Bike route weather: headwind, rain and the best time to start, along the whole ride
Before a ride, most of us check the weather for our own town. Then we head out for 60 km, turn four times, and the "light" wind from the weather app becomes a wall for the last twenty kilometres. VéloCore's route weather answers a different question: what will the weather be at each point of the ride, at the exact moment you get there? It is available in the web route planner and in the iPhone app, with Premium (14-day free trial).
Why your town's forecast is not enough for a bike route
A classic forecast gives you one place and one time: your town, right now. A bike ride covers dozens of kilometres and several hours. Three things change along the way.
- The wind changes direction for you. The same south-west wind pushes you on the way out to the north-east, then blows in your face on the way back. It all depends on the direction of each stretch.
- Rain has a time. A shower forecast for 11:00 only matters if you are under it at 11:00, and not where you started.
- Temperature moves. Between a dawn start and a late-morning finish, the difference quickly adds up to several degrees.
How bike route weather works in VéloCore
As soon as a route is drawn, VéloCore takes one point every 5 km, plus the finish, and asks for the hourly forecast of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway) at each of them. On a very long route the spacing grows a little, with 25 points at most.
Each part of the ride is then read at the time you will be there, based on the estimated duration of the route and a steady pace. The wind is compared with your direction of travel, piece by piece, and the route is cut into slices of about one kilometre. The result fits in one compact card:
Headwind, tailwind or crosswind on every slice, with the kilometre where it blows hardest.
Likely rain or just showers, with the number of kilometres affected and the time it will meet you.
The range of temperatures on the way, and gusts once they get strong.
The best time to leave in the next 36 hours, in daylight, when it really makes a difference.
Headwind on a bike: reading the ribbon slice by slice
The heart of the card is a ribbon that stands for the whole route, from start to finish. Each slice gets a colour: red for headwind, green for tailwind, amber for crosswind, grey when the wind is light. Blue dots under the ribbon mark rain.
The rules are simple and the same everywhere. A slice counts as "headwind" when the part of the wind holding you back reaches 10 km/h, as "tailwind" when it pushes you as much, and as "crosswind" from 15 km/h across. Lines under the ribbon sum it up: "Headwind for 14 km, up to 24 km/h around km 41". Headwind turns to a warning from 29 km/h, force 5 on the Beaufort scale. Gusts are only mentioned from 60 km/h, and flagged as dangerous from 80 km/h.
Rain and temperatures at the moment you ride past
For rain, VéloCore has two levels. "Rain likely" when at least 0.5 mm in an hour or a 60 % probability is expected, with the time you will reach it. "Possible showers" for weaker signals. If nothing falls on the whole route, the card simply says "Dry all the way".
The temperature line gives the range you will meet, for example "9 to 13 °C on the way". It turns to a warning below 3 °C, where ice may form, and above 32 °C. Enough to pick the right layers before leaving, as explained in our guide to cycling in winter.
The best time to ride: the best start in the next 36 hours
This is often the most useful question: leave now, in an hour, or tomorrow morning? VéloCore tests a start every 30 minutes over the next 36 hours. Only daylight starts are kept, between dawn and dusk, taking the length of the ride into account so you are back before dark. Each start gets a score: headwind weighs more than tailwind helps, rain counts against it, and so do extreme temperatures.
The best start is only suggested when it really changes the ride, that is when it saves the equivalent of about 2.5 km/h of headwind on average. Otherwise, the card says "Good time to go". Chips let you compare "Now", the best start, then +1 h, +2 h and +3 h, and the ribbon is redrawn each time.
Where to find route weather in VéloCore
- In the web route planner. Draw a route in the planner, by hand or with the loop generator. The "Météo du parcours" (route weather) block appears below the route statistics; sign in to see the forecast. The planner is in French.
- In the iPhone app. Open the preview of a route: the "Route weather" card appears below the route summary, before you start navigation. It arrived with version 1.3.4.
- Compare start times. Tap a chip to watch the ribbon change, or the "Best start" line to show it straight away.
Route weather is part of Premium. An account created less than 14 days ago has access during the free trial; after that, a subscription is needed. The forecast needs an internet connection, and there is a daily limit on requests. The rest of the app, from planner to cockpit, is described on the features page.
Our tips for planning a ride with bike route weather
- Take the headwind on the way out. If the ribbon is red at the end, draw the loop the other way round: better to fight while fresh and ride home with a push.
- Look at where the rain falls. A few kilometres of showers near a village are sometimes better than a start moved by three hours.
- Watch out for gusts. A gust line flagged as a warning or danger is a hint to choose a more sheltered route, in a forest or a valley.
Frequently asked questions about bike route weather
Is VéloCore's route weather free?
No, it is part of Premium. An account created less than 14 days ago has access during the free trial; after that a subscription is needed. The web route planner, GPX export, the GPS cockpit, SOS and the community stay free, without route weather.
Where does the route weather forecast come from?
It comes from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway), whose data is published under an open licence. VéloCore requests it for one point every 5 km along your route, plus the finish, then reads each part of the ride at the time you will pass, based on the estimated duration.
How does VéloCore pick the best time to start?
It tests a start every 30 minutes over the next 36 hours, in daylight only. Each start is scored on headwind, rain and extreme temperatures. The best one is only suggested when it clearly improves the ride; otherwise the card tells you it is a good time to go.
Draw your route, VéloCore watches the sky
Draw a loop in the web planner, then check the route weather with Premium, 14-day free trial. Also on iPhone.