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Is aero really everything?


Jurgens Smit

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I feel cooler looking bikes and consumerism was the driving force behind aero bikes, not the calculated drag coefficient gains.

That's why I would buy aero. They look fast and that does play with your psyche

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Aero is very important, but know that the bike makes a very small portion of your aero resistance. Most of the aero resistance comes from you body. Unfortunately you can't spend money on reducing your comfortable hip angle.

 

Get booties, properly fit clothes, aero helmet, no gloves and aero wheels. no need for the frame.

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Unless you pride yourself on being a Rouleur an aero bike would be nothing more than cool looking! But then again if you were a true Rouleur your legs would do all the talking and not the bike! 

 

Having said that, I can sustain higher speeds for longer when using my aero wheels so I won't knock anyone wanting an aero frame! 

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Old article, but the physics remains the same: 

 

" It means that when evaluating wheel performance, wheel aerodynamics are the most important, distantly followed by wheel mass. Wheel inertia effects in all cases are so small that they are arguably insignificant."

 

http://www.biketechreview.com/index.php/reviews/wheels/63-wheel-performance

 

 

Obviously this relates to wheels, so I am not exactly sure how that translates to frames. But I would assume there are a lot of similarities. 

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I watched a cool episode where Dan Lloyd explains this....

 

If you average over 30.5kph or somewhere there then yes. If not then not really.

 

Funnily enough there is also a speed/gradient to weight graph which makes most weekend warriors and their super light carbon bikes a bit null and void as well.

 

See episode below;

 

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/which-is-faster-an-aero-bike-or-a-lightweight-climbing-bike

Edited by Jewbacca
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The manufacturers got to a point where they could no longer make bikes any lighter than they already where and needed a new way to rape the market , and thus the aero bike was born . They cost more generally too so sales guys will tell you it's the one to go for .

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I watched a cool episode where Dan Lloyd explains this....

 

If you average over 30.5kph or somewhere there then yes. If not then not really.

 

Funnily enough there is also a speed/gradient to weight graph which makes most weekend warriors and their super light carbon bikes a bit null and void as well.

 

See episode below;

 

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/which-is-faster-an-aero-bike-or-a-lightweight-climbing-bike

Wasn't it 38km/h?
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I watched a cool episode where Dan Lloyd explains this....

 

If you average over 30.5kph or somewhere there then yes. If not then not really.

 

Funnily enough there is also a speed/gradient to weight graph which makes most weekend warriors and their super light carbon bikes a bit null and void as well.

 

See episode below;

 

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/which-is-faster-an-aero-bike-or-a-lightweight-climbing-bike

 

Also doen't help you have an aero or superlight bike and you are carring 2x 5kg buckets of lard on your body. YOU are the heaviest and least aero item on your bike. However I cannot stop upgrading either.

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Aero makes sense when

 

1. You are riding alone

2. You are riding in front

3. Wind resistance is pretty much dead head on

4. Moving along at at least 35km/h

 

So either TT'ing or you have to lead the bunch. Other than that the gains that aero offer amount to nothing.

 

Selah

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The manufacturers got to a point where they could no longer make bikes any lighter than they already where and needed a new way to rape the market , and thus the aero bike was born . They cost more generally too so sales guys will tell you it's the one to go for .

 

You mean a bit like e-bikes in MTB  :ph34r:

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The best aero advice, is find the biggest guy with the biggest calves you can spot.  One that doesn't sweat too much.  Ride as close to has rear wheel as possible.  You'll experience no drag whatsoever!

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