Hurricane Katia brought a dose of blustery weather to the UK in early September and now, following the onset of autumn, strong, gusting winds are the norm. Crushing, dispiriting, frustrating; choose your adjective.

At least when setting out into a headwind, you know your opponent, and how to, literally, go head-to-head with it. Plus there’s the likelihood of a tailwind to ease you home. Instead, crosswinds – or, in fact, winds that blast you from all directions – provide a different challenge.

London’s chaotic urban sprawl creates a haven for gusting winds that whip through the man-made tunnels formed by high-rise buildings. You can often see a swirling gust long before you reach it, with leaves recently dropped from their branches whipped into a frenzy.

Riding with a tailwind is like having a hand on your back, easing you along. Riding with a gusting wind in the city is like having a hand on your arm, easing – or sometimes shoving – you into the curb or, worse still, traffic.

Couple that with London’s urban grime – dust and dirt – that’s blown up of the road and, waking up again to the sound of the wind whistling outside, it almost makes you want to get the bus. Almost.

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