Originally Posted by
DrPete
No, you're absolutely right. These have been tested in wind tunnels and the very best aero frames (we're talking about the Cervelo P4s and Scott Plasma 3's of the world) will shave 30-60 seconds off a 40K TT relative to their less aero counterparts. So there's your difference. I'm sure you can totally feel it and it has nothing at all to do with the placebo effect. You'll do your next century 2 minutes faster than on your old frame.
Aerodynamic benefit breaks down something like this:
Aero body position (which you don't have on an aero-frame road bike) >> Wheels > Aero helmet >> everything else, including the frame.
I think you may be confusing the TT-time trial aero frame data vs road bikes, where as we're talking aero framed road bike (not TT bike) vs road bike.
This is the most commonly cited article:
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...is-aero-19273/
but it's still comparing a road bike to a TT bike.
Regardless, note that Dr. Pete still agrees with me. Pretty much EVERYTHING comes first before the frame. Including aero helmet.