Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

TECH NEWS

Go faster (possibly) with the Aero Hump Pocket aerodynamic cycling jersey upgrade

Aero Hump Pocket offers claimed aerodynamic improvements as well as useful extra storage

If you’ve already invested in every available aerodynamic cycling product in an effort to go faster, such as an aero frame, deep section wheels, helmet and tight-fitting Lycra, then it might be time to consider the Aero Hump Pocket.

The eBay seller describes the Aero Hump Pocket as being able to “transform your jersey into the fastest cycling jersey ever.” Surprisingly, no wind-tunnel data is provided. But it does provide estimated improvements.

It reckons that you’re looking at a 10 watt, or 5%, drag reduction at 32kph. That's a truly impressive claim, especially considering it costs just $30. Even better than that,  “comparing to a traditional jersey carrying a raincoat in the lower pocket, the improvements above are about doubled,” the seller adds.

- The fastest aero road bikes

What is it?

It’s a foam hump. You send your jersey off to the seller and a pocket is sewn to the back of the jersey, into which slides a foam insert. It’s compatible with any cycling jersey.

However, it’s more than just an aerodynamic aid. The Aero Hump creates two pockets, one on top of the other. Into the top pocket goes the foam, which provides the aerodynamic shape, which we assume is designed to smooth airflow off the back of the helmet onto the back. The second pocket is available to store extra clothing, effectively providing a fourth pocket.

The Aero Hump Pocket adds about 20g to a jersey and comes in just one size. It measures 200 x 300 x 140mm. It costs $29.90 with $10 shipping costs and is made in Italy. You can buy the kit, with a choice of colours, and if you’re handy with a sewing machine, attach it to a cycling jersey yourself. Alternatively you can arrange to send your jersey off to have the Aero Hump fitted.

Interested? Find out more and buy it here.

Motorcyclists have been wearing similar humps in leather jackets for many years, and there have been attempts to bring this sort of aero aid to cycling, the best example we can think of is Frank Schleck using a hydration pack underneath a jersey during a time trial back in 2011. 

We're off to check the UCI rules on this one, but what do you think?

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

Add new comment

26 comments

Avatar
Parkrider | 8 years ago
0 likes

It's first of April already?

Avatar
eschelar | 8 years ago
0 likes

The funny thing is, this probably has about 10x more of an impact on your aerodynamics than any difference between TheMostExpensiveWheelBrand and TheCheapestWheelBrand with a similar size/type of wheel.

Also, it's not made from special jersey material, it's just bog standard cloth with some foam. If you're handy with a sewing machine, you can probably make this from some old scraps in your workshop. Or for about 3 or 4 bucks.

This is definitely marketed towards the less handy market segment.

Avatar
KirinChris | 8 years ago
0 likes

Fairings and aerodynamic accessories are generally not permitted unless they're part of an existing functional piece of kit or component.

So the foam by itself would probably not be allowed but maybe putting the pocket inside and making it an integral part of the jersey might be a clever attempt to get around that.

But I suspect the UCI will interpret it whichever way they want, regardless of the rules.

Avatar
2old2mould | 8 years ago
0 likes

I expect to see these worn by riders in abundance around Richmond Park in the very near future...

Avatar
Paul J | 8 years ago
0 likes

Gkam, none of the things you list applied to the hump when it was first seen in motorcycle racing. The humps have been around since the early 00s, and electronics in suits are a more recent thing. It also took a few seasons for the manufacturers to realise they could use the hump for drinks.

As for rider protection by preventing whiplash, I've never heard that before. The hump is far enough back that if a helmeted head was rotated that far back to hit it they would be dead. Do you have a cite for that reason? Also, John Hinds (road racing emergency doctor, RIP) has pointed out they make it much harder to intubate a rider on scene, as it elevates the back and so makes the head rotate back, bending the neck.

