Aero/Gains Thread

Crank arm length is what I am looking to change next.
5ft 8in tall and I have short legs, probably 31in inseam.
TT bike is 170mm and race bike is 172.5mm. I've been reading a lot recently and funnily enough, GCN posted this video the other day which I found very interesting....
 
Seen it was Bike Radar and didn't even bother.
There are very clever guys out there measuring this stuff properly, if only they would publish it in such manners.
 
SoliD said:
Slow course or just a windsock?
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One of the fastest courses in our land but he must be big time non-aero as well. Watch out if he comes down to CTT champs, he will be up there on a fast course with those numbers.

touch said:
Same guy that smashed our stage race last year? I'm not surprised he can do that.
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That's the boy. Starting a season like that he will be snapped up by Raleigh/Madison/Condor this year surely. You think he is 78kg? I don't.

WTF watts is Dowsett pushing in 10's?!? Pretty sure there are boys riding sub 20's on the V718 regularly with 100w less than above....
 
SoliD said:
https://www.strava.com/activities/673207053

That is my ridiculously aero focused mate.

10 miles - 349W - 19:14.... and that is not the quickest course round here. He's gone sub 19 on 325w Aero is King!
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What does he weigh?

touch said:
I dont think the course is that fast? Never ridden it myself but on strava discussion for a boy I know from sunday somebody is saying that course is around 1min slower than West Ferry.
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It's flat as you'll get up here with decent surface for majority of it and roundabout at the turn plus it's a A road so decent traffic volume. We don't have that many courses at all in Scotland as you know but reckon on the right day this is one of the fastest you can get. Problem being it's basically in a wide valley, and you head West on the out leg, so it's 99% guarantee you will have a stiff breeze or worse to the turn and it has no protection due to being in that big U valley. It's certainly faster than our typical Highland 10's hehe.
 
SoliD said:
Unsure exactly, he was probably 68-70kg then, he's not obscenely slim, but has very little upper body.
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As comparison the lad that finished 2nd in the TT we mention above is that weight of your mate and done 20:30 off 10-15w more. How much is course/conditions/aero disadvantaged in the comparison is any man's guess!
 
TripSocks banned here.
TripSuits would be cool but we HAVE to wear club colours now and my club uses BioRacer.

My coach has setup a race team and all their kit is NoPinz. What is the deal with second claiming to another team?
Or will NoPinz entertain doing a tiny run of skinsuits if club kit design was given to them?
 
SoliD said:
nopinz will make whatever you want, but you'll have to pay them. We had a minimum order of 5 tripsuits in club colours, but if you're willing to pay they'd do one, think the design work is something like 150, but then once done it's done.

They're sponsoring our club open tomorrow, we've got some good ties with them.
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£280 which includes design fee's for custom TripSuit. Not as bad as I thought actually. Proper tempted!
 
You going to run Corsa Speed 23mm on that Thomas?
Aerocoach session will be cool. Great to see how you get on :)

I haven't got a rear wheel sorted. Possibly might have my hands on a 808 front tomorrow, think I'll run CS 23mm's can get them at a decent price on CRC.
 
Cannot understand how you boys get so fast.
5w/kg got me a 22:44 the other week! Got a selfish **** in a lorry overtake me on a blind bend then held me up for 45 seconds. So even at that, those sort of watts only good for long 21's. And it's not me being super non aero, the guys all beating me are pushing out much higher watts and are nowhere near the 20 mark.
 
a lot of folk up here play the old "it's because they TT on good surface and on dual carriageways and get benefit from lots of traffic". I know that to be the case with some of the courses down there but not every course like people up here try to make out. Our surfaces are horrific, I can confirm that much.

Typical 1010hPa +
It's never been below 1018 for a TT yet this year.
I can remember once last year where it was 990ish.
 
I think front end of my body would seriously struggle to be much narrower. I can get a touch lower I feel but I am way narrower than everyone I see in pictures.
60kg and at 308watts now with the goal of 320ish come national 10, on paper, that should result in a serious time. I am at disadvantage of only running 40mm wheels with not ideal tyres and my skinsuit is bottom end Impsport only. It's annoying knowing I could be quite a bit faster with the gear but I'll just need to smash out as is with a few aero position "advances" over the next couple weeks and see what it nets me.
 
