Aero Testing and Grumpy Old Men

It's easy to be a grumpy old curmudgeon and outright dismiss aero claims quoted at 50 kph, but that would be wrong, completely wrong. Aero testing is performed and quoted at different wind speeds NOT riding speed. Riding at 30 kph into a 20 kph headwind which would not be unusual at all for FOG equals 50 kph wind speed.

Don't fool yourself, in Manitoba weight means almost nothing, aero is almost everything. And for all the expensive fancy equipment we can buy it's your body that accounts for the vast majority of the air resistance that you need to overcome when going faster. The great thing about that is huge improvements are available that cost absolutely nothing by just paying attention to your body position. Compared to riding upright on the hoods riding in the drops at 50 kph wind speed saves 40 watts and riding in the aero hoods position (stretched out on the hoods with forearms level and parallel to the ground) saves 90 watts!! To put that in perspective riding along at 33 kph takes 200 watts. Most of us could train hard all year and struggle to make a 10 watt improvement.

Equipment does make a different too of course and we'll deal with that in another post. In the meantime ditch the baggy jacket. At 50 kph wind speed you'll save yourself 50 to 100 watts.