I like it, No Saddle Bag and Increased Aero

[dodgy]

Hmmm. Using stupid made up figures to make the maths easy...

So a pro is out on the course for, say 30 min on an un-aero bike. They're going really fast so they get a 10% benefit on the aero bike. So the pro gets a 3 minute saving
I'm out on the course for 60min. I'm going slower so I don't get so much benefit. I only get (say) 6%. So I get a 3.6 minute saving. More than the pro! Go me!

So I'd be getting a healthy absolute benefit in terms of minutes saved. But it's still a dwindling percentage. Those 3.6 min would be enough to give me a win if I was in a competition with a bunch of other similar old unfit duffers. But as it's a small percentage, if one of my competitor duffers decided to be unsportsmanlike and did a bit of training to get fitter than me they could quite easily negate my advantage.

Or am I missing the point completely?

You're on the right lines, some phd chap in the US did a study on it, google is our friend! I think also GCN did a more down to earth easy examination of it and came to the same conclusion.

 

[Dogtrousers]

You're on the right lines, some phd chap in the US did a study on it, google is our friend! I think also GCN did a more down to earth easy examination of it and came to the same conclusion.

Cheers. I'm not actually that interested so I won't be googling, as I don't personally indulge in competition. My ego is too fragile to face the truth that it would reveal.

 

[freiston]

You’d think that, wouldn’t you. But the counterintuitive truth is that aero features give an even greater benefit for slower riders and there is convincing data to back it up. Basically it boils down to slower riders being out on the course for longer so have more time for the gains to accumulate.
Of course in absolute terms faster is better for aero gains.

So if I ditched the bike altogether so that I had zero drag from the bike and consequentially a massive reduction in speed making me very slow, then the aero benefit that I gain would be astronomical in comparison to a fast rider on a bike (only joking)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Get a velomobile and stop pissing around in the road bike nursery school sandpit.

 

[dodgy]

Get a velomobile and stop pissing around in the road bike nursery school sandpit.

Impractical clown's transport (velomobile!) Though they're great for setting records.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Impractical clown's transport (velomobile!) Though they're great for setting records.

Hardly; weather proof, fast, and plenty of capability to carry your shopping

 

[dodgy]

Hardly; weather proof, fast, and plenty of capability to carry your shopping

That would explain why you see them absolutely everywhere.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That would explain why you see them absolutely everywhere.

The reason you don't see them everywhere is large wheeled bikes are better for potholed surfaces, and people who ride small wheel generic folders and shopper bikes are willing to accept the ride quality compromise that goes with smaller wheels for their compact size. My Raleigh 20 Shopper is ideal for going to the pub, or even, err shopping with, but five miles each way on 20" wheels is far enough IMHO. Horses for courses. Velomobiles are curiousities that I don't see much advantage to apart from having less acceleration inertia if you equip one with lightweight wheels and tyres.

 

[StuAff]

Get a velomobile and stop pissing around in the road bike nursery school sandpit.

OK, they're not for everyone. Most cyclists don't know about them, for a start. Apart from those of the tightwad/luddite/don't understand the laws of physics tendencies, not everyone has the wherewithal, or room to securely store it, or the skills and knowhow to maintain them. But as someone who's ridden one, ridden with them (I know four owners), and has watched and read more than enough YT, Strava data and forum posts to understand what they're capable of, I want one. PBP in 44 hours? Over 1200km on a circuit in 24 hours? Tours across continents? Average riders outrunning chain gangs and keeping up with pro pelotons? You're a clown if you don't understand the potential.