@SoliD & @One More Solo - https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/15655
Should I bother even trying to enter that? I've never competed under CTT but my club is affiliated. I don't understand the "100 slowest riders" thing and why do no events on CTT bother to enter any details about said bloomin event?!?

I guess entry numbers for that being on Levens will be mental. Reckon I would need to enter a PB of NA since I have never competed under CTT?
 
Thanks guys.
I might enter that as my GF's sister is near Lancaster so it's not that obscene a situation for me to ride it and could visit family to justify going down.

I thought there might be a 100 fastest and 100 slowest but it is only the one I linked showing for that weekend, no other events. If it's based on slowest, a Scottish time shall be of advantage for a change :p The PB time I put down for a 10 will be from Scottish National at this point, so they can't really turn their nose up at that being a valid PB for a 10 purely because it was Scottish Cycling rather than a CTT event.
 
21:38 last night off 324w. That is 5.35w/kg so I am now into the convinced realms that I am as aero as a lorry.... :(

Dowsett done a mid week 10 short 19, here is his data so you'll see why I am getting frustrated at the watts I am doing and it not bagging me serious times -
IzPGU1pnoCmS3dihuVWW7dMdXKHj23M49kYK6d1_jL4-432x768.jpg
 
SoliD said:
Ouch, not even a lumpy course, going by those times and vague guestimations with the guys down here I'd say they'd be doing 19:20-30 on that course when they're hitting sub 19s on our local 10 that Tom PBed on the other week, where I've run a 21:02, 21:08 at 270W, your aero is nae good :(

What is your full bike spec, everything down to tyres? I think you may have some rolling/drivetrain losses that could be improved with some choice changes.
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My gear is ****. Let's not beat about the bush here:

Cube Aerium C:62 framset - Mech Ultegra everything.
Profile Design Svet R base with T4+ carbon extensions.
FFWD F4R tubs running Vittoria Corsa CX3 23mm.

Cheapest ImpSport club skinsuit.
Kask Bambino Pro 2016 model (first ride with it last night, just got this to replace my 2014 non pro Bambino).
Velotoze.

@SoliD you are obviously more aero than me, but compare pictures here, they say if it looks aero then it is but I LOOK more aero than you frontal wise surely????

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTlTE8nFC0o/

EDIT - Quick screw around with the data in Aerolab and CDA = 0.2315
I know that ain't exactly accurate but I reckon CDA quite simply could be as bad as that!

Also, plug it to the Aeroweenie calculator thing:
uEP03Mw.png
 
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SoliD said:
Snip.
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Thanks buddy.
Power is measured from Vectors yeah. Drivetrain was seriously immaculate last night, the TT bike is slaved over cleanliness wise!

Xav posted some info on the TT forum recently stating that the Trip Socks (full calf things now illegal in Scottish events) are the best saving, but Velotoze are actually faster than the Trip Overshoes (these ARE allowed in Scotland as they don't go right up to the knee). I think from memory it was 7w vs 9w in favour of Velotoze over Trip Overshoes.

TripSuit I totally agree. It would be £280 and I could get them to do my club colours as I have investigated it.

Tyres are good option I think to start for the money it would cost as I am massively limited now on spending. Like I very much doubt I can get the TripSuit and will need make do. Tyres are possible.

I am getting a loan of a FFWD rear disc potentially which is running a Conti Grand Prix TT but is a clincher. I don't see the rear disc making any massive gains at all but better tyre choice on front might see me something.

The T4+ extensions can't simply be swapped round to get more degree's as they are shaped and wider up top for hands. Would need ot be a extension change completely which is another avenue I was investigating. Fancying the D2Z 40 degree's possibly, but again, money :(
 
58:10 for 25miles on a training ride last night. 10-15w down on target race power and was a lumpy ole' course so good tester with good data to take away from it.
@touch has loaned me his FFWD disc (he's a good dude!) and wow, what a difference a disc makes. My bike feels incredibly stable now, I can torque the pedals and mash on and the bike just goes super straight. It's crazy how smooth everything is with the disc on, even our sketchy road surfaces in situations where I expect to get properly rattled and cringe, I was just gliding over and disbelief. Properly impressed.
 
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