Or, tested positions in a mirror/photos to lower frontal area etc?
If you were do take the above clip of lance, do a similar think and say, ride the turbo with a large fan in front of you, what do you reckon you would be looking for? The string flowing in straight lines? rather than dancing all over the place due to turbulent flow?
My thought was to use my high speed video to closely look at the string to look at air flow, as I have been informed recently by an aerodynamic expert that air-flow is THE critical element. Far more critical than being low at the front, or necessarily having a low frontal area.
That is a way to actually measure drag, which is what you are trying to minimize. I think that will be much more fruitful than trying to guess what string motion vs frontal area may imply about drag
You can spot obvious turbulent spots and get a feel for certain things in a qualitative sense, but trying to obtain quantitative drag measures from the “wobblingness” of a string is quite subtle at best. Using your power meter data via Chung’s VE method is probably more reliable
I remember reading that kiwi Dr Matt Brick (world du champ etc) tested aerodynamics using a velodrome , bike computer and HR monitor. For example…ride at 160bpm and see what speed you do then change helmet or wheel and repeat. Significant differences are repeatable. you just need consistent position which is doable.
Interestingly , just like nowadays, at the time TT helmets ( like giro aerohead etc) were getting smaller and sleeker …but his tests showed that bigger helmets (as low and wide as possible) were faster since they made the shoulders and chest more aero. so he preached that helmets should be getting bigger not smaller and used an Italian TDF one with a visor added that looked like an extra wide and low version of the Scandinavian POS helmet with no vents
