Your logic is an over simplification and I see no reason to expect such a direct correlation. In many cases the mechanism intended to improve stability may provide reduced drag at high yaw, but I don't think that's necessarily so.

I’m not a wheel designer nor an aerodynamicist but from what I’ve seen heard and read, the center of pressure has a big effect on handling. Two wheels could have the same drag numbers but if you can move the center of pressure closer to the steering axis then it has less influence on steering the bike. So I don’t think it’s safe to assume that better handling = A difference in drag.

Hello Chris B.O.B. and All,

I agree with you that center of pressure is one key to better handling front wheel .... and,...

If you can prevent or delay wheel stall during gusts the effect on center of pressure will be reduced ....

For aircraft ... delaying wing stall is accomplished with many devices .... articulated wing leading edge devices (slats) ... articulated wing trailing edge devices (flaps) .... suction on surface of wing .... wing warping ...... and so on.

If we could delay, eliminate, or mitigate the wheel stall on gusts it would help reduce front wheel pressures and improve handling.

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Neat graphic. Thanks for sharing.

So... after shape, and then the add on spoke tubercules we will see rim profiles with slot and slats. Mind explosion, hope big brother is watching. Or not?

---

Paul Daniels
paul@princetoncarbon.com
http://www.princetoncarbon.com

Hello elevelo and All,

“I’m saying this because it’s true. Inside of us, we both know that the adaptive bicycle wheel is the way of the future. You’re part of the event, the thing that’s happening. When the adaptive bicycle wheel is available and you don’t get one, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.” (apologies to the authors)

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Just came across this...

https://www.nullwinds.com/


So it sort of exists?

---

Paul Daniels
paul@princetoncarbon.com
http://www.princetoncarbon.com

Hello elevelo and All,

Wow! Great find for this discussion!

Your Null Winds find is kind of weird ..... are we so homogenized with shared data these days that there is some kind of a 'big data' mind meld? .... similar ideas popping up like yellow clover blossoms after the rain.



Null Winds is an example of the theory of an adaptive wing ...... a 'range' rather than a 'point' (on the performance curve) design ..... but the proof is in the pudding ..... be interesting to see what Null Winds looks like in the wind tunnel.

As a 'first try' Null Winds can probably be improved.

https://www.bikerumor.com/...dwinds-with-science/

'Articulation' for 'Adaptation' might be the direction of some future bicycle speed gains ..... like adaptive handle bars/aero bars.

http://www.morf-tech.com/

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Went down the Zipp 454 rabbit hole (yet again) and after seeing the Princeton CarbonWorks graph - showing that the 404 tests faster than the 454 at every yaw angle 0-20 degrees - had to flag this quote from the Zipp 454 marketing video:

"The Zipp advanced development team reimagined the aero-wheel, and in the process developed the fastest rim shape Zipp has ever produced."

Lots of "spin" in marketing, ha...

---

Paul Daniels
paul@princetoncarbon.com
http://www.princetoncarbon.com

Lance will always have Paris...

+1

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster