China’s Winspace is launching a new T1600 aero road bike that features D-shaped vents at the top of the seatstays that are designed to help reduce turbulence and optimise aerodynamic performance. It’s certainly an eye-catching design. The T1600 has so far been launched only in the Chinese market, with a worldwide launch planned for the end of May. Here’s what we know so far…
We highlighted Winspace in a recent feature on Chinese cycling brands. Founded back in 2008, it is one of the best-known Chinese brands in the West, producing carbon-fibre road and gravel frames, plus a range of wheels and bars. It has a reputation for making high-quality products.
Winspace’s T1550 has gained plenty of fans since it started life – as the T1500 – in 2017. The initial design was updated as the T1550 in 2022, with a new version unveiled last year.
Now, the T1600 – which we first spotted on cyclistshub.com has been launched in China, with an international launch planned in a few weeks.
Winspace tells us that the frame uses a combination of T1000 and T1100 carbon fibre, with Kevlar reinforcement around the head tube area. It is made using Winspace’s one-piece moulding technology.
Winspace claims a weight of just 900g for an unpainted frame in a size medium. That’s not crazy-light by today’s standards, but it’s certainly impressive for an aero frame with deep-section tubing.
>The aero bike that’s a quarter of the price of a Factor Ostro Vam
The most unusual features of the frame are the D-shaped vents where the seatstays meet the seat tube. We’re not 100% sure how to describe them. Seatstay vents? Seat tube vents? Whatever… you can see where they are.
Winspace tells us that they reduce air turbulence to improve the overall aerodynamic performance. We’d love to tell you more about that aspect of the design, but we don’t have further details. Wind tunnel testing for the frame is still in progress, so Winspace doesn’t have finalised data.
Winspace does tell that the aero seatpost has been upgraded over that of its previous models to provide better vibration damping, and that the chainstays are just 406mm long, the aim being to offer more direct power transfer.
The bottom bracket features an external battery mount. Winspace says that this makes installation and removal of the battery easier than with a seatpost-integrated battery design.
Winspace will also launch new Kevlar handlebars and Hyper wheels alongside the frame.
Price? The Winspace T1600, with a handlebar, is priced at 19,300 Chinese Yuan. That converts to about £1,984, but that doesn’t mean much because Winspace’s direct prices don’t include UK duty or VAT.
If you’re in the UK, you’ll probably prefer to buy via Winspace UK, a dealer owned and operated by Tailwind Cycles, which has been selling the range for the past four years. We don’t yet have a UK price for the Winspace T1600. We’ll keep you updated.
14 thoughts on “What’s going on here, then? Winspace launches new T1600 aero road bike with extraordinary seatstay vents”
Until the day humans can
Until the day humans can casually solve three-dimensional, time-dependent differential equations in their heads — say, over breakfast — there will be no shortage of vendors peddling the weirdest, wildest nonsense imaginable, all in the name of making a quick buck.
Do you have the “three
Do you have the “three-dimensional, time-dependent differential equations” to show this doesnt work in some way?
No? Thought not.
95% of Aero tricks are irrelevant to recreational riding before you get close to the Pro level. Doesnt stop them a) having a tiny but measurable impact or b) them being used as a sales tool.
That’s the fun part of the
That’s the fun part of the Navier-Stokes system: The equations are easy to write down but hard to solve…
Its bad enough having my own
Its bad enough having my own love handles definitely wouldnt want them on my bike
The pic (obviously a mock up)
The pic (obviously a mock up) has a UCI sticker on the frame but aero fairing like this isn’t approved by the UCI – go see the rules on the Bianchi Oltre and why it was made removable so it could be raced.
“Protective screens, fuselages, fairings or any other device that is added or blended into the structure, and that is destined or have the effect of reducing resistance to air penetration, are prohibited.”
You’re probably right but Im
You’re probably right but Im going to indulge in whataboutery anyway…
Is this really much different to the UCI approved Madone SLR with the hole in the seat tube? Admittedly the shape is much more exaggerated on the Winspace.
I’m not going to pretend I
I’m not going to pretend I have any faith in the UCI enforcing their own rules in a fair on consistent manner, but I think the distinction would be that, with the Madone, the hole is structural – you couldn’t remove any part without compromising the frame’s integrity.
With this Winspace frame, it looks more like they have started with a perfectly sound frame, and then added on the “vents” solely to reduce drag.
Trek argue the Madone rear
Trek argue the Madone rear shape isnt fairing as the seatstays are still flat and dont flare out like this does ot the Bianchi Oltre Head tube does
road.cc wrote:
Call me old-fashioned, but I’d prefer a brand to finish its wind-tunnel work before finalising the design.
I’m sure that like race car /
I’m sure that like race car / motorbike design, it’s an iterative process, with the original design being massaged for some time in wind tunnels / CFD, and even on the road before a finalised design emerges. But you still need something to put in the tunnel etc. It’s not the incomplete design that bothers me, it’s the promotion of something that may not even survive the development process. Maybe they jumped the gun because someone else is doing similar and they wanted to be first…
All that wind tunnel time to
All that wind tunnel time to figure out the most areo place for the battery is outside the frame.
I think everyone’s got the
I think everyone’s got the wrong end of the stick here – these aren’t aerodynamic features – they’re the result of the AI design programme misunderstanding the concept of ‘giving a tow’ and building in handles.
Or perhaps just the bike
It doesn’t seem to be good at doing pedals / drivetrains either – but then again, neither are the humans who provide some of the input.
The ‘vents’ have certainly
The ‘vents’ have certainly caused a lot of turbulence in the comments section 😁 (most of which I agree with).
Always happy to see innovative ideas. Some work, some don’t.
It’s ugly and I love it!
If it saves watts, is UCI legal (I did say if), and some professionals win on it, the vents might become a thing….
Cheers all.