It could provide a bit of a extra protection as a spinal back protector, but riders already long had been wearing back protectors under the suits. Sticking hard stuff like electronics in there negates the protection though.

The initial motivating factor for the hump, to my recollection, was aerodynamics. It's a similar shape to the fail fairing on quite a few racing motorcycles too (Aprilia RSV250, at least some HRC NSR250s, at least some Yamaha TZ250's).

Avatar
Gkam84 replied to Paul J | 8 years ago
0 likes
Paul J wrote:

Gkam, none of the things you list applied to the hump when it was first seen in motorcycle racing. The humps have been around since the early 00s, and electronics in suits are a more recent thing. It also took a few seasons for the manufacturers to realise they could use the hump for drinks.

As for rider protection by preventing whiplash, I've never heard that before. The hump is far enough back that if a helmeted head was rotated that far back to hit it they would be dead. Do you have a cite for that reason? Also, John Hinds (road racing emergency doctor, RIP) has pointed out they make it much harder to intubate a rider on scene, as it elevates the back and so makes the head rotate back, bending the neck.

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer, I meant nowadays when the airbags are used in conjunction with the hump to provide protection, basically stabilizing the head and neck giving very little room for them to move at all. The hump by itself does provide a certain level of protection, as your neck can only go so far back, because the hump will stop the helmet.

Paul J wrote:

The initial motivating factor for the hump, to my recollection, was aerodynamics. It's a similar shape to the fail fairing on quite a few racing motorcycles too (Aprilia RSV250, at least some HRC NSR250s, at least some Yamaha TZ250's).

Spot on, when the humps first started appearing, it was purely aerodynamic, but these days, that isn't an important factor unless you are still spinning around on a 125/250.

Avatar
Paul J replied to Gkam84 | 8 years ago
0 likes
Gkam84 wrote:

Spot on, when the humps first started appearing, it was purely aerodynamic, but these days, that isn't an important factor unless you are still spinning around on a 125/250.

Aerodynamics are *incredibly* important in motorcycle racing. Valentino Rossi and (RIP) Marco Simoncelli have been noted to be at a disadvantage on top-end speed because they are (were for Marco) relatively tall guys - at least by grand prix racing standards (not that tall really, but most riders are smaller, and some are tiny). Their frame ends up sticking up a bit more than their competitors, and they can't tuck in as well behind the fairing.

Further, I'm pretty sure they appeared in the 500cc and 250cc classes before the noticably slower 125cc. (The 250cc prototype two-stroke motorbikes were *incredibly* fast bikes, they were faster than the production-engine, four-stroke 600cc Moto2 bikes of today; those things would leave 1 litre superbikes of their day behind too).

Aerodynamics are even more important in the slower classes, but that doesn't make them unimportant in the faster classes.

Avatar
rix | 8 years ago
0 likes

Padding right where you need ventilation on a hot day.
I would like to see some clowns  36 wearing this thinking that they are getting an advantage at 30kph...  24
I know that we look funny, in our tight shorts, to a non cyclists anyway, but this just looks wrong.

P.S. Don't try to get raincoat over it.

Avatar
Al__S | 8 years ago
0 likes

if your helmet at all has a pointy bit (which even a lot of non-aero helmets have, though I think MIPS ones don't?) this would have to be positioned very carefully not to catch.

But if it isn't banned, you can bet that testers with round-back helmets will be seen sporting these on a Club 10 near you. It's when people turn up on the club run looking like they spent the night in the bell tower at Notre Dame that mockery is appropriate.

As for pro TT- I've been amazed for a couple of years that they spend so long on position and aero and then the race radio is often just shoved on their back under the skin suit. Surprised that aero-shaped TT radios aren't a thing

Avatar
ch | 8 years ago
0 likes

Looks hard to reach down to the bottom of the pocket. Can we expect an increase in peleton crashes?

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 8 years ago
0 likes

Can the foam pad also be worn down the shorts on long rides?

