Slowest advancing technology ever?

[TimberWolf]

I think the problem with fairings is that they give you a greatly increased cross sectional area from aspects other than head on, so in any sort of crosswind they are a bit of a liability. That's certainly the case with disc wheels.

Maybe, until these things are allowed on long distance bicycle races (away from indoor cycle tracks) we may not know. Sure, covering the entire wheel appears dodgy outside on a windy day.

There are also gains to be made from considering rider position, as you can greatly decrease frontal area however this comes at the price of being a bit uncomfortable and if you aren't careful you end up screwing the biomechanics somewhat so that your power output decreases which cancels out the benefit of being more aerodynamic. I don't know to what extent this is an issue with recumbent.

Interestingly, IIRC, recumbent don't appear to be massively better performers in practical circumstances, based on a wholly unscientific comparison to the tune of one not entirely scientific valid comparison:

Land's End to John O'Groats
Upright bicycle: 2001, 44h 4m
Faired recumbent bicycle: 1996, 41h 4m
Cycling records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

7% difference wouldn't be enough to get me laying on my back.

[d000hg]

you pick up an entry level carbon framed bike for £1000 if you shop around and don't mind buying last years model.

Exactly - £1000 is expensive. I'm talking about a bog-standard bike bought for a 12-year-old by non-contracting families, for £100-200.

[Bunk]

I'm still waiting for someone to come up with an improved wheel

They've been the same shape for flipping ages

[TimberWolf]

I'm still waiting for someone to come up with an improved wheel

They've been the same shape for flipping ages

What I find interesting about the wheel is the ultimate size.

There is some debate, but skinny high pressure tyres mostly seems to win the day, but more interesting perhaps is the ultimate diameter. And of course the road surface and tyre material makes a difference, with slick usually being best for road efficiency.

[TimberWolf]

Mudguards?

Or badger guards?

[d000hg]

Mudguards?

You never see those much these days. Or bells. I guess getting to your destination clean and safe isn't cool

[TimberWolf]

What I find interesting about the wheel is the ultimate size.

There is some debate, but skinny high pressure tyres mostly seems to win the day, but more interesting perhaps is the ultimate diameter. And of course the road surface and tyre material makes a difference, with slick usually being best for road efficiency.

And wheels are interesting for lots of other reasons. They work a bit like levers, where small force acting over a long distance at the perimeter can overcome a lot of frictional force at the bearings, hence why early wheels comprising a wooden log in a circular wooden thing (the tyre) worked. Rolling is also far more efficient than sliding, though some super slippery graphite material allegedly works at microscopic scales, and then there's bearings. What size spheres to use and how many sets, though by this stage efficiency gains would be marginal.

New EU tyre labels coming to a wheel merchant near you:

The new stickers are designed to grade:
How good the tyre is at stopping in the wet
How fuel efficient they are
How much noise the tyres make

BBC News - EU tyre labels start being rolled out