike lane and heading to Boston in the bike lane leaves you at a stoplight competing with two wheelers for space or moving onto the sidewalk on the other side.

 

Great vid. Captures some of the hectic nature.

While I never rode the sidewalk with my bike, something about the wheel makes me feel like it’s less offensive. 
But then again Cantabrigians are easily offended 😉

Edited February 28, 2020 by General Principle

[Bob Eisenman]

4 hours ago, LanghamP said:

had to think if using bike lanes in the opposite direction is a good thing or not.

Agreed.. 

[AngryJackPCB]

I'm a new rider so I already have the built-in wobbles. Yesterday riding around the DC area it was very windy with strong gusts. Made me that much more unstable. I had to stay in a development so the houses would provide some protection.

[alcatraz]

Gusts are more dangerous than just constant pressure.

I've gained more respect for wind over the years. For a while there I thought I could manage every windy situation and then I got surprised by a heavy gust coming from the side. Luckily there was no curb right there and then (I was passing an intersection). If there were I'd have had a tumble.

[Blicky Te⚡️la]

I’m used to wind when bike commuting but definitely had less margin for error on the wheel. 

[.....]

I just got back from a ride with cross wind gusts. HOLY CRAP! You really just dont know how it affects you until you hit a blast. I was being forced to the side of the road (nice cliffs out here) and it took serous concentration to figure out how to NOT ride off. First couple times and it was brakes brakes brakes... Aftr a bit I started getting it, but its really something a person needs to practice. Having to concentrate on what to do as you are being forced sideways is quite scary. Im thinking the battery doesnt much care for it either.

[Blicky Te⚡️la]

40 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

I just got back from a ride with cross wind gusts. HOLY CRAP! You really just dont know how it affects you until you hit a blast. I was being forced to the side of the road (nice cliffs out here) and it took serous concentration to figure out how to NOT ride off. First couple times and it was brakes brakes brakes... Aftr a bit I started getting it, but its really something a person needs to practice. Having to concentrate on what to do as you are being forced sideways is quite scary. Im thinking the battery doesnt much care for it either.

See what I mean! Scared the hell out of me...

[.....]

4 minutes ago, General Principle said:

See what I mean! Scared the hell out of me...

Amen brother!! NOTHING like a bicycle or skateboard, way WAY worse. I dont think its something I can't learn to mitigate, but it damn sure isnt to be taken lightly.  Wind and oncoming traffic has been my 2 biggest surprises. Wind can force you to go where you dont want to, and cars fixate on you and take your lane oncoming. Wierd, I assumed the WHEEL was going to be the dangerous part. Stay safe out there, let us know if you eventually laugh at how the wind USED to mess with ya.

[mrelwood]

Reading on people’s reactions to wind I’m sure we’re not having winds in Finland anywhere near as strong. So far during the 23 000 km I’ve ridden, I have had to even slow down a bit only twice because of strong side wind gusts.

I feel that an EUC is nicely self-correcting in two aspects:

Wind comes from the left, blows you to start falling to your right: 1) When tilting right, the wheel naturally steers right, so I won’t fall very easily. 2) As I’m trying to restore my balance, I naturally put more weight on my right foot, which further steers the wheel exactly where it should be to make me lean into the wind.

I’m sure there are huge differences between different wheels though. The Monster seems to function as a sail, and a 14x2.125” wheel is both jerky in it’s steering behaviour and doesn’t correct itself as much. The MSX I ride seems to have just the best traits, small side profile (in relation to tire size) and a wide tire.

[.....]

We were seeing 20-30mph gusts here and its variable as im in a narrow winding valley. At 6'2" and 130lbs, I probably catch a lot of wind, but havent any weight to plant it. Would the wheel size have as much to do with it as rider stature? Im sure finland sees wind too, maybe youre just really damn good on the thing.

[alcatraz]

In china where I live, city blocks are tall and wide, and so are the roads. You can be completely sheltered from the wind one moment and then get blasted at another moment. The wind is kind of forced around the huge buildings and rushes through the road sections like going around an airplane wing. Sounds odd, but just remember the word "massive". Small streets are like 6 lanes wide, big ones 10 lanes, and then there are huge sidewalks like 10m wide on either side. Yes, it takes a while just to cross a damn street.

 

 

 

 

[LanghamP]

3 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

I just got back from a ride with cross wind gusts. HOLY CRAP! You really just dont know how it affects you until you hit a blast. I was being forced to the side of the road (nice cliffs out here) and it took serous concentration to figure out how to NOT ride off. First couple times and it was brakes brakes brakes... Aftr a bit I started getting it, but its really something a person needs to practice. Having to concentrate on what to do as you are being forced sideways is quite scary. Im thinking the battery doesnt much care for it either.

I love gusts. Love love love big breezy irregular wind, 30 mph+ at least. How can you not? 

It's not dangerous nor will it knock you over. You need merely to zig zag a lot, remembering to swivel your hips and keep on top of things (sounds like I'm talking to my girlfriend), and you will absolutely be fine. Your battery will be fine. 

You run out when the wind gets good (not bad!), and after a few times I guarantee you'll get there. Wind co.ing from the side, no problem just lean over so far it feels like you'll plant your face in the asphalt.

The most important thing to remember is this feeling of not knowing how to ride the wind. Because that feeling will be gone, never to return, because once you aquire that wind riding skill, you will never ever doubt yourself in the wind.

[.....]

Anything that changes me from my intended direction is considered dangerous, to me.  Wind, holes, sticks, mud. Wind cant be seen. Id have to disagree with you on that. I am sure wind can be mitigated thru practice, but to declare that it cant blow you over and isnt dangerous, may be overstating it. My biggest concern was that I had NO room to zig zag at times. When its a cliff beside you and youre riding the edge at 24mph or when youre riding a narrow bridge, or riding a narrow sidewalk with cars around, wind IS dangerous. Too many circumstances to say with any certainty, that the wind doesnt present a danger. Its also quite nice when its at your back. A big gust of wind that creates an unforeseen change in path by even a mere 6" is still a danger, no?

Edited March 4, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[LanghamP]

4 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

Anything that changes me from my intended direction is considered dangerous, to me.  Wind, holes, sticks, mud. Wind cant be seen. Id have to disagree with you on that.

 

Wet leaves and mud, and sudden sidewalk lips are all quite dangerous. However, wind just blows but you still have traction. Wind can be compensated by a simple, even lazy, twist of the wheel. 

If you're on a narrow ledge then it might be problematic, but I remind you I've gone around a raised ledge on a platform that was just six inches wide, with 90 degree turns. The EUC is a zero radius vehicle that can go backwards, and that means even if you totally mess up with the wind, you don't have to dismount if you reeaally don't want to.

You'll be fine in a few weeks. Has an experienced rider ever fallen from just wind? Like blown over? It seems inconceivable.

Edited March 4, 2020 by LanghamP

[Rywokast]

im used to the regular winds of 20-50 kph here right along the coast, its annoying af because it seems no matter which direction you travel the wind is never on your back and it slows you way down and hurts mileage... i once went out when there was 70-90 kph winds just to try it and they were literally pushing me all over the place haha, going up against it i could literally stand still and my ks16 couldnt push through it