"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Interesting but I find some of it hard to believe

A new wind tunnel facility for cyclists has opened. That's cool. They claim that if Cadel Evans had put tape over the vents in his time trial helmet, he'd have finished 30 seconds faster and won the race. I'm skeptical.

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070902/ENTERTAINMENT06/709020301


Based on testing and calculations, second-place finisher Cadel Evans could have shaved about 30 seconds off his time in the aerodynamic time trials - and won the tour - simply by taping over the vents on his helmet, Coté said.

"You don't need to use drugs to win," he said.

Oh and btw, anyone here wishing to try out the facility? No problem.


An hour of testing in the tunnel and a data package and analysis will put a cyclist back $1,075.

They claim that if Cadel Evans had put tape over the vents in his time trial helmet, he'd have finished 30 seconds faster and won the race. I'm skeptical.



But he may have overheated & blown a gasket, setting him back 50 seconds

It dosen't sound off to me. Little changes like that can make big time. Just take a look at the amount of re-badged tires used at pro races.

I might buy a few seconds, but 30 seems crazy.

As far as the cost..... Some of us spend 1500 on a PT, or 2K on Zipps. This $1000 could potentially drop minutes off your time. Although high, it isn't too out of the spectrum of cyclist spending habits.

If you can spend $4000 on a pair of Zedtech wheels ($1000 alone for the ceramic upgrade), $1000 bucks at the wind tunnel is a drop in the bucket and potentially far more important.

The cost of wind tunnel time is irrelevant at the elite level. Some of these guys are spending upwards of 30 000 euro p/a on their doping programs.

Anyway, I reckon a gorilla for the hour is pretty good value.

They claim that if Cadel Evans had put tape over the vents in his time trial helmet, he'd have finished 30 seconds faster and won the race. I'm skeptical.



Or maybe his head would have exploded in the 35C heat.

Or maybe his head would have exploded in the 35C heat.

It is a mighty large head.

But he may have overheated & blown a gasket, setting him back 50 seconds
+1 This test obviously doesn't account for the human factor.

I'm sure that wearing a PVC suit over every inch of him would have saved him minutes!

A new wind tunnel facility for cyclists has opened. That's cool. They claim that if Cadel Evans had put tape over the vents in his time trial helmet, he'd have finished 30 seconds faster and won the race. I'm skeptical.

Perhaps running the numbers would relieve your skepticism. A reduction in CdA of less than ~2% would save 30 seconds over the course of the Tour TT's. That type of change is easily seen by using a smooth helmet. http://www.analyticcycling.com

Perhaps running the numbers would relieve your skepticism. A reduction in CdA of less than ~2% would save 30 seconds over the course of the Tour TT's. That type of change is easily seen by using a smooth helmet. http://www.analyticcycling.com

Sure, but he already was using a smooth TT helmet. The vents were not huge vents like on a reg. helmet.

Contact that company and tell them:

'Blow me'.

That is all.

Contact that company and tell them:

'Blow me'.

That is all.

You're trying so hard to be a "botto" (why I have no idea), why not just be the best patentcad you can be? ;)

You're trying so hard to be a "botto" (why I have no idea), why not just be the best patentcad you can be? ;)

Botto and Patentcad are two distinct personalities; both original.

Contact that company and tell them:

'Blow me'.

That is all.

Most wind tunnels don't blow. They suck.