Why Are Pro Cyclists Doing THIS?

[@gcntech]

Would you ever wear an aero bra?? 🤔 Let us know what you've ever done for the gains in the comments! 👇

[@RoyalDudeness]

I don't need an aero bra! My man boobs and fat belly already make me much faster!

[@bkmontgomery]

No thanks. I get why it happens, but not for me (since my limiting factor is body weight and lack of training)

[@stefanwagener]

Does a beer belly count as well? I guess instead of loosing weight I should gain weight for better aerodynamics ... no UCI regulation there, right?

[@slowturn5664]

I have only recently come a breast 🙈 to this subject. I feel that anyone who needs to be that aero 🛩️ are only asking for support 👙 in their f(L)airing 🛩️desire for speed 🚴.

[@thenobleist9262]

I don’t think I’d wear one, but I do wear a cap every ride and I wonder what aerodynamic impact that might have, if any!

[@samueltennent5861]

In so many videos Ollie strikes a nice balance of being frank and honest but not trying to be 'edgy' or controvesial. Great tone, not just for a cycling channel but as a content creator as a whole.

[@gcntech]

Thanks! That means a lot

[@richm.3477]

Plus mixing in the dry British humour that I appreciate.

[@jamesbland8919]

As a rider who weighs 97 kilos, I have my own built-in aerodynamic features. There's never an issue with filling the gap between my chest and thighs. Big guys for the aero win!

[@cyclingchef3531]

Ball is always faster 😂😊

[@OverMotoren]

This exactly. I have no room when I'm on the bike and only a little on my down leg side, depending how close to christmas we are.

[@harimathur2191]

Beer belly smooth air flow added weight makes bike faster in descents, warms rotor, makes em lighter. Fat is the new fit... think Airbus Belluga.😅

[@tonyg3091]

@@OverMotorenLOL exactly. Room? What room are these guys on about? It is all tightly packed down there, solid stuff.

[@24pavlo]

I'd like to see those guys in lycra beat us going downhill.

[@kpsig]

That explains why I struggled overtaking a 60yrs old happy guy with a rounded belly and a backpack . Now I am relieved.

[@gcntech]

The struggle is real 😂

[@kpsig]

@@gcntech What is even nicer is that he was actually 64 and that he caught me and our group on the downhills! A legend, riding a very nice Colnago (carbon tubes, aluminum lugs)

[@mmurmurjohnson2368]

That was probably me, sorry, best kept secret

[@LordHolley]

I'm not surprised by any of it. Anyone who is fast on a roadbike knows how much of a difference good aerodynamics can make. I used to try and draft off of any large vehicle as much as possible when I was trying to get somewhere quickly. I could gain an extra 10-15 mph and hold it if i was able to get tight behind a city bus. They were the best! They didn't switch lanes, very predictable, and they blocked a lot of wind!

[@piercemorrison1202]

I don’t always watch GCN but I’d never miss a GCN tech upload.

[@Relevant_Irrelevance]

so true

[@jascollinscork]

Same 🙋‍♂️

[@gcntech]

Tech is just better, right? 😉

[@chrispyy606060606]

While I think the UCI sock rule is ridiculous I’m not a fan of fake calf and chest/gut implants 😆

[@randomdude5938]

Weird I love chest implants. Prolly been in n LA too long…

[@andrewduncan4908]

Without uci rules all races would be on recumbents. Thank god for the uci

[@gcntech]

They are pretty funky looking! 👀 How big of an advantages would they have to give you for you to consider using them

[@chrispyy606060606]

Haha well the advantages you demonstrated are huge so I’d probably consider it now. A camelback full of ice down the front would also help keep core temp down too which equals more power. I’m a 51-52min 25 mile (40km) on a zero traffic out and back course so am picking at the margins now as it is. 🙂

[@feralmarmot3305]

I’m not fat, I’m just aero!

[@PhilJohn1980]

It's not a beer belly, it's an aerodynamic device to close a void.

[@gcntech]

That's the spirit!

