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Regarding Aero for ultras: I was under the impression from Specialized's Win Tunnel videos that aero reduction is pretty much the same over a given distance when measured in units of time (due to extended time riding when at slower speeds). Is that not the case? (genuine, non-rhetorical question).
Edit: I think I've looked at this from the wrong angle: hadn't considered the average margin of victory in ultras.
Ptown-
Force is proportional to velocity squared. So as required increases the force needed increases exponential.
Force (drag) = Density * coefficient drag * area * (Velocity^2)/2
So at low speeds (15mph) drag isn’t that high. At if you were to reduce coefficent drag, the proportional increase in speed is quite small, at overall low power production.
However if you’re travelling 25mph then due to the relationship the drag saved correlates to quite a reduction in power needed to over come the drag.
Margins aside (not a factor in my decision).
skinny
If I was a domestic pro I’d be doing it. It’s a no brainer. There must be serious watts of saving in road position.
The wind tunnel makes a good apparatus for testing sprinters too. And given how sprints are lost by millimetres it’s worth it.
I did consider if it was worth it for ultra racing bike. But I concluded that at 15mph it’s not going to be huge savings.