And how can you get in to test? Does the testing company need a minimum of people? Do you need to be a hot shot?
Blanket statement: wind tunnel testing is not for people, it’s for companies. Unless you’re independently wealthy, or are absurdly connected to one of the major government facilities (e.g. Langley, Ames), I wouldn’t plan on it. I’ve done a great deal of wind tunnel testing & development, and it is both expensive and laborious. For a wind tunnel that suits a full scale bike, getting access and funding the project would be major hurdles. Furthermore, planning and executing the effort within the relatively tiny window that you’re allotted is a monumental task. Out of sheer curiosity, what are you specifically looking to test for?
I got a chance to test in the one in Texas many years ago. I was really aero but couldn’t hold the position very long. I have since been fitted correctly and am very comfortable and can hold a high wattage for long periods. I am curious to see how much more drag I produce in this new position. And, I got a new bike.
Blanket statement: wind tunnel testing is not for people, it’s for companies. Unless you’re independently wealthy, or are absurdly connected to one of the major government facilities (e.g. Langley, Ames), I wouldn’t plan on it.
Say WHAT? He’s not talking about designing a freakin airplane here. The A2 tunnel, San Diego’s LSWT (renamed to something else…check www.biketechreview.com), the one in Texas, one run by MIT guys…all offer bike services that cost less per hour than a Zipp disc wheel. I’ve been told to plan on 2-3 hours of tunnel time to get decent results. One hour if all you want to do is know where you stand. If you are planning on testing wide varieties of wheels, positions, etc. then it’d be really expensive.
Good reasoning. I should amend my comments to acknowledge that there are smaller facilities that are more accessible and less expensive. They’re much more qualitative than quantitative which probably works out just fine for the majority of the cycling population.
Good reasoning. I should amend my comments to acknowledge that there are smaller facilities that are more accessible and less expensive. They’re much more qualitative than quantitative
Nonsense.
The A2 tunnel, San Diego’s LSWT (renamed to something else…check www.biketechreview.com), the one in Texas, one run by MIT guys…
The new facilities in Colorado and New Jersey (? - the one that Peter Cummings is associated with) also offer their services to individual cyclists.
A2 in North Carolina costs $390/hr roughly. Several hours of testing still costs less than buying a super aero bike. Access is easy, but there is a waiting list to test, I believe a month out or so. You fly into Charlotte NC, the tunnel is 35-40 min away from the airport and there are a number of hotels 5-10 minutes away from the tunnel.
A2’s contact info id 704-799-1001 or www.a2wt.com
Ask for Mike Giraud
We are also planning/scheduling a camp there this spring with some of our pro athletes. If you pm me, I can send you over some info.
$975 for a session in San Diego.
http://www.lswt.com/2009session.php
Some coaching programs like Multisports.com run wind tunnel camps, which can (I think) be even more financially advantageous since they are bringing in more folks, and they run a pretty swift testing protocol. You may not get as much time as you might want on your own if you want to do multiple yaws out and back, etc., but it can help deliver you a baseline, and you have at least the chance play with different positions/equipment, at a lower cost. It’s certainly not as exclusionary as it once used to be. If you want to get faster, it may not be as sexy as showing up at the line with a new disc, but the spend can be much, much better than a disc, based on your fit or equipment to begin with. It’s a worthwhile spend.
I put a list of several tunnels with their contacts and websites that appends my wind tunnel story in the new IT.
-Jay