So I’ve had a merida reacto for about 4 years now and I really like it. Just for kicks I decided to build a steel frame bike up. So I found a genesis Volare, built it up with spares I had and second hand bits of ebay. I’ve been out on it today on one of my usually loops and low and behold it’s no s…

Sorry to be confusing. Thread was about aero bikes, not cross bikes vs road bikes for road. It does all add up, but an “aero frameset” is actually a very expensive drop in the bucket c/w other upgrades. As a shop owner and bike builder, I see time and time again people who are slow and uncomforta…

[image] Eddy_Twerckx: Unpopular opinion: the Tour magazine test is marketing more than science. It’s a cool number to see and it’s an advertising point for bike manufacturers to boast, but it’s almost meaningless in real world situations. I see the Tour aero number the same way I see a bike weig…

I clearly won’t change your mind, and don’t need to. At some point, try a road-specific, light handbuilt titanium bike and compare to your favorite steed. One of us has done this. It is worthy of consideration. If you’re ever in Seattle, we can do just that. Thanks for the discourse, I always …

you two are debating which broscience is more valid. do aero frames test faster in wind tunnels? yes. does this translate to the real world? depends. I’m not a subscriber of Tour Magazine but what I’ve gathered about their tests is that they test a specific frame size with stock wheels and then a…

[image] Alexander_Hardy: If Tour results impact sales, I am really surprised at companies stocking the bike with poor aero parts I’m not sure that they do impact sales, but I’m also not convinced I want to buy an aero bike from a company that makes poor aero choices! I think it’s valid to com…

[image] Christopher_Wahl: At some point, try a road-specific, light handbuilt titanium bike and compare to your favorite steed. One of us has done this. It is worthy of consideration. I have done this. In fact my custom ti road frame was even made in Seattle and while it is fantastic riding/…

True but dt swiss wheels and 25 mm tyres will perform faster in a wind tunnel, most people will be annoyed with those as stock as the trend is wider tyres. I could knock 5 to 10 watts off the orbea orca aero by swapping to the bars and wheels the simplon has.

Is there any physics reason why adding an upper body to the equation would change results, given that the upper body is in identical position for both bikes being compared? Serious question, I don’t know physics, I do understand that pieces added can have very different aerodynamic effects than the…

It seems like adding the body will make the percentage change between two bikes smaller. Maybe they want to do that to keep the differences between bikes more based in reality? I looked at the Tour mag tests a couple of years ago. The 100km simulation test stood out to me. One is saving like 3-4 mi…

I’d head over to the Rule 28 aqa thread for your answers and maybe a better place for your questions. Early on the guy from Rule 28 listed a hierarchy of aero gains starting with biggest being kit and with the last and least being a frame. They seem to spend a lot of time in the wind tunnel testing …

Aero bikes do they actually make a difference

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Caveman May 27, 2025, 2:53pm 186

I have done this. In fact my custom ti road frame was even made in Seattle and while it is fantastic riding/handling bike my carbon aero road bike is definitely faster and handles every bit as well.

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Aero bikes do they actually make a difference

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