[@troycollett8540]

Dan might go well at time trials now

[@deanb61]

I put a drink bottle down the front of my trisuit, really not expecting anything. But the difference was massive, I'm talking 15mins on an ironman. I didn't believe it, not did anyone else I told, so I tried it again, and again, and again; with the same result. Full disclosure, I'm a 62 year old, not particularly fast triathlete. So I'm testing at approx 30kph. I had one person tell me that aerodynamics have little impact below 40kph As I said at the time, this is what I did, these are the results I got. I don't believe them either, but I keep repeating the tests and keep expecting a different result, and it doesn't happen :)

[@DigzGuy]

Wow

[@coreyhipps7483]

Remember that there is both how fast you pedal and also wind speed that both contribute to air resistance. So, you cycling at 30kph into a 10kph headwind is you doing 40kph as far as air resistance is concerned. Add on top of that, assuming you are not able to hold as aerodynamic a position as someone significantly younger, having the bottle may actually mark a more significant aerodynamic improvement to your position than someone who was able to get into and hold a better position. So, summed up, I'd believe you.

[@aarondcmedia9585]

Because you are going slower, any aero benefit is a greater advantage, as you spend more time reaping the benefit.

[@deanb61]

@coreyhipps7483 a number of plus and minis points. I'm old and not very flexible, but I'm quite small with narrow shoulders. I have biceps and triceps, so my arms aren't cylinders, although my calves might be 😀 myWindsock gives me a CdA of 0.22-0.23 in TT position, which isn't top level, but isn't bad for an ironman. Probably can't keep that position for the final 20 miles, but we will see on Sunday in Barcelona 😀

[@DittersGustav]

What about non removable aero bellies? Banned?😂

[@leebrown3645]

"They don't pay me enough for this shit!" Ollie calling it straight. 😂

[@TryboBike]

Are there TT periscopes? So I would not need to raise my head to see?

[@DS-um9hi]

Ssssssssh don't give your ideas away, patent that now!

[@Thezuule1]

Do it like a FPV drone setup. Put a camera on the helmet and have the rider wear some glasses. Just don't lift your head, ever, or you'll be looking at the clouds lol.

[@gcntech]

*The UCI has entered the chat*

[@serendipityrecordco9380]

I have always wondered if an ‘aerobeard’ filling the neck to chest void and channeling airflow would have any sort of drag reduction benefit

[@guicho271828]

also: Why not solidfy your beard with epoxy into a solid aero?

[@serendipityrecordco9380]

@@guicho271828 there’s mustache wax for that

[@emmabird9745]

Thanks Ollie, a good one. I'm beginning to think hat having a chemist such as yourself explain aero is a good idea. Your good at it. As a scientist, you easily grasp the principles and can translate them into viewer speak without getting into the sort of minutia, like Reynolds number effects (why it might not be so aero at higher speeds for instance), that us aeros might fall into. Keep up the good work. About 18 years ago, I modified a cyclist's high vis tabard by adding a second skin front and rear to make pockets. The original idea was to put a wind proof (plastic) shield in it for the bitter cold mornings. The convenient plastic I found was bladders from an empty wine box (emptying them was enjoyable too!) and one day I inflated them on the front. My regular commute which to a certain point always took about 90 minis suddenly took 75(!) and saved me from a frozen chest too. I was not riding in a TT position but a more normal upright hands on the hoods. The cheapest speed upgrade I ever did. Chest fairings work by adding a forebody to your torso, which is effectively an oval body placed across the flow to nearer the cylinder and so improves local Cd. An after body (such as a conventional "cammel back' (which I'm convinced Lance Armstrong had under his skin suiy) does the same adding an after body. A ruck sack is not a faired shape so will not be so effective. If you use a "cammel bac" like this remember to blow into it after you drink to maintian it's shape. Incidentally, adopting the TT position (or riding on the drops) does more than reduce frontal area. It changes the aspect ratio of your body to a better (less bad) shape thus lower Cd also. The fairings behind the legs are similar to world record downhill skiers and were perfected in tunnels decades ago. So competitors are in an arms race with the UCI staying one step ahead of the ban!

