
Matt
I have no personal experience, but from what I remember of the reviews, a Zipper fairing on a drop-bar bike was about as effective as an aerobar. The main advantage was in comfort: you don't have to crouch so low, and it keeps the wind and rain off your thighs. That m/c fairing with flat bars would be less effective - I would estimate it to be much the same as riding 'on the hoods'.Lenk42602 wrote: Now, if anyone can provide any real data, or directions on how to calculate, or help me to quantify exactly to what degree a 1/2 (or full) fairing on my setup will increase effeciency, I can begin weighing the exposure risk versus the performance benefit.....
Truer words are seldom spoken.John in CR wrote: The thing we need to come up with is a design on the back side that addresses the acoustical problem with fairings.
I have a few ideas to test out once I get to a stage of fooling around with fairing, so maybe my previous hobby speakers and room acoustics will prove useful. I'm already making use lots of tidbits from the thermodynamics I picked up piddling around with hot air engines.recumbent wrote:Truer words are seldom spoken.John in CR wrote: The thing we need to come up with is a design on the back side that addresses the acoustical problem with fairings.
I removed my full fairing for the hot summer months and my top speed dropped by...1- 2 kph.
The noise level dropped immensly to near nothing, quite refreshing, I'm going to keep it off till it gets cold out, that's where fairings really shine, they keep you warm & dry.
What matters is CD*Area:Miles wrote:http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/vi ... 38&start=2
Data from "Bicycling Science"; DG Wilson 3rd edition
Upright commuting bike... CD 1.15; Area 0.55sq.m
Touring bike... CD 1.0; Area 0.40 sq.m
Racing bike... CD 0.88; Area 0.36 sq.m
"Easy Racer" recumbent (unfaired)... CD 0.77; Area 0.77 sq.m
"Peer Gynt" recumbent (unfaired)... CD 0.74; Area 0.56 sq.m
I thought the anomaly was addressed in the text, but I can't find any reference to it. It's quite possible that a miss-matched front fairing could have a negative impact....JennyB wrote: "Peer Gynt" recumbent (unfaired)... CDA 0.41
"Peer Gynt" recumbent + front fairing... CDA 0.44 (some mistake here?)
Lenk42602 wrote:Monster,
Is that a zipper fairing? You said you didn't notice any difference? How fast where you traveling, and data, etc? I'm starting to think that while my little mini bike fairing looks cool, probably won't help much unless I sheild the entire front of the bike, and then add some tai of some sort....
Len
You can be sure I will, when it starts raining again... I just finished pulling the shredded tires & wheels to go and get new skins (maybe the tire-store has wifi).Drunkskunk wrote:TD, looks like a great tool. have you plugged the CitiVan into it yet?
The same way you go up and down gutters/curbs in a porsche - you don't.How do you go up and down gutters/kerbs on all these recumbenty thingys?
Then you may as well drive a car or ride a motorcycle.cerewa wrote:The same way you go up and down gutters/curbs in a porsche - you don't.How do you go up and down gutters/kerbs on all these recumbenty thingys?
I ride an upright bike but it has no suspension and I try to avoid taking bumps, up or down, of more than 1 inch (or 3 inches if i'm going really slowly). I ride in the road like I would on a motorcycle or car.
I couldn't possibly disagree with you more. I used to ride freestyle in my teenage years. I also own a $3,500 radical freeride mountain bike. So, I enjoy hopping curbs and cutting through trails as much as the next guy. However, my E-bike is a recumbent. Until you ride a recembent, you will not appreciate their strengths. Also, for me, the point is accelleration and efficiency. I can't acheive both in a mountain bike. I can, however, with my recumbent.Mark_A_W wrote:Then you may as well drive a car or ride a motorcycle.cerewa wrote:The same way you go up and down gutters/curbs in a porsche - you don't.How do you go up and down gutters/kerbs on all these recumbenty thingys?
I ride an upright bike but it has no suspension and I try to avoid taking bumps, up or down, of more than 1 inch (or 3 inches if i'm going really slowly). I ride in the road like I would on a motorcycle or car.
Half the point of an e-bike being a pushbike is you can:
- ride on footpaths
- sneak around red lights
- ride on bike paths
- ride on the wrong side of the road
- ride through foot lanes, etc with barriers for vehicles
- bash over median strips at 30kmh to cross roads wherever you need
- closed roads
- footy ovals
- ANYWHERE
And it's pretty unlikely the cops will do you. The whole point of a bike is to AVOID the traffic, not mix with it.
My ride to work is 15km. My drive to work is 20km, because I can take SHORTCUTS.
If I was going to stick to the same legal route as my car, I'd get a Vectrix maxi scooter or something. A bicycle is about freedom. Without a robust bike (preferably dual suspension) you lose that freedom -the freedom to go where it's safest and quickest for you.