Originally Posted by
RShantz
Exactly. Do you know if 49 trailing riders do reduce drag more than 3 trailing riders? This really wasn't a question where I'm trying to get any benefit from an actual ride. I was just curious & didn't know the best way to ask.
Some perspective:
"Bert Blocken came to a similar conclusion in
his 2013 study on the aerodynamic drag of two drafting cyclists. Blocken wanted to find the optimal strategy for team time trials and how all riders could be used to full effect.
He found that in a four-rider paceline, the lead rider’s drag is reduced by about 2 to 3% compared to if they were riding solo. The second rider in line experiences a reduction of about 27% while the third and fourth riders see drag reductions of approximately 35%."
I'm sure 49 trailing riders offer more benefit than 3 or 4, but I'd wager it isn't a big difference.