[@alexseguin5245]

Can't wait for when in a couple years, riders will look Star Scream or Megatron with leg fairings on the front and back, chest fairing, arm and back ailerons as well as a giant helmet that covers the shoulders. At that point, we'll know we're in the future!

[@CzornyLisek]

@@alexseguin5245 Just allow recumbent aero bikes

[@JayLato]

I’m not fat I’m just naturally aero.

[@kona6812]

Always said my big belly is aerodynamic! Unstopable downhill with a big disadvantage uphill! 😂

[@JMise]

"What are you watching?" "Ollie is doing a Vittoria's Secret bra fitting"

[@stephenwilliams8384]

So my pot belly is an aero advantage 🤔 Yay!!😅

[@markxkovacic]

Why is GCN ignoring the biggest news in the bike world? Shimano's recall of 2.8 million potentially faulty cranks causing crashes and mayhem for years.

[@troycollett8540]

Because it’s only just been announced prob after the last tech show was filmed

[@GCNuser123]

@@troycollett8540exactly that. its been reported on our website though!

[@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589]

it's 640,000, and parts of it have been going on for years. & it's a voluntary, not mandatory recall, dependant on the condition of individual units. Keep your wig on.

[@markxkovacic]

@@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 Ok, wig is secure.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

​@@troycollett8540Yes, I expect it will be covered in this week's Tech Show.

[@mathewrose2951]

#AskGCNTech One thing the tech crew has never measured for science is the correlation between power output, riding position, and saddle pressure. While the correlation is known, I've always wondered if Ollie and Cuthbert could put the strain gauges from a digital bathroom scale into a saddle to measure what percentage of a rider's body weight is pushing down on the saddle at 200 vs. 300 watts and when the rider is upright on the tops versus forward in the drops. You know you want to chop apart a scale and run this test in the interest of science, right?

[@Real28]

There's a reason all of these principals have been used in the speed skiing. It works, at the more extreme edges.

[@johnhenneberger9063]

I have always wanted to see a test about sunglasses. Wearing them, having them on the back of the jersey, on the front of the helmet, upside down and right side up, and no glasses at all

[@manueldeubler1127]

Never thought that triathletes are so ahead of the bike packing scene. They just invented the cargo sock!

[@derf9465]

It's not all about how you go into the air but it's also how you come out of it.

[@nigelbrockton163]

I used to be a speed skier and we'd spend some time in a wind tunnel. We tried all sorts of aero features but the biggest single factor was to shove a wedge of closed-cell foam into our suits to basically give us a "pointy arse"! In the tunnel, this reduced drag by 20%! It was super low tech but a massive impact!

[@savagepro9060]

3:56 Huh? So how do we get logos on the jerseys?

[@rule28Clothing]

It refers to 3d printed structures as you find on the Endura SST skin suit, not the printing of graphics

[@savagepro9060]

I was effing around. @@rule28Clothing

[@stoatystoat174]

I'd also like to see if you can aero-up panniers because they are much more covenient to use to transport shopping or a small rucksack for work. Wearing the rucksack might currently be more aero but cycling more plesent when back can breathe and the bike does the lifting

[@ktg401]

This begs a question, I did the same race this year and last year and lost 25 lbs for this year. My max speed on the down hill was 62 mph last year and only 54 this year. Was the slower speed due to less weight, or less of an aerodynamic beer belly?? 😅

[@ElonMuckX]

#askgcntech When will competitive cyclists start using surgery’s to modify their body’s for aero gains? Like butt implants or breast augmentation, will serious athletes add body modifications for competitive advantage? Since cyclists naturally modify their body’s to have a large powerful lower body, thin arms, and a skinny torso, are their any athletes already surgically modified???

[@alexseguin5245]

Was gonna ask this question haha. Soon you'll see professional women cyclists taking over their male counterparts with some "creativity" in the brest surgery department.

[@greeenjeeens]

Does the UCI just exist to ban things? The bicycle speed record guys have been wearing these calf fairings for a while. It would make sense for the upper arm too, since they are perpendicular to airflow and they don't move.

