How does rain effect cycling velocity?
such as Aerodynamic drag and Rolling resistance?
Also it seems that if your wheels are picking up and slinging water that is a pretty significant energy expenditure.
Great questions. Someone once told me you are about 0.5mph slower in the rain/wet road with the same power. Not sure if this is true or not tho.
I’d hypothesize that the additional cooling would offset the mechanical losses due to rain. Unless said additional cooling made you hypothermic.
Cooling effect, interesting. Do you think that it effected the TT at the Tour De France this year in the final TT? It appeared tha tthe early guys had to race in the wet and this might have slowed then down some.
Surly someone must know if it really does slow you down, rolling resistance, etc.
Not sure of the total reason behind it, but I’ve heard of numerous cases where TT times were better when the course was wet. Didn’t that actually happen at the TDF last year or 2 years ago during one of the TT’s? It rained in the morning, so the first part of the field was riding on wet pavement, and as it dried out, times got slower
Wet pavement feels faster.
It certainly is more slippery, and you should be more cautions on turns, descents, painted surfaces.
Does that same slippery-ness lower crr? Could be.
I agree - don’t know if the physics supports it, but I’ve set many pb’s on wet days.
It could be:
Cooling effect
Lower air resistance (humid air is faster)
Lower rolling resistance - maybe.
Other?
I agree with you, many of my PRs have been in the rain. I’d say cooling effect for sure, lower rolling resistance would seem very plausible as the temperatures on the tires would be lower.
I’ve also PR’d in the rain. I’d guess it’s course dependent; you need to back way off on corners and descents, so a technical course will probably be slower while a flat loop may be faster.