Is this true?

afx237vi

Slipstream - A cyclist rides behind another cyclist meaning that they need less power to maintain that speed. Again it's not just the trailing rider who benefits, they reduce the effect of the low-pressure region on the lead cyclist, helping them go faster too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19050675

I've never heard that before and was initially sceptical... but it is the BBC, and the past few days have taught me they really know their cycling.

Crozza

yep

pb21

Yes, in theory.

afx237vi

So all those years, Levi was actually helping the guy in front!

rozzer32

Yup this is true. Although the 3rd rider in a line of cylists (rider 1 being the guy on the front) gets the biggest benefit from drafting. Rider 3 gets a bigger benefit then rider 2 and the effect reduces past rider 3.

thomthom

afx237vi wrote:

So all those years, Levi was actually helping the guy in front!

No_Ta_Doctor

Bloody wheelpushers....

rick_chasey

I've heard it used in terms of Nascar - though the difference was still really small.

Never for cyclists.

knedlicky

Tests have shown that the front rider, instead of needing to put out say 400 watts to keep up a certain speed, needs only 394-395 watts to maintain the same speed if he has someone behind him.
I don't know if it accumulates, i.e. he only needs to put out 390 watts if he he has two or more people behind him, but I imagine there is some add-on effect like that.

Still, it's rather insignificant compared to the energy saving of the first 2-3 riders behind the front man, which is up to 30% when travelling at 40 kph, and still maybe 10% when at 20-25 kph.

This might explain why top teams don't really do the Belgian Circle (or whatever it's called) much any more in TTs - because the constant changing of the front man as the team rotate places (every 250 m) brings less overall to everyone than riding in line for longer distances 1-2 km.

But the effect is probably still relevant for breaks of the type in the women's RR at the Olympics.

No_Ta_Doctor

It would be great if it really did accumulate. You could get on the front of a really big peloton and freewheel.

Monty Zoncolan

I cast my mind back to Fignon's TT at the end of the 1989 tour - how far behind him were all those motorcycles and cars..?

thiscocks

His ponytail created the low pressure region

deejay

I remember some years ago when I moved in Motor Racing circles, it was said if you got in the slipstream of the Lead car then you caused that car to slow a bit.
The theory being that the draft coming off the back of the lead car could not dissipate smoothly and this caused a pressure to the side of the lead car and also "Blunted" the air flow at the front of it. :?: