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Waving, drag revealed!

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Waving, drag revealed!

Old 06-28-14, 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by GuitarBob
I love it, replicates even. Nice work!
I'm glad that someone at least appreciates the momentous nature of the inquiry.
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Old 06-28-14, 07:30 PM
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Great experiment!!

And may explain why most cyclist wave by nodding their heads slightly ... and most motorcyclists wave by slightly extending a low hand. It's all about efficiency.
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Old 06-28-14, 07:49 PM
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Amazing, just indubitably amazing.
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Old 06-28-14, 07:52 PM
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the wave died in the early 90's, but the rednecks at the sporting events i go to in southwest ohio keep doing it. sigh!
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Old 06-28-14, 08:50 PM
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Heck, I've published lesser things!

Originally Posted by wphamilton
I'm glad that someone at least appreciates the momentous nature of the inquiry.
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Old 06-28-14, 09:01 PM
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Thanks for sharing your results.

My experiment: I wave to every cyclist I see and about 50-60 percent return the waves. Most all ladies, casual riders and older folks wave back at me. The 20-something to mid 40s guys with expensive bikes and outfits are the ones typically who do not wave back.

IMO, The real reason some "roadies" don't wave back is they are judgmental A-holes plain and simple. If your not as cool as they are, you don't deserve a wave.
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Old 06-28-14, 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by GuitarBob
Heck, I've published lesser things!
That sounds like something that would require actual effort ... I'm afraid that this thread is as close to published as this will ever see
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Old 06-28-14, 10:20 PM
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When I do give a wave, I usually lift my left hand and wave while keeping my palm on the bar. It is obvious that I'm giving a wave but I'm not getting my arm in the action.

I think it is too much work sometimes though. When I'm getting to the end of my ride and I'm feeling the bonk coming on, I really don't have much energy to expend on even a nod of my head, let along actually having to lift that single finger. I need every bit of energy I can get.
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Old 06-28-14, 10:23 PM
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I wear speed gloves. I think they have negative drag or something.

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Old 06-29-14, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
I'm sensing a Nobel prize in physics.
Or at least a big government grant
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Old 06-30-14, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by WrightVanCleve
When I do give a wave, I usually lift my left hand and wave while keeping my palm on the bar. It is obvious that I'm giving a wave but I'm not getting my arm in the action.

I think it is too much work sometimes though. When I'm getting to the end of my ride and I'm feeling the bonk coming on, I really don't have much energy to expend on even a nod of my head, let along actually having to lift that single finger. I need every bit of energy I can get.
I'm sympathetic with this, and even dinging my bell feels like an ordeal. Maybe I'll do another experiment on the drag penalty of dinging - mine is on the stem so I have to drag my hand all the way over, interrupt my rhythm, and disturb the delicate aerodynamic posture.
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Old 06-30-14, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by canam73
I wear speed gloves. I think they have negative drag or something.

You should stuff 2 or 3 pair of those and mount them on the handlebar.
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Old 06-30-14, 08:18 AM
  #38  
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Hard science! We now have somewhere to point when this topic inevitably comes up again.
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Old 06-30-14, 08:45 AM
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It really bothers me that I finish my ride .00000099 seconds slower because I waved at someone.
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Old 06-30-14, 09:16 AM
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Originally Posted by KonaRider125
Thanks for sharing your results.

My experiment: I wave to every cyclist I see and about 50-60 percent return the waves. Most all ladies, casual riders and older folks wave back at me. The 20-something to mid 40s guys with expensive bikes and outfits are the ones typically who do not wave back.

IMO, The real reason some "roadies" don't wave back is they are judgmental A-holes plain and simple. If your not as cool as they are, you don't deserve a wave.

The "real" roadies are the ones out there riding when it's near freezing (or worse) or the weather's bad. Funny how I never see these "super serious roadies" when I'm out putting in the miles then. I supposed they can't be bothered to wave because their cycling is limited to the brief period when the weather is perfect - gotta be intense to get it all in for that brief period. Watching these guys with their faux intensity is always good humor for a mile or so.

There is one guy who just kills me. He's riding a classic 60-70's road bike complete with cloth bar tape. He's got his little cycling cap on with the brim pulled down over his eyes, a jersey from the same period and wool shorts (no kidding), macrame style gloves, lace up cleats/toe clips all locked in - the whole nine yards. He comes riding by and won't even look at someone going the other way no matter what. It's hilarious - he's deep into his Eddie Merckx fantasy.

I'm going to have to work on my waving form now that I realize the severe aero consequences.

J.
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Old 06-30-14, 09:49 AM
  #41  
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I don't begrudge anyone their Eddie Merckx fantasy or their fair weather intensity. Heck, being occasionally self conscious I figure if I'm in the full getup, get a fierce intense look on my face, gear down and spin really fast, no one will notice how slow I'm actually going. Not from a car window anyway.

