Well, this isn't really current; I actually finished this project a couple of years ago, but I've been meaning to share this with you and finally now I get around to doing so.
Two or three years ago I got my first properly fast bicycle, a Cadex2 road bike with 105. This big step up from riding around on 18-23 steel quickly put me in the territory of being held up mostly by the air. I know now that four main steps to reducing one's drag are the clothes, aero bars, aero helmet and posture.
After I got this bike I quickly realised it was time to get some proper cycle wear to be more streamlined. After that - my posture was already pretty aero I felt- I decided, somehow forgetting bars that the next thing to do to get more speed would be get one of those fancy streamline helmets. At the time, that sort of thing seemed excessively expensive to me, so, I decided to make one.
I knew the most important thing was the shape and things like impact resistance or weight weren't really important for my drag reducing purpose. Essentially what I made was fairing for my head. For my head and that void between the back of my head and my back.
I haven't made any scientific tests to measure the reduction in drag, but the first time I tried it out I had no doubt whatsoever that it worked.
So, here, now, for your delectation released gradually as if actually a current project and generally for some suspense, I give you:
My home made aero helmet.
Homemade papier-mâché aero helmet
Well, this isn't really current; I actually finished this project a couple of years ago, but I've been meaning to share this with you and finally now I get around to doing so.
Two or three years ago I got my first properly fast bicycle, a Cadex2 road bike with 105. This big step up from riding around on 18-23 steel quickly put me in the territory of being held up mostly by the air. I know now that four main steps to reducing one's drag are the clothes, aero bars, aero helmet and posture.
After I got this bike I quickly realised it was time to get some proper cycle wear to be more streamlined. After that - my posture was already pretty aero I felt- I decided, somehow forgetting bars that the next thing to do to get more speed would be get one of those fancy streamline helmets. At the time, that sort of thing seemed excessively expensive to me, so, I decided to make one.
I knew the most important thing was the shape and things like impact resistance or weight weren't really important for my drag reducing purpose. Essentially what I made was fairing for my head. For my head and that void between the back of my head and my back.
I haven't made any scientific tests to measure the reduction in drag, but the first time I tried it out I had no doubt whatsoever that it worked.
So, here, now, for your delectation released gradually as if actually a current project and generally for some suspense, I give you:
My home made aero helmet.