[@philmcaleer6289]

So as you mentioned that cylinders are horrible aero options, and you looked down at your “massive” cylinders, called arms, it made me think…. How would any skinny cyclist compare to a larger cyclist like your bodybuilder friend Brad? His cylinders are a different shape. We all come in different shapes and sizes. Could be a cool video.

[@boamacrae]

So my belly makes me aerodynamic? Get in!

[@MichalBrat]

So you are saying my body is aero now, right? :-) Joking aside, here is a serious question - why then shave your legs and arms? Would wearing shorts sleeves while unshaved have a similar effect disrupting the laminar airflow as those chevrons printed on an aero jersey?

[@mlee6050]

As if you come off and get injured it is easier for the medics and better as no hair goes into the graze/cuts

[@emilvaradi9393]

Maybe they never measured just assumed and perhaps you are actually marginally faster with unshaved legs, ;-)

[@MrTegner]

Okey so it’s time to grow a belly now!!! 😂 i have just lost my extra kilos… shame on you Ollie!! For bringing this subject up hahaha love the show, lots of love// mr T

[@123iniko]

I love Ollie's a bit messy hair styled like that on purpose giving that crazy scientist vibe

[@patrickenglish9593]

Enjoyed this-thanks. on turbulent airflow-I’m assuming this means everyone will stop shaving their legs? Or in some circumstances does vanity outweighs aerodynamics?

[@mommamooney]

Ollie makes all the nerdy tech approachable and understandable

[@harryholmes1971]

Surley silicon printing manufacturing tech is far more accessible now than it was 6(?) years ago? If so, why not just revert the rules to allow them again rather than having teams / companies sidestep the regulations when it's clearly where the sport is trying to go? Permanently banning tech due to the cost of access just seems to slow down innovation imo, and seems pointless when the loopholes get found and everyone starts doing it anyway.

[@gcntech]

Its a funny world concerning what is and isn't legal! For some more tech innovation, why not check out our 'Godfather of power' film on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/gop

[@volkervoit]

I know from a few Pros who tested it in wind tunnels that it is very individual, some tested slower others gained 5-10 watts from a simple empty bike bottle in the front jersey so impossible to make a general statement

[@gcntech]

There's certainly thing you wouldn't think about that can save you some serious watts!

[@DI-ri9md]

I don't always wear an aero bra, but when I do... My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard... So I stopped wearing it.

[@gcntech]

😂

[@paulwood4142]

Ooh a wind tunnel episode, my fave haha

[@davidhenry5925]

I would not go to this extreme on my group rides. I ride with a very active cycling club. We have a group of pro racers that are members and a lot of serious amateurs. Along with a number of not so serious but active amateurs. I spend a lot of time down in the drops on our longer weekend rides and can definitely notice the benefit, but I'm one of the few in our group that does that. Its a basic and easy aero benefit that more riders should take advantage of before they resort to "aero bras".

[@stuartpotter4923]

Please can you do some testing on the aero gains of having a scabby knee?

[@janjansen6263]

8:32 should be cd not cdA is only the coefficient with out the frontal area multiplied

[@anthonyhomercycling]

Ollie needs a bonus 💵 for this Bra Video !! 😆

[@jasperdomingo639]

mas matulin pag babae 😂

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Perhaps GCN could just give him the video rights to post it on his OnlyFans site? 😮

[@DrAlafro]

So you are saying that this belly - henceforth aerobelly - that I've been struggling to lose I should gain it back?

[@richm.3477]

"Mah bell-ay" was a nice Fat Bastard reference. I feel validated.

[@derf9465]

I have a belly, so using the physics evolved in wing design. I create more down force. Air is slower over my back and faster over my belly..... So I create downforce. That's why I'm so slow.

[@obidavekenobe]

Hot debate!!! Which get better fuel economy, a pickup truck with the tailgate up or the tailgate down? 😮

[@liquidSpin]

People with beer guts and dad bods rejoice! It doesn't seem to effect aero dynamic drag!! YAY!

[@Fred9000F]

Could you publish the necessary watts whitout aero base layer at 45km/h and the necessary watts wearing the aero base layer at 45km/h?😉

[@brockjennings]

All these aero gains are negated the moment you need to adjust your nads while in an tuck.

