Do clean bikes go faster?

blackpoolkev
blackpoolkev Posts: 474
edited January 2015 in Road general
I read a lot in bike mags about aerodynamic advances - tidy cables,fancy shaped forks,tight clothing etc..
But at this time of year when our bikes are covered in grime, I can't help feeling that wheels must spin faster if the spokes and rims are polished. A chain and drivetrain that is free from muck must travel more smoothly. Surely a clean frame glides through the air better when it's not loaded with mud.
So... how much faster do you reckon a clean bike goes compared to a dirty one?

Comments

  • tramuntanacycling
    tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
    blackpoolkev wrote:
    I read a lot in bike mags about aerodynamic advances - tidy cables,fancy shaped forks,tight clothing etc..
    But at this time of year when our bikes are covered in grime, I can't help feeling that wheels must spin faster if the spokes and rims are polished. A chain and drivetrain that is free from muck must travel more smoothly. Surely a clean frame glides through the air better when it's not loaded with mud.
    So... how much faster do you reckon a clean bike goes compared to a dirty one?

    Much much faster.

    Unfortunately though, in my experience, a sparkling clean bike often leads to a chest puffed out with pride so the gain in aerodynamics from the clean bike is nullified by the chest :-)
  • vimfuego
    vimfuego Posts: 1,783
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:
    CS7
    Surrey Hills
    What's a Zwift?
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    You can make a massive aero improvement by putting cling film over your helmet.

    Putting tin foil over your helmet is meant to work even better.

    If you can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over the frame surface, your testicles will be the biggest resistance to airflow.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    Yes much. Here is the proof:

    I cannot bear to be anywhere near a dirty or squeeky bike, so I will always drop a rider on said filth machine.
    Insert bike here:
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,830
    No, of course not. Think about it properly for a moment and it will be obvious. The dirt acts like the dimples on a golf ball and causes tiny disruptions in the the airflow that actually reduce the friction in the air passing over it. The advantage gained is so great that it even overcomes the increase in weight that would otherwise slow the rider down on a climb.
    This does not apply to chains however, they must be kept clean. Except for a carefully applied wax film for lubrication purposes.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    You can make a massive aero improvement by putting cling film over your helmet.

    Putting tin foil over your helmet is meant to work even better.

    If you can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over the frame surface, your testicles will be the biggest resistance to airflow.
    Then it's clear what the really dedicated tester would do...
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    They're not as fast as a cyclist not wearing a helmet....everyone knows that helmets are pointless, just add unnecessary weight and ruin the aerodynamics of the human bonce.
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    arran77 wrote:
    They're not as fast as a cyclist not wearing a helmet....everyone knows that helmets are pointless, just add unnecessary weight and ruin the aerodynamics of the human bonce.

    Very true. Human heads are especially aerodynamic if you remodel them into a more streamlined shape though by bashing them forcefully against some hard surface like Tarmac, or similar, to narrow and/or flatten the profile. ... If only there was some way to do that while riding a bike ...
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    arran77 wrote:
    They're not as fast as a cyclist not wearing a helmet....everyone knows that helmets are pointless, just add unnecessary weight and ruin the aerodynamics of the human bonce.

    very true, this is thought to be the reason why, as men get older and slower, nature lends a hand by thinning the hair to create less drag.
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    edited January 2015
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    ....If you can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over the frame surface, your testicles will be the biggest resistance to airflow.
    Anyone can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over some of the frame surface. It's increasing the speed that causes the flow to detach and become turbulent. If that's going to happen it's better to induce a robust turbulent boundary layer with a trip of some type.
    Laminar boundary layer = low drag, more fragile
    Turbulent boundary layer = medium drag, more robust
    Separated flow = high drag

    Very hard to keep drag down on spherical objects, their rubbish, so you might be right about the last bit. :wink:
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Whoooooosh!
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    You can make a massive aero improvement by putting cling film over your helmet.

    Putting tin foil over your helmet is meant to work even better.

    If you can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over the frame surface, your testicles will be the biggest resistance to airflow.

    Not sure about that, but it will stop aliens reading your brainwaves.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    LakesLuddite wrote:
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    You can make a massive aero improvement by putting cling film over your helmet.

    Putting tin foil over your helmet is meant to work even better.

    If you can ride at speeds that will generate laminar flow over the frame surface, your testicles will be the biggest resistance to airflow.

    Not sure about that, but it will stop aliens reading your brainwaves.

    Or get them up the duff.
  • silverpigeon
    silverpigeon Posts: 327
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?
    Basso Astra
    Principia Ellipse SX
    Kinesis Racelight 4S
    Kinesis Crosslight Pro Disc
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    silverpigeon wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?

    Sell it and buy a blue one.
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    I'm sure I read on here somewhere that custom decals make bikes faster ... now where was that?
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    silverpigeon wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?

    Sell it and buy a blue one.

    I've got a red and black matte bike and a blue shiny one. What should I do?
  • vimfuego
    vimfuego Posts: 1,783
    Gozzy wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    silverpigeon wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?

    Sell it and buy a blue one.

    I've got a red and black matte bike and a blue shiny one. What should I do?

    Buy another one obviously - two is nowhere near enough.
    CS7
    Surrey Hills
    What's a Zwift?
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    vimfuego wrote:
    Gozzy wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    silverpigeon wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?

    Sell it and buy a blue one.

    I've got a red and black matte bike and a blue shiny one. What should I do?

    Buy another one obviously - two is nowhere near enough.

    Two bikes are just Bad News vimfuego (I'll get my coat).
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Gozzy wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    silverpigeon wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Gloss bikes with a fresh coat of Mr Sheen are faster than matte black bikes which are incredibly slow.
    vimfuego wrote:
    It's all nonsense. Red bikes go faster - everyone knows that! :wink:

    What if your bike is red and black?

    Sell it and buy a blue one.

    I've got a red and black matte bike and a blue shiny one. What should I do?

    Breed them and raise the purple satin finish offspring only - if your blood line was indeed pure one of those will be faster than either parent. If someone wins a tour stage on it you'll make a fortune in stud fees.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    This looks like a question Specialized could answer with their wind tunnel.

    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... SCDKCKR97t
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Initialised wrote:
    This looks like a question Specialized could answer with their wind tunnel.

    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... SCDKCKR97t
    Except the answer would not be a simple Yes or No.
    Depends what bike, what wind direction, what speed, etc .....
  • vimfuego
    vimfuego Posts: 1,783
    Two bikes are just Bad News vimfuego (I'll get my coat)

    nice.
    Bad News, for you and you and you and you and you...
    CS7
    Surrey Hills
    What's a Zwift?

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