The advantage of the fairing is largely dependent on your riding position which is related to the type of recumbent ie. short wheel base vs long wheel base. The fairing on my Gold Rush is a must and you will see must Easy Racer riders with them. I used to ride a Rans Screamer with a fairing and did not find that the fairing helped that much. The low profile of the SWB rider with their feet out in front of their body make them more aero then the LWB rider. I agree with the previous post that a fairing really does not kick in until 15 mph. But as in airplanes it is all about airspeed not ground speed. If you really want to go fast get a LWB with a fairing and body sock.