Aren Softrides really hard to ride in crosswinds?
Answer 1: Upon initial observation one might think that Softride’s would grab more cross winds than a standard bike. However, wind tunnel testing shows otherwise. Softride’s are actually one of the few frames whose coefficient of drag number actually improves against the competition as the yaw angle (angle the wind is blowing) increases. The cross section of a Softride frame really is not much greater than an average double diamond (what is added in down tube is lost by not having a seat tube, and the tubes are much more aerodynamic than your average round tube). Wheel choice is the real culprit in most side wind situations. The frontal area of a deep dish or disc wheel is far greater than the frame’s cross section. Answer 2: Riding a bike in crosswinds is not fun no matter what you are on. The rider is the biggest windsock of all on a bike.
