aerohelmets, do they make you faster?

[trichef]

for those who are not in the elite and/or cat a categories, does it really help in making you faster? how much time does it slash on your 40k TT compared when you are using an ordinary helmet? what are other pro's and con's of an aerohelmet?

am thinking of buying one for TTs and triathlon races but am not sure if this will really make a difference or should i just train harder for faster results? :D

[SadieKate]

Ask and you shall receive . . . from the Nerds at MIT:

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-3-12-14995-1,00.html

[Zen]

Isn't that like asking if Air Jordans will make you jump higher?

[RoadRaven]

Good article Sadie
I'd second the helmet vs wheelset comment I've read that in many places too.

I can give a real-life opinion on this next week. This week, as some of you know, I am headed up to the NZ National Road Cycling Champs to be swanier (sp?), coach, massuese etc for 2 of my sons and my partner.

My eldest son was a finalist in a sponsership deal, and got $NZ500 to spend at the LBS. Yesterday we went and picked up a skinsuit and a Giro aero helmet for him.

We should be able to make a good comparison of equipment on Thursday as we competed in the Club Champs TT a couple of weeks ago, and the under17 boy who did a faster time than my son has a skinsuit and an aero helmet. Both boys are in good form, and the only thing that will change on the day in terms of equipment will be my son's skinsuit and aero-helmet.

I'll get back to you on this one, :)

[Eden]

Isn't that like asking if Air Jordans will make you jump higher?

No, not at all. It's been scientifically proven that aerohelmets will indeed help you to ride faster, if you use them properly. They are the second piece of equipment that it is recommened you get for faster TT'ing. Aerobars will make the largest difference, aerohelmets next.

[RoadRaven]

Aerobars will make the largest difference, aerohelmets next.

Hmmm... I gots the tri spokes... I gots the bladed seat post... I dont wear the gloves... I gots a pocket-less tight jersey... I gots the aero bars... I gots the bar end shifters... I gots the bull horns....

I STILL NEEDS THE HELMET

* Rave starts throwing toys outta the cot!!!! *

[Zen]

Perhaps. But by what percentage?

[OakLeaf]

Hmmm... I gots the tri spokes... I gots the bladed seat post... I dont wear the gloves... I gots a pocket-less tight jersey... I gots the aero bars... I gots the bar end shifters... I gots the bull horns....

I STILL NEEDS THE HELMET

* Rave starts throwing toys outta the cot!!!! *

You need a disc wheel, too. <g,d&r>

Oh and BTW... I once spent half of a TT with snot flapping out of my nose because I couldn't figure out whether it was more aerodynamic to leave it flap or to raise my hand and wipe it off. Does anyone know which it is? :D

[Eden]

Perhaps. But by what percentage?

over a 40K TT - which would take me a bit over an hour on an average rolling course, I could probably save about 3 minutes using an aero helmet. Which while this (to quote some racer, I don't remember who) certainly will not make a race horse out of a mule, will definitely make a difference when you are talking about those who are already close in time. Had I already had my aero helmet for the state TT championship this year (yeah Raven, I don't have mine yet either :( , but Giro FINALLY is shipping them, so I should have it soon!) I wouldn't have won, but I may have been able to move up, up to 2 places and I would have medaled! I was less than 3 minutes behind both 2nd and 3rd places. Not to mention that in some of the stage races that I do the overall placing are done by total time, so while I may not be aiming to win the TT, I would want to lose as little time as possible.
No an aero helmet isn't something your everday rider will want to wear, they are hot, heavy and aren't effective unless you are riding in an aero position, but if you TT or do tri's they are one of the pieces of equipment you will want to consider.

[ehirsch83]

They definitely make a difference! Especially when in TTs a portion of a second can make the difference between placing(so year end points,purse money for that event,etc.). I am getting one for the '08 race season, I can't wait!!( my goal is to be in the top 3 for the cat 4 women for States at the end of the year next year).

Besides being more aero, they make a whistling sound when you are out of the correct aero position, because the wind isn't going over you correctly. So they act as a constant reminder to stay in the most aero position, therefore helping you help yourself.

Definitely worth the 160 or so for one if you are going to do TTs competitively.

[trichef]

thanks girls for the inputs. :)

[kelownagirl]

Can I slide in a question about aerobars? I have them but because I'm not tall, and my seat isn't much higher than my handlebars, I feel I can get down lower when I'm in the drops than the aerobars. Is that common?

and Eden - So are you averaging well over 30 kmh to do 40K TT in just over an hour? Wow, I have a looong way to go. Our TT route is 16km and, in my opinion, it's fairly hilly. I am not fast and I've never raced it but I have ridden it as fast as I could I can only average about 29.5-30 kmh. I am still at least 3 minutes slower than the slowest woman who does the TT so I'm not quite mentally ready to try it for real. Maybe next year. Maybe I need a faster, cooler bike. :rolleyes: (with aerobars and special wheels, and no gloves, and the right clothes, and no visor on my helmet, and no seatbag on the bike, and do more hill repeats to improve my sucky climbing ability.)

And if you don't mind, here's the elev profile of our TT route (although it's missing a 1 mile flat section right in the middle). Can anyway tell me how it compares in "hilliness" to other TT routes? It has two short climbs that are around 7% grade, but the rest are 4-6% and less. (Ignore that first bump)

Sorry for completely taking this thread off track... :rolleyes:

[Eden]

If I've calculated correctly I did about 33.3 Kph for that TT, and that would be in line with what I've been able to do in the past.

I'm similar to you - I'm quite small so I never get a great deal of drop from saddle to handle bars on any of my bikes, but the TT bike does have 650's to maximize that. The aerobars still do make a big difference - It's not only getting down low, but streamlining your body that the aerobars help with - you get a slimmer stance too.

As far as how your TT course compares? I really don't know.... we have anything from nearly totally flat, to a hillclimb TT - they come in all sorts of flavors. The 40K this year, I'd call rolling. There wasn't really any big climb of any sort on it, but it was up and down a lot of small hills, one was a bit sharp, though quite short (a stand and sprint hill).

[kelownagirl]

Do you 650s on front AND back?

[Eden]

Yes - the old style tri bikes with the small front wheel and larger rear wheel can't be used in a USAC race (which most of mine are). The particular size of the wheels doesn't matter, but they do have to be the same front and back.