Reported CFMs for fans are all over the map. Don’t trust them. The most practical measure is wind speed at a set distance, say 6 feet, from the fan. That’s pretty easy to measure with a handheld anemometer if you are so inclined.
The Headwind is probably pretty good as it’s a blower-style fan. But the Laskos are cheaper - eg $90 here. And they work great.
The lower priced Lasko models top out at 285.
The high velocity Pro models are 341 which I think is the same spec as the Costco unit.
Compare that to a Vornado 293 model at 685.
Certainly CFM is an indicator of volume and velocity of air being produced.
The Headwind offers a unique column of air and connectivity features but may fall short on CFM compared to other blowers at half the price.
I wish @dcrainmaker or @GPLama would establish a testing protocol for blowers and publish a chart.
CFM rating plus wind speed and air column shape at 3-6 ft should do it. Plus, extras like power outlets, smart plug compatible, and connectivity features.
I’m definitely in the “more fans are better” camp.
I have had a Headwind for quite a few years. It’s set up to sync with my HR monitor and under my training desk directly in front of me.
To the left of my Headwind I have a Lasko fan. It’s angle slightly blows air mainly directly at me but a little bit from my left to right. For endurance rides I use the combination of the Lasko and the Headwind.
To the right of my Headwind I have an AirKing. @Nate_Pearson talked about these in the early days of TR. I think they are still some of the best fans. They are big, pretty noisy, but move a ton of air and swirl things around a little more. For harder workouts, I turn this one on too, but don’t use it on endurance rides.
Finally I have a Vornado. This one I put out maybe 10 feet or so in front of me and aim it high, to create airflow over my desk and aimed towards my head. It’s the weakest of all these fans but helps get a little more airflow going. Similar to the Air King, I just use this for hard workouts.
With this fan combination I have a ton of evaporative cooling and don’t drip sweat onto my bike/trainer. I do think the Air King’s are a little underrated and sort of fell out of favor when people started using the Lasko’s and headwind, but I think adding one to your cooling set up is still really valuable.
Will most fans and blowers float a beachball when pointed up?
Would that work to compare velocity and air column shape between models?
Height of ball should be a good indicator.
Dude the piped in external air is A MOVE. Cooling yes, but also co2 buildup is a real thing. That’s amazing.
I haven’t considered that specifically since my room is reasonable size and has a large door to the rest of the basement. But I sure like the fresh and cold air no matter the CO2.
On top of that, I get the occasional dash of snow when the wind is blowing outside. The fans and ducts pull those flakes through and right onto my face and chest. Shocked the hell out of me the first time it happened and took me a moment to realize what happened. But there’s not much more refreshing than a splash of snow in your face deep into a hard workout 
Now we need someone to go Next Level and incorporate a snow making machine into their indoor training setup.
Update:
I bought a Vacmaster cardio (UK Lasko) and have played around with positioning. I thought it might be significantly more powerful than the Headwind but it definitely isn’t. Or at least the shape of the air column is such that the Headwind is functionally more effective. I’d say it does the job of about 2 of the Vacmasters, and HR function really is a lot more convenient. If mine dies at some point I’ll probably pony up the cash for a replacement rather than switching to something less expensive.
I’m glad to have the second fan though, and you’re right that there is a lot of cooling to be had from the back. Thanks for that tip @mcneese.chad. Also really helpful to have for drying wet shoes here in Scotland (easier to position and no faff of trying to figure out which bluetooth setting it’s on)!
Flash forward a couple weeks and it seems like the overheating issue that started all this was actually about new medication, poor sleep, and fatigue rather than airflow, but I guess I’m glad I did the upgrade anyway. Certainly doesn’t hurt! ( https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/adhd-meds-impact-on-training-recovery )
Good to hear overall as well as learn about the Vacmaster fan. I don’t have access to it being a US user, but was guessing it’s similar to the Lasko’s used around here. Even if it falls short of the Wahoo, the price difference is enough that I’d be inclined to have 2x blowers vs 1 Headwind, purely from the ability to have one at the front and one at the rear.
Also good to hear you may have found the root cause and have that in hand. At least the new fan situation may expand your ability to cool if and when you hit more extreme temps and use cases too.
Indeed. I have 3 Vacmasters - 1 with the remote and the other 2 on smart sockets that can be voice controlled. That gives a range of 9 possible intensities. I’d much rather be able to control manually than have it related to something like heart rate as there are other variables that need to be taken into account.
They can be positioned in any configuration to give maximum cooling. And yes Chad, this whole setup cost me significantly less than 1 Headwind, and I can guarantee they shift a lot more air.
Headwind for front, vacmaster for back - good idea?
Does fan angled at my backside help with moisture buildup in chamois on long (3h+) indoor rides? It’s not that I’m really sweaty or hot, but there’s always moisture in that area which can cause chafing.
Working well for me! Nice to have the remote for the vacmaster, but realistically I’ve just always got it on level 1.
Yup, I don’t often state it, but my rear fan combines with my frequent standing efforts for a nice bit of cooling and sweat mitigation.
How should I angle the back fan to not interfere with the headwind from front? Top down is provably not in the cards for me.
If your HW is dead center and on the floor angled up towards your chest, I’d set the rear fan dead center too. Use your body as the “wall” between them. Height of the rear fan is optional, but I suggest around hip height or higher, so you can have it flow into and along your back.
I have a Headwind and a Lasko. The Lasko is right at the end of the foot of my Kickr Bike and pointed at my waist - so mostly legs / trunk flow. It’s controlled by a plug on / off remote but have to manually set speed before the workout. The Headwind sits directly behind the Lasko and mostly covers my chest / head. It’s controlled by HR. In the Winter on easier rides (indoors, 68 deg) the Headwind is so good I sometimes don’t need the Lasko. Definitely the case for my kayak ergometer which i move the fans over for those workouts. Nice to have the Lasko on remote switch though when I need it. This system seems perfect for my airflow needs.
BTW, I don’t use a desk. My iPad runs my workouts and is mounted to an iPad stand that sits off to my right, TV is to my left.
Wes Prince
Following up on this, I am now running 2x headwinds. No regrets. Come at me.
me too, how do you place them?
