In looking at recent-vintage tri bikes, it seems that most are doing the aero brake thing: rear brake under the BB, front brake behind the fork, or both. While this seems like a good idea in the "eyeball wind tunnel," does anyone know whether and to what extent it actually makes a difference?
It strikes me that many of them have the rear brake exposed to relatively "clean" air under the BB, rather than tucked behind the frame where it's actually more fared; they're hiding the brake from the rider, not from the wind. And in front, I wonder whether the whole boundary layer separation idea wouldn't make an aero trailing edge on the fork more important than an aero leading edge. But of course that's just MY eyeball wind tunnel impression! Anyone seen actual data on this??
It strikes me that many of them have the rear brake exposed to relatively "clean" air under the BB, rather than tucked behind the frame where it's actually more fared; they're hiding the brake from the rider, not from the wind. And in front, I wonder whether the whole boundary layer separation idea wouldn't make an aero trailing edge on the fork more important than an aero leading edge. But of course that's just MY eyeball wind tunnel impression! Anyone seen actual data on this??
