- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
GCN crosswind 1Video: How to ride in strong winds
British Cycling has produced a video supporting its Racesmart campaign that shows you how to race in strong winds.
Strong winds can be a tactical challenge and often have a big influence on the outcome of races at all levels. In the video, former professional rider Daniel Lloyd explains on-the-bike strategies, and talks through positioning, effort levels and equipment choices to help you take control in these conditions and use them to your advantage.
Positioning is crucial in crosswinds and the video concentrates on getting it right. If you’re not positioned correctly you’ll never move from the back of the bunch to the front in a crosswind, no matter how strong you are.
The video advises you to study the route and the forecast ahead of time so you know where the wind is likely to come from and how strong it will be, allowing you to plan accordingly.
It also tells you the best position to ride in an echelon in order to get the most shelter from the wind, and how to ensure you get into that position just before the start of a section where a crosswind is likely to make itself felt.
You might want to make equipment choices to take account of crosswinds; the video suggests that you swap from a deep-section front wheel to something shallower to make your bike’s handling more manageable.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
Latest Comments
- chrisonabike 2 sec ago
Does that Live And Let Die quote apply? "Just reach inside his mouth and pull out all his teeth!"
- mark1a 18 min 20 sec ago
I tried something similar with some timber and a pair of Delta hitches, with (unlike yourself) limited success, and so for people like myself with...
- chrisonabike 9 hours 43 min ago
If you haven't been it's recommended! An epicentre of beer diversity - there's probably nothing they haven't tried in the beer from spices to...
- David9694 10 hours 23 min ago
You and a friend have won first prize, a day out at Diddly Squat Farm.
- matthewn5 10 hours 30 min ago
Does not compute! If you ride a lot you're going to be boiling your chain every week or every fortnight.
- AidanR 10 hours 31 min ago
Let's hope it's another 4 years until she tweets again
- Andrewbanshee 10 hours 59 min ago
Tbf where I live 2 way roads look exactly like the one pictured.
- Rendel Harris 10 hours 57 min ago
Unless your formative cycling years were in the '80s and you grew up copying the hand either side of the stem position of greats like Lemond and...
- john_smith 11 hours 56 min ago
You're right--that was the other one. The relevance is that people keep complaining about how damaging the platform is, yet they carry on using it.
Add new comment
4 comments
"...equipment choices to help you take control in these conditions and use them to your advantage..."
That's also easy: ride a recumbent or velomobile. Less air turbulence down there, and the 'bent position is generally more aerodynamic. You can typically use up to 30% less power than a n upright in a headwind at the same speed on flat ground (with a velomobile that is - an un-faired recumbent is probably closer to 10-15%, but still better aero than an upright).
These Racesmart videos do actually seem to be having an effect! Racing part of a series the other day and very suddenly there is a lot more indicating direction and talking going on than the weeks before! Hopefully it can cut down on stupid crashes and keep more people safe, not good for bike shops and kit manufacturers if everyone stays upright all the time though!
But then you can buy those bling wheels, carbon frame, EPS/Di2 and not worry about trashing it. So maybe shops won't loose out?
This is an easy one. Basically, find out which way the wind is blowing and then cycle in that direction. Have a good weekend