Avatar
pedalpowerDC | 8 years ago
0 likes

Didn't Sagan give a podium girl the aero hump once?

Avatar
VeloPeo | 8 years ago
0 likes

GET IN THE ****ING SEA!

Avatar
crikey | 8 years ago
0 likes

Interesting.
People will buy aero helmets, aero wheels and even aero bikes on little more evidence than 'buy this, it's great', but when faced with something that is a little more aesthetically challenging, they poo poo it straight away...

Cyclists; not the sharpest tools...

Avatar
wildoo | 8 years ago
0 likes

April 1st?

Avatar
3mkru73 | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've spotted a few pro's this year stuffing gilets into the top of their jerseys to form this type of shape.  39

Avatar
LarryDavidJr | 8 years ago
0 likes

What it really needs is to be paired with a magnetic bell and aero faring shaped handlebar bag.

Avatar
farrell | 8 years ago
0 likes

Didn't Wiggins use a shapely ice pack in a TT once?

Avatar
Leviathan replied to farrell | 8 years ago
0 likes
farrell wrote:

Didn't Wiggins use a shapely ice pack in a TT once?

No, It was later found to be his spine.

Avatar
bikebot | 8 years ago
0 likes

The rules need updating.

Avatar
therealsmallboy | 8 years ago
0 likes

Hahaha!

Some loon will actually buy this thinking it will help.

Don't, it won't.

Avatar
HarryTrauts replied to therealsmallboy | 8 years ago
0 likes
therealsmallboy wrote:

Hahaha!

Some loon will actually buy this thinking it will help.

Don't, it won't.

Probably the same "loons" who buy aero helmets, gloves and overshoes. It doesn't look pretty but might make a difference. The same idea has been used in Moto GP for years.

It's not for me, though.

Avatar
cha0s replied to HarryTrauts | 8 years ago
0 likes

Except for the fact that MotoGP riders go up to 340 km/h.

Avatar
Gkam84 replied to HarryTrauts | 8 years ago
0 likes
harragan wrote:
therealsmallboy wrote:

Hahaha!

Some loon will actually buy this thinking it will help.

Don't, it won't.

Probably the same "loons" who buy aero helmets, gloves and overshoes. It doesn't look pretty but might make a difference. The same idea has been used in Moto GP for years.

It's not for me, though.

Aero is right at the bottom of the list behind the "hump" in Moto GP.

Firstly, it is actually rider protection, it prevents whiplash by helping stabilise the helmet and preventing it from falling far enough back to cause serious damage to the neck.

Then there are many other factors it is used for. Many riders have them ventilated at the top, which draws air in and down through your leathers to help with cooling. In some of the hotter races, they put a small liquid pouch in their with a tube to their helmet to provide some liquid, not really to hydrate, more just to keep your mouth from drying out and being uncomfortable.

Also in that "hump" are electronic devices, which constantly monitor the rider, these are connected to various pads built into the leathers that give heart rate, temperature....etc readings and are beamed back to the pit wall. In the event of a crash, this can also provide G ratings and force indications to medical teams treating the rider. So instead of having to get them out of the helmet and suit to wire them up, pretty much all information is available to them from the suit itself. It also controls the airbag deployment if it goes over certain limits of tolerance. These are set by governing bodies, then manufactures set them and they cannot be changed. This is why in the beginning of airbags in race suits, they used to go off on certain corners where the G was they much, it set them off, without the rider even leaving the bike.

Then, you might look at aerodynamics, In the lower classes, yes, it will provide some help, but the speed they are going, something which provides such a small advantage wouldn't even be considered as its weight to aero ratio would be so small.

Avatar
Jessjess | 8 years ago
0 likes

What????!!!!

Avatar
peted76 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Oh this is briliant, I can't wait to see the local TT start line with these on.

I think this product must have spun out from Karl Pilkington's multi-use Pilko Pump pants.

Latest Comments