gravel will require more power, as with some of the roads around here when the road gets really rough and I either need to up power or let speed drop.
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Interesting to see what kind of air you were catching 3rd wheel. I’m almost always in the same boat during a group ride. I get almost no aero benefit riding behind other guys unless they are close in size to me. I’m a great draft though. Tactically I’ve been really focusing on limiting my pulls to under a minute, being super judicious about this and essentially forcing others to work more than I am. It’s all I got unless I can pin it at threshold and split a group, which is a lot of fun.
Most definitely. I’ve noticed that riding on loose over hard requires an additional ~20w just to maintain the same speed. It’s truly a factor.
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I’ve been under the impression that unless it’s a sustained climb power:weight is far less a factor than sheer watts. To your point though, I push a lot of wind, so wattage and body size are a big factor.
I think what I’m lacking in all of this is a bike setup that is maximizing aero-benefits. Like I mentioned, I’m riding a very classic looking, but modern steel tubed bike. Certainly not aero. Now if I was riding an SL7 Tarmac I have a hunch I’d find some additional free speed.
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You are more than likely right…
You can push the power… but if you become a wall, the wind will hold you… So more aero will probably do the trick…
Last week I was doing a zone2 ride with a tailwind, doing 22mph, and kept power steady and dropped 2mph on the worst section of road. Actually I pumped the power a little at the beginning of that quarter mile section. But you know what I mean.
Here are the things I have done to attack being bigger.
Waxed chain
Fast tire gp5000 with latex tube
tight clothes
aero helmet
Aero bike
Narrow bar 42mm
levers pointed in to help keep me aero
aero wheels, bigger is better due to size
shaved arms
Shaved legs
things left
aero gloves
aero socks
aero skinsuit
aero shoe covers
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So…
I shave my legs… Yet I have a somewhat bushy beard… Does that negates the aero benefits of the shaved legs?
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Specailzed WinTunnel data shows beard has no impact. Due to the shape of the face its so unaero that hair has no impact.
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I am also sometimes astonished how doing 180W can equate to 22mph 
What is interesting (and anegdotal) - I have recently changed stock aluminium wheel to new custom aluminium wheel with way better hubs - the improvement was around 1.6mph for the same course and couple watts lower power. The difference was observed on two following rides afther the benchmark one, day by day so wind was different but course the same. Wheels are also 700g lighter. The last ride was 100km and 20mph avg speed. I am far from aero (6’2"), no flexibility and still ride with 2 spacers on non aero bike (trek emonda alr5) and still have hairs on my legs.
This is on flat ground, under calm conditions? If so – ugh.
With those conditions, (96 kg in total mass, flat ground, no wind, 35mm tires, 200 w average) your CdA is > 0.5 m^2. In order to do get to 20 mph with those conditions, you need your CdA to be around 0.35 m^2.
Right now, you’re a parachute, and your tires ain’t helping. Actually, right now, nothing on your list of equipment is helping. I don’t quite know where to begin.
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Maybe I just need to focus on being more aero, all the time. I’m not about to go drop a bunch of money on aero-tech, but was more curious about identifying things that could improve overall speed. If it truly is technology, I’m screwed.
Sample of a purely flat stretch of gravel with no wind:
Avg watts: 190
Avg speed: 17
Same stretch while doing a 9-min over/under interval:
Avg watts: 329
Avg speed: 23
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Tires and tubes are a cheap place to start
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I realized lighter, skinnier tires might help, but I definitely don’t want to put tubes back in, and I quite like these tires for their ability to handle gravel and road.
Yesterday sitting up to eat during a recovery interval:
- 13.2mph
- 158W
- head/cross wind about 45 degrees with 21mph gusts and almost lost my front wheel while pulling out a fig bar, a lot of aggressive counter-steering required to hold my line
- 379W burst going up and over railroad tracks
- crappy beat up roads with 55psi in 35c Pirelli Cinturato training tires (something like ~25-30W rolling resistance based on smooth drum on BRR test)
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Staying tubeless would work, they are just as fast, just need a faster rolling tire
I know gp5000 are fast and are 32mm and will take level1 grabel
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My next tire will be GP5000 TL in 32c, which will be faster and more aero on my 32mm wide Aeolus Pro 3V wheels. I’ve been putting them out in the sun to soften up.
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Those go on easily on that rim. I have mounted them up
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Nice! I will give these a close look when I’m ready for another set of training tires. Looks like the 32c is the fastest tire across all pressures (on a drum). Sign me up.
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Two affordable things that will make a big difference:
1.) Switch to 28c GP 5000 with latex tubes
2.) Remove your bottles and cages from the frame…put them in your pocket
If you want to spend a little bit of money
3.) Get an aero helmet like the Giro Vanquish
If you want to spend a chunk of money
4.) Get a 50mm deep front wheel and an 80mm deep rear wheel
I think you’ll get pretty close if you just do #1 & #2. Just #2 reduced CdA on one of my bikes from 0.238 to 0.222. So that’s a pretty big improvement for free.
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You lose some aero gains
Tires are fastest when they are 1 to 1.05 to rim width, wider will raised cda
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