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I'm not opposed to this in theory, but I can quite easily talk myself out of riding around the woods in stormy weather due to a fear of falling branches..
I remember riding down a trail in the morning and when I passed back the same way later that afternoon there was a couple of tons of large tree limb blocking the way..
Looking out of the window this morning the trees in town are thrashing about and I'm already psyching myself out of my best chance of a ride this week..
Please try to talk me back into it
Trees are only dangerous if they sense fear. Go for it.
Way more likely to get flattened by a windblown lorry on the way to the woods I reckon. Main thing that puts me off riding in the wind is that it's bloody hard work!
You are wise to avoid deciduous woods in high winds. The level of squirrel damage - stripping of bark - means that the possibility of large limbs falling is increased.
In a previous life my second job was woodlands - I didn't and don't go there in string winds.
Trees dont fall very quickly in dense forests*, just keep riding, if you hear a noise and can't see a tree falling over then KEEP RIDING, it's falling down behind you
*may or may not be true
You could get blown into the path of a car/bus/truck on your way to the woods.
Don't go.
Was out walking the dog last year in high winds at QECP. Had my hood up, huddled into it against the rain. Heard a big crashing noise behind me and looked round to see a huge (15' plus) branch lying across the track I was walking about 10' behind me. Walked back to the car quite quickly!
i discovered a couple of years ago that when a tree falls in a forest it makes a really, really loud noise. about 20yds off the trail to my left. i left the woods by the most direct route...
I always worry about getting unexpectedly blown off in my local woods, espicially in certain carparks around twilight.
Trees dont fall very quickly in dense forests*, just keep riding, if you hear a noise and can't see a tree falling over then KEEP RIDING, it's falling down behind you*may or may not be true
And if you pedal hard enough, the falling tree doesn't even make a sound.
I stay away from the road bike when it's windy - hate it and gets increasingly dangerous. Usually opt for MTB instead and try pick relatively sheltered routes (I drive to my local stuff). Also try and stay out of mature dense woodland if it's proper wild, but a bit of a double edged sword, as the woodland stuff is generally more sheltered and pleasant when it's blowing a hoolie.
All that said, I'm riding at the Velodrome this week 🙂
I don't find it fun riding a bike in winds over 30mph anyway. I've ridden in to work this morning but the wind was no more than 25mph. Not it's in the 40s and I'd not bother.
I was riding in QECP last year, stopped to wait for a mate next to a couple of riders.
Just as my mate pulls up a sizeable branch (length of a crocodile, thickness of an otter) falls directly on one of the other rider's head and knocks him off his bike.
Fortunately he was shaken but ok, the helmet certainly helped.
Made me a bit wary...
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(length of a crocodile, thickness of an otter)
Best ever units of measurement. Sea Otter or European Otter?
Just been out now and the wind was starting to kick in with the odd big gust. Not much to notice in the woods, but a few small branches were coming down. Open ground was hard work. My biggest worry is always gusty sidewinds on the bit of road needed to get to the trails. Luckily it had eased for that bit.
European, wet.
^^^^^ that video looks like how I feel whenever I venture a bit too far onto the fenny fenlands.....
I tend not to now, after the last time resulted in riding into a 9 mile headwind and a severe case of wind rage. Swearing at the weather doesn't make much difference.
Stumpy01 - glad that I'm not the only skyward swearer on here when it comes to prolonged headwinds!
Yeah... I've sacked it off 🙁
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What, and miss almost a minute of Dirk and Jurgen's crazy dutch techno - BOOM TIMES !
Google earth 'The Stang forest' to see how tree's get flattened due to wind , never mind the odd branch falling .