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Want to go faster?

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Matt2matt2002:
Perhaps of interest to some here?

https://www.cyclingabout.com/fascinating-aerodynamics-bikepacking-bicycle-touring/

Best
Matt

JohnR:
It's an interesting subject. I wonder what the drag coefficient of a traditional cycling cape is? My main baggage for day trips is a rack bag which isn't discussed but I reckon should have minimal impact on aerodynamic drag. My AHS handlebars let me adopt a slighly lower drag body position when needed but, as I found out only a couple of years ago, drop bars are too uncomfortable.

The biggest factor in the formula is V because it is squared, but it's actually not the bike speed but the effective speed after taking account of the head or tail wind. Cycling at 15 mph into a 15 mph wind results in the drag losses increasing by a factor of four while the 15 mph tailwind reduces, in theory, the drag losses to zero. Crosswinds and associated turbulance also cause extra drag and I suspect that baggage configurations which reduce the head wind losses then increase the crosswind losses. Cycling is much more pleasant on a calm day as the extra effort needed to fight a headwind is never fully compensated by the reduction in effort when there's a tailwind.

steve216c:
Interesting read.

Can someone do measurements with the wind behind me in a non-aerodynamic position to see if that pushes me faster home? Presumably the reverse of those findings is going to be true when I act as a sail? ::)

energyman:
You always go faster with a following wind !
Even up hill.

Matt2matt2002:

--- Quote from: energyman on May 15, 2021, 12:03:22 pm ---You always go faster with a following wind !
Even up hill.

--- End quote ---

My one hill joke:
Climbing mountains are fun. They are hill areas.

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