Aeroroad bikes

I’ve dropped my body weight
I’ve dropped my body weight from 75 to 71kg, and my bike weight by about 530 (mostly rotating) grams. I feel noticeably quicker. However, I thought I would notice it more from the bike, simply because it was an overnight decrease, as opposed to the gradual (over about 3 months) body weight loss. However, the opposite is true. My strava results bear this out as well.

As for aero, well I ride in Derbyshire and the Peak district, so for ‘aero’ think ‘crosswind blowing my deep-section wheels across the road’ and ‘do I have to lug the extra weight up this hill?’ It would be fun increasing the run home into Manchester from 27mph to 29mph or whatever in the chaingang, but we’re already drafting off each other at that point anyway, so the benefit of one aero bike in a mass of bodies and other bikes will be negligible.

I think some aero kit looks cool (I’d love to try a Cervelo S5 on, say, Zip 404s) but I can’t say that it would be right for me.

BBB wrote:
No one is

BBB wrote:

No one is questioning the benefits of aero frames and wheels but of course IT IS largely irrelevant for… vast majority of (often overweight) cyclists who typically cruise at 15-18mph with hands on their hoods.
Rider’s body is still responsible for most of air drag and other components may matter during a race or a TT but won’t be noticeable in most of situations.

I think you’re overestimating the potential gains and take the whole thing too seriously. 😉

P.S. Calling people idiots isn’t helping to get your point across.

Agree! Unless of course someone’s a top cyclist.

I’m not arguing the science, its all there be it fractional increments or hours saved. I’m pointing out I don’t generally travel in windtunnels. Want to go much faster? Don’t get stuck at a redlight, hit that worn patch of asphalt, or lug that giant ego along on your rides.

Thanks for catching the quad quote (below), huge quote box was unintended

ALIHISGREAT wrote:badkneestom

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

badkneestom wrote:

Just from a surface area standpoint, I’m pretty sure my body far exceeds my bike..

That’s irrelevant. The bike still makes a difference – if we assume your body is a fixed constant, other variables can be changed and I don’t see why you wouldn’t change them?

.. well there is a point since the bike will be nicer to ride.

.. similarly there is a point to making your bike more aerodynamic because it does make a difference to the ride.

No one is questioning the benefits of aero frames and wheels but of course IT IS largely irrelevant for… vast majority of (often overweight) cyclists who typically cruise at 15-18mph with hands on their hoods.
Rider’s body is still responsible for most of air drag and other components may matter during a race or a TT but won’t be noticeable in most of situations.

I think you’re overestimating the potential gains and take the whole thing too seriously. 😉

P.S. Calling people idiots isn’t helping to get your point across.

This is why riders use the
This is why riders use the aero position.. You have to remember that even though the human body isn’t renowned for being the most aerodynamic of shapes, you’re still in that position on a “standard” bike but you’ll get more resistance overall as the air will slow you and the bike. With aero bikes the air only causes resistance to you and not the bike therefore there is a saving in energy.

If you’re riding at the back of a group in single file, you can spin the same output at the same rpm for longer than if you were to ride the same output and rpm solo. The shape of the group distributes the air evenly down either side meaning that everybody behind the first rider can reduce their efforts slightly as there’s no resistance working against them. By designing a frame with this principle in mind, they’re reducing the total drag that both yourself and the bike are producing as a whole. Yes the effect is smaller but it’s noticeable.

Take a ping pong bat, swing it once with the largest surface area showing, now do the same but with the bat sideways so it cuts through the air. You still have the drag of your arm there but you can tell which takes more effort to do.

Going back to one of my original comments, this is why clothing manufacturers are doing similar things (smoother fabrics, seamless jerseys, tights etc.) all these things are scientifically proven to contribute to the reduction in drag. The result means that less kinetic energy is required to gain and keep momentum.

Any aero bike riders care to have their say? From the aero bikes I’ve ridden, I can say conclusively that I feel better having done 40 miles on an aero than the same 40 miles on my regular bike. Would have one in a heartbeat if I could.

Just from a surface area
Just from a surface area standpoint, I’m pretty sure my body far exceeds my bike..

Aero wins..
Aero wins.. B-)

And for the record, I wasn’t
And for the record, I wasn’t saying get one. It goes without saying that the benefits are only noticeably present at the elite level of the spectrum but there are advantages to be had. Less effort required meaning you can sustain a higher speed for longer being the main one. It’s simple physics.

SpeshRider7287 wrote:Look at

SpeshRider7287 wrote:

Look at tech such as bladed spokes, SRAM’s new Red 2013 Front brake and dimpled rim surfaces that replicate that of a golf ball (Zipp) etc. and you can see that some aero elements are already present in a lot of high end road bikes.

Not everyone agrees that those things are guaranteed to work to your benefit? Other wheel makers don’t share Zipp’s love of dimples and I even saw a discussion about whether bladed spokes really help. Manufacturers will sell you the latest, bestest, lightest but it means naff-all when the bike (including wheels) contributes a max of 20% of total drag in the first place.

Each brand claims their frame is wind tunnel tested as being/among the most aerodynamic (and stiffest BB etc) but all have different protocols for testing them. The 30 seconds you sit up to stretch, unzip your gilet or grab a drink cancels out the gain of an aero frame. And that’s before you consider your clothing. Are you going to ride everywhere in a skinsuit and aero helmet?

SpeshRider7287 wrote:

I can’t find a reason to fault them as the benefits are clear cut and simple.

If you take the marketing hype at face value.

By all means buy one if it’s what you want. However, it won’t make anywhere near as much difference, if any, to you and me as it might to Cavendish or Greipel. And unless you’re racing then what’s the point?