[@magnuscarstensen2328]

Is it UCI legal with the fake calf? Or to put a towel under the chest?

[@MrIsaac-dh3uh]

I find that the drag coefficient of my love handles decreases with weight loss. Thanks to Ollie's research, I'm going stuff some socks through my jersey on top of my love handles, and keep on eating ice cream!

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Interesting that the advatage gets lower again with higher speed. It almost sounds like „go slower to go faster“

[@gerrysecure5874]

What is actually the relationship of frontal pressure force vs trailing sucking force in a cylinder ? I think the suck is surprisingly strong, it's what makes airplanes fly. Dylan Johnson found a bidon under the shirt *in the back* makes a difference similar to aero helmets. Also how much is the drag ratio of bike vs body in different setups? I believe bike aerodynamics itself is vastly overrated vs body position and shape.

[@hugowhite2883]

Can we aero test bellies? Like the aero advantage of being a bit tubby? I am quite fat if you need a test subject...

[@jakecollins6097]

LOL, Actually checked that it wasn't April the 1st!!! What in the name of all that is holy?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@thecoffeeblog]

I never imagined beer bellies and bingo wings could ever represent an advantage.

[@shonenl6334]

So an old style wool jersey would trip air better than a lycra one?

[@cb6866]

Thanks Dr. O and crew. What about the CDA of scabby boo boo's ? What happened , bro ? Aero bra in mech ? Stay up , we've got money on ya !

[@porkyparry1]

I have always believed that those riders with a large nose and big chins have a significant advantage over the more gamine rider. I believe that if the chisel chinned Forsyth had cycled, no bugger would have touched him.

[@marietfeltkamp9676]

So how about the female fairings??? Do us girls benefit from our shapes or suffer increased drag? I would love to see some wind tunnel testing (seriously).

[@kavindabandara]

I am more aero with my belly then. Nothing to worry. Bit more ice cream then 😂😂😂

[@WillPower46]

I am so glad to hear that my big belly actually means I'm faster than without it. That settles it my belly is a performance enhancing accessory I will make sure to let the wife and my doctor know...

[@buster.keaton]

"They don't pay me enough for this shi..." 🤣

[@savagepro9060]

Shhhhhhhhh

[@christopherfarrell-artist3557]

I have a natural cake aero form factor, that explains why I can go fast downhill.😁

[@10kmilesy]

Id rather have the textured sleeves, looks much better and probably won't even cost much

[@sativagirl1885]

In water, or in air ... Legs with stubble are faster than shaved legs or wooly legs: true or false?

[@aaronbyrne9759]

So do the hairs on your legs not act in this way to make them less cylindrical?

[@GCNuser123]

potentially, but when we've measured hairy legs in the wind tunnel they are significantly slower.

[@watcher24601]

Good to know that I would be more aero wearing a full batman costume. Going to smash the next charity ride!

[@01FozzyS]

Ssshhhhh,Olie! The UCI watches GCNT!! 🤣

[@PoulHansenDK]

Nice, now I don't have to be ashamed of my aero tummy, I can even be proud of it. It totally closes the area between body and legs and it's natural, so UCI has no jurisdiction there.

[@gcntech]

Free aero gains are always a plus, right??

[@PoulHansenDK]

​​@@gcntechThank you GCN. Here I was getting depressed, thinking my shape would make me slower😅 AND you've also told us aero is more important than weight. I think I'll go pro 😂

[@super8hell]

Sorry to ruin the bit with an excessive pedantry🤓, non-cycling french people do not use the word bidon, they use gourde (a eau). Le bidon is a bigger plastic container (e.g. used for motor oil). I know, confusing.

[@GCNuser123]

cycling french people do though!

[@super8hell]

​@@GCNuser123 but in most languages in Europe, bidon is used for a sport-adjacent plastic vessel for hydration. Thus singling out French is a little unfair. Not defending French, because they said "phoque oeuf we'll cal it gourde".

[@stoatystoat174]

Helmet with camera on top (or some kind of perescope thing) so the cylist can face down and reduce eyeball drag? Id like to see a cycling top where the body is attached to the helmet and encompases the arms down to the elbows and wraps around an aero monobuttock at the other end.

