Aerodynamics

[carlo_sg]

Found this interesting article. reading the numbers is pretty amazing.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2008/features/jeffs_need_for_speed08

carlo_sg2008-12-02 02:41:13

[bruce]

Very interesting, those wattage numbers are massive.

[carlo_sg]

Very interesting' date=' those wattage numbers are massive.[/quote']

 

You mean the savings, or do you think 300w at 40km/h is high?

[Comebackboy]

Damn, always knew it made a difference but never knew it made such a big one!!!!!!

[GoLefty!!]

you'd have to be a professional athlete in peak form for thsoe numbers to be relevant to you...

[JPW#]

yip

 

[carlo_sg]

you'd have to be a professional athlete in peak form for thsoe numbers to be relevant to you...

 

300w?

[Kiwi]

you'd have to be a professional athlete in peak form for thsoe numbers to be relevant to you...

 

At 40km/h 90% of a rider?s energy is used up by aero drag. Aero drag is very relevant to every cyclist.

Kiwi2008-12-04 08:47:34

[carlo_sg]

you'd have to be a professional athlete in peak form for thsoe numbers to be relevant to you...

 

At 40km/h 90% of a rider?s energy is used up by aero drag. Aero drag is very relevant to every cyclist.

 

That would explain why making small improvements in aerodynamics yields such large decreases in power-required, at the same speed.

 

I would be very interested to see the results from a Cervelo Soloist vs. R3, and the new Felt AR vs. the F-series.

 

Although I dont expect much difference as I'm sure their frontal areas are still the same, perhaps slightly less on the "aero" bikes, but these two (the Soloist and the AR) will have more skin-drag, as a result of the "flattened" out tubing, with could increase the drag over regular tubing...

carlo_sg2008-12-05 00:34:46

[Kiwi]

I'm trying to remember the name of the site that has all sorts of aero data on it. You pay a subscription or per article but they have all sorts of wind tunnel data. Some free info from John Cobb, he gets a bit cagy when it gets down to the details as this info cost up to $1500 per hour to learn in a wind tunnel but it's a good insight: http://www.blackwellresearch.com/articles.htm 

 

Also here: http://www.analyticcycling.com/RiderAeroStudy.html the info about drink bottles is very interesting!

Kiwi2008-12-05 00:46:54

[carlo_sg]

Fortunely, I did Engineering at UCT, and one of my thesis projects was wind tunnel testing of cricket balls, so I have a bit of history/understanding of Aerodynamics.

 

I also did a thesis project was on helmets, impacts, and survivabilty which was a real eye opener, cant understand why someone would choose to ride without a helmet, but that is for another topic!