The bottle down the shirt thread got me thinking about other ways we consider things to be a fairing or not.
Consider the following setups. Ignore for the moment whether or not each of the intermediate steps are more aero than the one prior, though I'll hazard that the final step is more aero (but we'll get that that).
Step 0: Simple Aerobard. Obviously not a fairing but including here to show the steps.
Step 1 - Tape the area between the bars together with electrical tape, as Sam Laidlow did in Kona. Refs did not consider this to be a fairing
Step 2 - Change the material from electrical tape to an old compression sock. All I'm doing is changing the material, so should be the same as step 1, right?
Step 3- Add Gels and whatnot inside the sock. Now I've arguably made it useful in a way that goes beyond aerodynamics. If Step 2 wasn't a fairing, then surely this isn't either? On the plus side, its slightly more rounded so also likely more aero?
Step 4 - Add some spine to give it shape. Now's when it gets interesting. I've added some legos to the setup to give it, yes, a more aero shape, but critically I've also stretched out the compression sock so that it now holds an extra gel or two and does so in a way that keeps everything reliably in place. Is this now a fairing? (It's empty to show the setup but for a race I'd be putting gels inside). I can also stretch it out further to give it whatever shape I want.
So... What's the consensus? I've gained space for a few more gels and now I have the potential to be more aero, provided I make it the right shape. Is this a fairing? If so, at what point does it become a fairing? I've done this with a sock and some legos, but if a mainstream bike manufacturer created an aerobar with this shape and functionality, would it be a fairing?
Note: I did this quickly as a proof of concept. I'll do a round 2 which is smooths out the bumps and doesn't have wrinkles.
ETA: and here's the final product with a few gels and a bit more attention to detail, and how it interacts with where I typically grip the bars.
Consider the following setups. Ignore for the moment whether or not each of the intermediate steps are more aero than the one prior, though I'll hazard that the final step is more aero (but we'll get that that).
Step 0: Simple Aerobard. Obviously not a fairing but including here to show the steps.
Step 1 - Tape the area between the bars together with electrical tape, as Sam Laidlow did in Kona. Refs did not consider this to be a fairing
Step 2 - Change the material from electrical tape to an old compression sock. All I'm doing is changing the material, so should be the same as step 1, right?
Step 3- Add Gels and whatnot inside the sock. Now I've arguably made it useful in a way that goes beyond aerodynamics. If Step 2 wasn't a fairing, then surely this isn't either? On the plus side, its slightly more rounded so also likely more aero?
Step 4 - Add some spine to give it shape. Now's when it gets interesting. I've added some legos to the setup to give it, yes, a more aero shape, but critically I've also stretched out the compression sock so that it now holds an extra gel or two and does so in a way that keeps everything reliably in place. Is this now a fairing? (It's empty to show the setup but for a race I'd be putting gels inside). I can also stretch it out further to give it whatever shape I want.
So... What's the consensus? I've gained space for a few more gels and now I have the potential to be more aero, provided I make it the right shape. Is this a fairing? If so, at what point does it become a fairing? I've done this with a sock and some legos, but if a mainstream bike manufacturer created an aerobar with this shape and functionality, would it be a fairing?
Note: I did this quickly as a proof of concept. I'll do a round 2 which is smooths out the bumps and doesn't have wrinkles.
ETA: and here's the final product with a few gels and a bit more attention to detail, and how it interacts with where I typically grip the bars.
