J
Peter Clinch wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Again, I'm surprised that the tinkering, workshop world of bikes hasn't
> > done anything with improving upright aero beyond the UCI regs
>
> But they have... The Moulton Liners still hold the upright world record
> AIUI. See here... http://members.localnet.com/~milliken/liner/liners.htm
>
> However, if you're going to work on an aerodynamically optimised bike it
I'm talking more about working with a common bike format and giving it
sizeable gains with a few simple add-on devices.
> makes a lot of sense to start with something that gives you a better
> start! Since a lot of the work in aero is minimising frontal area then
> that rather leads you to a recumbent.
Yeah. But we shouldn't just neglect uprights. They can be helped a LOT.
> One of the truly great things about the DF upright is it's very
> versatile, does lots of jobs reasonably well and can easily be carried
> and stored. Start adding integrated fairings etc. and this gets
> destroyed to some extent.
To make it truly versatile people already add on tons of stuff---in
ugly, unstable ways that slow them down. Once you include the great
ideas of packs/pans/racks/fenders/lights you've added to the bare
upright already. How to make these additions and not add to the clutter
and downsides? But actually these additions are just great
side-effects, in a sense. I guess my mission is two-fold. But it starts
with speed: race-legal ways to add speed to an upright are
intentionally curtailed and right now add no versatility. But I think
that doing the laundry list is a good idea and does add 1-2mph: fast
wheels, aerobar, aerohelmet, tidy up the rest. Non-legal enhancers
would open a HUGE new range of options to enhance fun for 99% of ridden
miles. I still wonder why they aren't explored. Haven't heard a good
answer yet. The market is actually big for this. I still think that a
couple nicely designed carbon fairings could nicely integrate in with
any current carbon aerobike and add a few mph---and greatly improve
versatility, convenience and harmonious appearance (compared to current
ways of adding functionality). Anyone who wants to give up the free
speed and functionality and do a race could just click off these
devices from their QR's and have a race-legal bike once again.
Consider once again:
*A single carbon unit that zipties to the front and integrates with an
aerobar and provides storage under the bars and in the sides as per
usual front pans. It attaches/removes via a QR device as a single rigid
unit. Adds 2mph. Has cool graphics. Weighs one pound. Includes its own
fender and light-aperature and hookup (install light, add a pound: no
aero deficit or appearance intrusion). Does 5 functions in one. Solid,
secure, waterproof, simple, harmonious with design of bike.
*A single unit that zipties to the rear and fairs the
back/butt/legs/rear of bike and provides the usual saddle area storage
plus rear-pan storage, includes its own fender and rear light set-up. 5
common things in one unit. Weighs 2 pounds. Adds 1mph. Cool graphics.
On/off via QR. (Same other virtues.)
*Aero helmet, faired-pedals, batwing-jersey, (batwing leg-tights?). Get
the graphics right to avoid shock (classy, subdued but snappy, fitting
in with rest of bike graphics). Add 1mph.
*All designed shapes and graphics of bike and accessories are
integrated and tasteful. Bike is carbon in a common faired shape. The 2
add-on 5-function faired units and accessories don't alter the previous
look of the curve-tube aero-shape carbon bike. The bike can even have
comfy touring geometry---and include some suspension. Final product
enhances versatile functionality and gives 4mph free speed (and huge
reduction of effort and increaste in stability in most typical
headwind, crosswind scenarios as compared to other loaded bikes). You
end up with faster, comfy, dry, bike you can use at night and tour or
run errands with. Adds $1K to the $3K tag of the bike and yer out the
door.
--JP
> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Again, I'm surprised that the tinkering, workshop world of bikes hasn't
> > done anything with improving upright aero beyond the UCI regs
>
> But they have... The Moulton Liners still hold the upright world record
> AIUI. See here... http://members.localnet.com/~milliken/liner/liners.htm
>
> However, if you're going to work on an aerodynamically optimised bike it
I'm talking more about working with a common bike format and giving it
sizeable gains with a few simple add-on devices.
> makes a lot of sense to start with something that gives you a better
> start! Since a lot of the work in aero is minimising frontal area then
> that rather leads you to a recumbent.
Yeah. But we shouldn't just neglect uprights. They can be helped a LOT.
> One of the truly great things about the DF upright is it's very
> versatile, does lots of jobs reasonably well and can easily be carried
> and stored. Start adding integrated fairings etc. and this gets
> destroyed to some extent.
To make it truly versatile people already add on tons of stuff---in
ugly, unstable ways that slow them down. Once you include the great
ideas of packs/pans/racks/fenders/lights you've added to the bare
upright already. How to make these additions and not add to the clutter
and downsides? But actually these additions are just great
side-effects, in a sense. I guess my mission is two-fold. But it starts
with speed: race-legal ways to add speed to an upright are
intentionally curtailed and right now add no versatility. But I think
that doing the laundry list is a good idea and does add 1-2mph: fast
wheels, aerobar, aerohelmet, tidy up the rest. Non-legal enhancers
would open a HUGE new range of options to enhance fun for 99% of ridden
miles. I still wonder why they aren't explored. Haven't heard a good
answer yet. The market is actually big for this. I still think that a
couple nicely designed carbon fairings could nicely integrate in with
any current carbon aerobike and add a few mph---and greatly improve
versatility, convenience and harmonious appearance (compared to current
ways of adding functionality). Anyone who wants to give up the free
speed and functionality and do a race could just click off these
devices from their QR's and have a race-legal bike once again.
Consider once again:
*A single carbon unit that zipties to the front and integrates with an
aerobar and provides storage under the bars and in the sides as per
usual front pans. It attaches/removes via a QR device as a single rigid
unit. Adds 2mph. Has cool graphics. Weighs one pound. Includes its own
fender and light-aperature and hookup (install light, add a pound: no
aero deficit or appearance intrusion). Does 5 functions in one. Solid,
secure, waterproof, simple, harmonious with design of bike.
*A single unit that zipties to the rear and fairs the
back/butt/legs/rear of bike and provides the usual saddle area storage
plus rear-pan storage, includes its own fender and rear light set-up. 5
common things in one unit. Weighs 2 pounds. Adds 1mph. Cool graphics.
On/off via QR. (Same other virtues.)
*Aero helmet, faired-pedals, batwing-jersey, (batwing leg-tights?). Get
the graphics right to avoid shock (classy, subdued but snappy, fitting
in with rest of bike graphics). Add 1mph.
*All designed shapes and graphics of bike and accessories are
integrated and tasteful. Bike is carbon in a common faired shape. The 2
add-on 5-function faired units and accessories don't alter the previous
look of the curve-tube aero-shape carbon bike. The bike can even have
comfy touring geometry---and include some suspension. Final product
enhances versatile functionality and gives 4mph free speed (and huge
reduction of effort and increaste in stability in most typical
headwind, crosswind scenarios as compared to other loaded bikes). You
end up with faster, comfy, dry, bike you can use at night and tour or
run errands with. Adds $1K to the $3K tag of the bike and yer out the
door.
--JP
> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/