But that 12% extra drag, people spend thousands of dollars to drop less drag than that, that's serious business.
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Old 06-30-14, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Hard science! We now have somewhere to point when this topic inevitably comes up again.
More like hard scientific results of testing a wrong variable. No one waves at other cyclists with their arms wildly gyrating in the air like they are a 4 year old who just saw Mickey Mouse at Disneyworld.

Test needs repeated with the wave being a slight lift of the first 3 fingers or palm from the handgrip, not arm extended flapping around like a flag in a hurricane.
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Old 06-30-14, 10:25 AM
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Well, i don't know but I even find myself waving at homeless guys on junk bikes with hobo bars. It must be an illness or something.
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Old 06-30-14, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by mrodgers
More like hard scientific results of testing a wrong variable. No one waves at other cyclists with their arms wildly gyrating in the air like they are a 4 year old who just saw Mickey Mouse at Disneyworld.

Test needs repeated with the wave being a slight lift of the first 3 fingers or palm from the handgrip, not arm extended flapping around like a flag in a hurricane.
Some do. But either way, first determining the most drag likely from waving puts parameters on the problem, which IMO is an essential first step.

I wave all the time with a twitch of 3 fingers. Sometimes a tiny jerk of the head. My impression is that no one notices. (if they don't notice, they'd have the same complaint about me not waving as if I hadn't, so we need a big wave here) You can test for the small waves if you want - but my intuition is that waving generally falls between the two extremes.

Last edited by wphamilton; 06-30-14 at 10:53 AM.
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Old 06-30-14, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by KonaRider125
IMO, The real reason some "roadies" don't wave back is you are not as cool as they are.
Agreed! Increased cool factor = more aero.
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Old 06-30-14, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by wphamilton
I selected a gentle grade to simulate the realistic speeds of a roadie in training.
You failed to simulate a hard effort while riding. Coasting is a relaxed form and and easy position as to "wave" if one chooses to. I wave most times out on the bike. But in a concentrated effort, while hammering on the bike, both hands clutched on the bars, I will by no means lift my hand to return a wave. As doing so my jeopardize my health with a nasty crash. I ask that you please add another test, this time going in an all out effort, eyes fixed on the road ahead, concentrating on your position, form and speed, cadence and projected power output. Then, think of waving added in. If this is possible, then you are not training hard enough. Casual riding, yes, by all means wave at the fellow rider. Otherwise, get your mo-jo on and RIDE!
Cheers
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Old 06-30-14, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by KonaRider125
Thanks for sharing your results.

My experiment: I wave to every cyclist I see and about 50-60 percent return the waves. Most all ladies, casual riders and older folks wave back at me. The 20-something to mid 40s guys with expensive bikes and outfits are the ones typically who do not wave back.

IMO, The real reason some "roadies" don't wave back is they are judgmental A-holes plain and simple. If your not as cool as they are, you don't deserve a wave.
How did you come to this conclusion?
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Old 06-30-14, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnJ80
The "real" roadies are the ones out there riding when it's near freezing (or worse) or the weather's bad. Funny how I never see these "super serious roadies" when I'm out putting in the miles then. I supposed they can't be bothered to wave because their cycling is limited to the brief period when the weather is perfect - gotta be intense to get it all in for that brief period. Watching these guys with their faux intensity is always good humor for a mile or so.

There is one guy who just kills me. He's riding a classic 60-70's road bike complete with cloth bar tape. He's got his little cycling cap on with the brim pulled down over his eyes, a jersey from the same period and wool shorts (no kidding), macrame style gloves, lace up cleats/toe clips all locked in - the whole nine yards. He comes riding by and won't even look at someone going the other way no matter what. It's hilarious - he's deep into his Eddie Merckx fantasy.

I'm going to have to work on my waving form now that I realize the severe aero consequences.

J.
All of the "super serious roadies" I know ride all winter. In Minnesota.
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Old 06-30-14, 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by KonaRider125
Thanks for sharing your results.

My experiment: I wave to every cyclist I see and about 50-60 percent return the waves. Most all ladies, casual riders and older folks wave back at me. The 20-something to mid 40s guys with expensive bikes and outfits are the ones typically who do not wave back.

IMO, The real reason some "roadies" don't wave back is they are judgmental A-holes plain and simple. If your not as cool as they are, you don't deserve a wave.
You give yourself too much credit. We don't wave because we don't even see you. We are not out there to be social, mentally we are in our own world tryin to overcome our bodys attempts at self preservation at the effort we are inflicting upon ourselves and the publics attempts to kill us. My own team mates rarely wave so don't take it personally.
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Old 06-30-14, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by RISKDR1
Well, i don't know but I even find myself waving at homeless guys on junk bikes with hobo bars. It must be an illness or something.
If you wave at a homeless guy they will just ask for money.
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