Air resistance is the biggest source of resistance in riding. In professional cycling, equipment manufacturers and drivers will find ways to reduce aerodynamic drag for better results. So, what are some ways to reduce aerodynamic drag while riding during a race?
1. Aerodynamic Structure Equipment
As the carbon fiber manufacturing process has matured, bike frames, helmets, and other equipment can be "dropped out" to produce just about any look one needs, which provides great convenience for handling equipment in an aerodynamically distant look. Based on professional wind tunnel test results, designers can make detailed structural modifications to the equipment within the limits of competition regulations and minimize the impact of aerodynamic drag on the competition equipment during riding.
2. special clothing material
Professional cycling, especially during the timing phases of long sprints, often uses specially tested aerodynamic materials for the rider's ride, gloves and shoe covers to allow airflow to move smoothly through the rider's body contours and as a rider Provides better results for the cyclist when colliding with the wearer's surface.
3. "weird" riding position
In cycling, during the long straights and sprints, riders tend to adopt more "weird" riding positions, such as sitting on the frame, or pushing down, walking forward, etc. These positions may seem a bit comical, but they significantly reduce the contact surface between the rider's body and the airflow, allowing airflow to pass through the curvature of the helmet top and smoothly across the rider's back.
4. Strictly Form
The professional team will carry out various formation changes according to the direction of different directions in daily training. Guaranteed stability and speed while driving. For example, when encountering strong cross winds, the convoy will adopt a diagonal formation in time, so that the cross wind does not directly "shoot" the convoy, resulting in poor driving stability and significant deceleration.
5. "Hand of the Wind" will open the way
In every professional team, there are usually only one or two main drivers who can make it to the podium. Most other drivers need to be in the middle of the game. Up front, the prevailing wind will be blocked. - Know that if someone breaks the wind in front of you and follows him, you can even save half of your physical output. Therefore, such a move ensures that the main attack is launched with better stamina during the climbing, sprinting and impact phases.
6. Shaving your legs
Shaving your legs is a tradition in professional cycling, and research has shown that leg hair (including the driver's beard) "creates a certain amount of air resistance, so it has a small effect on gaming performance, albeit minimally (perhaps only about 1 second on a 40km bike ride). ), but for professional racing it is very important. Also, the shaving of the legs has become a cultural "circle" of drivers to a certain extent.