[@MrGWignall]

Got some info graphics at the end, but couldn't help thinking Ollie needs a @Hambini pen 😜 for technical diagrams.

[@Timtimzi]

Food for thought…. Just a few years back Simon and Matt were wearing speedos for a video 😂

[@ZOB4]

Most of the people on my group ride are already rocking the aero belly shape, so no additional equipment needed.

[@gcntech]

The patented MAMIL gains 😉

[@nigelwilkinson-xg9us]

Great news, my belly makes me more aero and my cellulite trips the air 😊

[@andrewolsen5667]

Thank you Mr. Bridgwood for confirming that “Dadbod’s” are indeed more aerodynamic!

[@rogersimmons8788]

Presumably those with beer guts and lard arses will soon be seen on club time trials!

[@reimonandisuwa]

i don't need one. I have that feature build in to my belly .. LOL

[@gregmorrison7320]

No I wouldn't wear a bra, but I would carry a bottle in the rear jersey pocket for aero gains and I need to carry extra bottles on long rides anyway. Wearing a camelback or a bottle in the front seems like it would just create extra weight on my arms and shoulders when down in the aero position and I'm not keen on that.

[@tintansigloXXI]

Printing a mini Oly in 3D, mounted on its bicycle, would be a great help for your explanation on the desktop, greetings from Mexico

[@ua7890]

people can design and sale aero shaped equipment for amateur riders not big sales, but still

[@mnveloguy]

Or you could just ride a velomobile and wear anything you want (or if you never climb out in public, nothing at all.) I mean, if we’re already doing things that aren’t UCI legal, why not take advantage of the the most stable aerodynamic bike there is? How many upright bicycles can cruise at 30mph on the flat for 120 watts without the aid of a tailwind?

[@robertgipson9921]

Great content. But when are we going to understand the science behind Ollie's physics defying hair? 1:45

[@rdaviii6902]

Video Proposal: Vintage steel bike frame with modern high-end parts Vs Modern high-end bike with the same parts

[@rdaviii6902]

I'm now curious what professional races would look like if there were no restrictions on uniforms and bike designs

[@DS-um9hi]

You're not alone. I have always thought there should be UCI races and a free for all anything goes, including doping. Without those restrictions would be great to see what technology could be unleashed.

[@CzornyLisek]

Everyone would use recumbent aero bikes or something like those record breaking downhill bikes. Check out AEROVELO bike and Eric Barone downhill bike.

[@oplkfdhgk]

damm that was exactly what i was thinking of doing to help aerodynamics :D

[@johne7100]

I've been cultivating a natural aerogut for years.

[@gcntech]

This seems to be quite a common consensus 😂

[@SASIJ]

Beer belly's are now aero. I like this training.

[@ElviaRivera-us1tu]

So, my big beer belly makes me more aero, great news !!!

[@mmurmurjohnson2368]

My belly's been doling out aero savings for years

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Nice & Thanks :)

[@gcntech]

Glad you liked it! For more tech innovation, check out 'The Godfather of power' on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/gop

[@Niewiem0]

I love my aero socks! 5mph more avarage speed right away

[@alexanderhall4281]

Airow foils are really plane wings but a bit bunched up or fat.

[@mlafleurhua]

Almost 20 years ago the UCI started reacting to the dangers that aerodynamic embellishments posed to the aesthetics of cycling and the continuity of athletic performance. They were ridiculed then and for many years thereafter. We see now that there is a kernel of essential wisdom in that fight. However, it is exceedingly difficult to express it through rules and regulations.

[@10ktube]

So I need to gain a bunch of weight in my belly area, hit the gym and only work my triceps and calves and hamstrings, and try to atrophy everything else. I'm on it.

[@DigzGuy]

😂

[@naturegoggle]

Why printed jersey is banned in UCI? Some teams can't afford it or what? Crazy.

[@rule28Clothing]

It’s a rule prohibiting the addition of any additional structure that is not part of the fabric itself . It’s designed to block fairings, 3d printed turbulators etc.