Truly, aerodynamics can be a confusing thing.
Josh said the lauf fork was faster on Dylan’s bike than the stock fork. Which makes me wonder…which lauf fork are we talking about? The JAF? The idea that any of the suspension forks would be aerodynamically faster than a typical carbon fork makes we lauf out loud.
Dylan’s Insta story had a picture of the Lauf suspension fork on the Felt frame…
Laufing all the way to the watt savings and loan
How is that fork saving watts? Keeps air off the wheel longer?
He beat me today, i assume it was the fork
This is, IMO, one of those results from a wind tunnel that warrants more testing and data. When you get an outlier result like this, you don’t just accept it as gospel, you say “let’s dig into this some more”.
I’m not saying the data is wrong…it may well be 100% accurate. But you gotta do more testing to make sure.
Yes! For sure I would want to take that data again. The ‘wind tunnel duck’ would come down from the ceiling and take another few hundred out of my pocket again.
Didn’t see the vid (dj’s not my cup of tea), but were these tests in a wind tunnel or on the road? If the forks with the leaf suspension were faster on a real-world course, that might check out. Suspension might smooth out particular terrain enough to give a speed advantage. The idea that the suspension forks were tested faster in a wind tunnel though are a different story. That’s … odd. 
Wind tunnel. ARC wind tunnel in Indianapolis.
Maybe the part behind the normal fork keeps air off the wheel longer?
100%.
Let alone, 5w at what speed? Yaw? Was bike tested alone or with the rider? Too many variables and IMO kinda ridiculous and unnecessary to the spirit of gravel. Buy the fork for the handling/suspension, not the potential aerodynamics.
He is throwing all the marginal gains he can.
Aero crank cover
Aero disc cover
Aero leg warmers
Aero fork
Fast rolling tires
20mph; yes to yaw (don’t remember what angle), with rider but I think they tested them in a static (non-pedaling) position.
The tests were led by Josh Poertner, who knows his way around a wind tunnel.
Ben Delaney was also there and he indicated in one of his videos this week that the same USWE pack that was more aero for Dylan last year was not more aero for him.
That just reinforces the point - when you get an outlier result, you need to test more. A lot of people were scratching their heads after Dylan said he got significantly aero savings with the USWE……but a whole lot more people instantly went out and bought one based on the results of one trip to the wind tunnel for one rider.
Is there data on water bottle down front of Jersey?
Fill a bottle with ice for unbound and gain watts and cooling would be awesome
**but a whole lot more people instantly went out and bought one based on the results of one trip to the wind tunnel for one rider. **
Hmmm, someone more sceptical than myself would be inclined to say he generates/publishes results and controversy to generate clicks and $$$ for his sponsors
(I use the word “publishes” very advisedly as despite his best attempts to dress up what he does as science it’s very clearly not)
Call me skeptical! He’s had some decent training ideas/content but now it just appears GCN’ish
I think you completely missed my point……I am simply talking about the need for further testing when you get an outlier result
I have said nothing about Dylan’s credibility or lack thereof.
I was in that Western NC race. It was 60.5 Miles with 6700 feet of climbing. He average 18 MPH and solo’d the last 2 hours. Pretty crazy. He finished in 3 hours and 13 minutes.
I think the MTN Bike tires mad a huge difference.
Except for the road section between the two climbs, being solo or with a group made zero difference, long climbs or gravel descents dont really go faster with other people around. ,Mtb tires certainly did not have any drawbacks on the climbs and descents, if could fit them, it too wouldve had them. Appalachia gravel is not gucci. I average an embarrassing 15 mph the last two hours
