Windshield for bicycles...
 

Found this today while crusing the net......

Please understand that this idea is for UTILITY, COMMUTE OR ERRAND bicycles only.......

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...Ntt=windshield

I kinda like the idea for when it rains or is a bit chilly or very cold. :D :D

I think it makes a lot of more sense than aero seat post or aero spokes. But I don't think this will ever catch on. You know why? Because the racers don't use them. Bicycle industry is largely driven by "me too" people.

It might get kind of squirrely in a strong head wind or a fast decent though.

Other than that, it seems like a pretty cool idea. I doubt I would buy one though, it doesn't rain enough down here for one to be very practical. And it usually isn't very cold either.

I saw one of these on the road! The guy was pretty hardcore though.

Check this out.

http://www.zzipper.com/Products/prod_upright.html

I think it will make road bike less aerodynamic, not more.

The ad says it is for motorcycles. I didn't see anything about bicycles.

Uh OK. So?? If you read the text you will see that it's way small for a MOTORcycle but just right for
a UTILITY / commuter BIcycle.

Please folk's be mindful that something like this is NOT intended , nor be useful, on any road or race
bicycle. Just because some bicycle shop doesn't sell it doesn't mean it can be used on a bicycle. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

So... the part is not designed for a bicycle. A 3/16 sheet of Lexan is going to be fairly heavy, thus changing the way the bike handles and steers. So... it might get you hurt.

I dont know, i think it would make a bike more aerodynamic. The human body is the least aero part of the machine, with this I would imagine it would hit the wind before the body, and this smooth piece of lexan is going ot be more aero than myself

Agreed.

Unfortunately, though, the airflow pattern changes with the slightest turn because the windshield is bolted to the handlebars instead of the frame. Thus, the aerodynamic qualities are continually variable.

In other words, you're placing a moving wing on the front of the bike. This is not a major issue on a motorcycle (even a small one for which the windshield is designed) because it has far greater mass than a bicycle... therefore it is less affected by the constant shift in geometry.

While I thank you for your concern I disagree that due to it's motorized cycle heritiage it's to big
or to heavy for a utility /commuting bicycle. Also it's NOT Lexan.....it's acrylic which is lighter by far.

As to any handling disavantage or change......
Anything that high up on a cycle of any kind requires more attention if it weighs very much. It's the
pendullum affect. That said since I've offered it only as a SLOW utility / commute option I doubt that
one would ride one, or no, handed . This small windshield wouldn't have anymore affect on these bike
than a full front basket would. Probably a lot less affect when it's all said and done. Heck even zipper
makes a shield for Mountain bikes and shows them used in......winter. Imagin that!!
:D :D

This is what I want for winter and the rain.....

http://www.go-one.de/ukindex.shtml

it has a windshield and it is aerodynamic... :D

There are over whelming evidence that fairing(in this case, called windshield) can do for better aerodynamics. You can search by typing "fairing bicycle" in Google, you get all kind of informaiotn,

Just a few expample.
Just about all racing motorcycle use fairing. If a naked (no fairing) motorcycle has better aerodynamics, they would not use fairing. At more than 200 mph, aerodynamics is one of the biggest concern.

At the opposite (slow)end, when people design a very energy efficient vehicle, such as man-powered or solar-powered for record setting purpose, one of the first thing they design is the fairing.

So, why bicycle racers are not using it(specially in time trial)? Because it's prohibited by UCI rule.

I looked in to it, all the ones I found were recumbent bikes not road bikes. Only one I found that looked kind of like a road bike was this: http://www.lightningbikes.com/sf40blu.jpg
http://www.lightningbikes.com/f40.htm
In either case big difference between those shields and the one on that website. I've seen bricks more aerodynamic that then the shield on that website.

You haven't seen this one, then?

http://www.zzipper.com/Products/prod_upright.html

And why you think it helps recumbents but make it worse for road bikes?

Where did I say I only think it helps recumbent. All I said is all I could find are examples of recumbent bikes, ie. I did a google search and links I clicked had recumbent examples. Also when I said wind shield wouldn't make bike aerodynamic I was specific, and was talking about that particular one. Now the links you posted those shields might improve aerodynamics of a bike.

I doubt it. The problem with a human rider is that they have a very irregularly shaped surface. The cloth cover you show streamlines the human figure very much and makes the air wrap around the rider on basically one edge instead of burbling around the rider and bike and creating lots of turbulence.

Ok, let me ask you this way then. Why do you think that particular winshield has less aerodynamic than human body, while others have better aerodynamics than human body(I'm assuming you are not arguing this point.)?

Size I guess, others cover the wheel and generally cover the lower end of the bike. This one looks like it would stick above the bike and is designed more for stopping bugs from smashing in to your face then to improve aerodynamics.
Since you seem to be an expert at this, you tell me why you think this one provides the same benefits as the the ones you posted?

John Howard tested and sold a windshield for racing bikes twenty years ago. Added a couple MPH in a time trial. But, it was banned from racing, so, another good idea bit the dust. All bikes must be "clones" of the bikes at the Tour de France. If they started racing on one pedal at the TDF, next year, all of us would be riding with one pedal.

I don't claim to be an expert any more than you appear to be. Do you see any difference in what I'm saying and what you are saying?

The size differnce you said? It's a "mini windshield" 9" 3/4 wide, 13" 3/4 high. Much smaller than ones in zzipper.com. If for any reason it is less efficient than zzipper, it would be beause it's smaller. In any case, it's still better than catching the wind in the body.

Hey alan, you know better than that. It should read:

If they started racing on one pedal at the TDF, next year, all of you sheep would be riding with one pedal.

:D

I've seen recumbents with something similar. All I can imagine is that with a good tailwind, you're no longer biking, you're sailing!