Do you know of tests that indicate that it becomes a factor at 20 mph and above or is that your guess?
The only fender aerodynamic tests I've ever read about are from Bicycle Quarterly. They were done at 22 mph and fenders had very little affect. Adding wider mudflaps at the bottom of the fenders did cause enough increase in drag to be measured. Until someone does wind tunnel tests at higher speeds we can only guess that there is a higher speed where fenders create enough additional drag that it can be noticed over increased drag of yourself and everything else on the bike. Given that, we could divide cyclists into two groups, those that spend the vast majority of their time at 22 mph and below (and when they are riding above 22 mph they are usually in a paceline) and those who do spend some portion of their solo riding time above 22 mph. For the first group there is no fender aerodynamic penalty and for the second group there may, or may not, be. About the best reasons I've found for not sporting fenders is if either you stuff your bike inside a car often or you live someplace where it never rains. On Nov 1, 11:34 pm, Erik Powell <puh....@gmail.com> wrote: > If you're riding at ibob approved speeds (sub 15mph), fenders won't > make much of a difference. At 20mph and above, aerodynamics come into > play and fenders create an additional and perceptible drag. At 25mph > and above, you really start to feel it. > > Don't get me started on the speed-killing effects of a rear rack, > panniers, and Col de la Vies. > > Erik > > On Nov 1, 7:15 pm, charlie <charles_v...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > > > > I don't think my riding is slower when riding with fenders you could > > probably measure it and you would probably be infinitesimally slower. > > The benefits of having fenders would certainly outweigh any slight > > drop in speed I'm sure. I don't usually transport my bike and have > > never had the fenders get in the way when I do. You probably have a > > brake shoe rubbing or the wheel could be angled in the frame after > > installing the fenders, causing drag. Is your tire rubbing inside the > > fender ? If not, ignore the mild paranoia and ride through some mud > > puddles. Happy trails !!! = ) > > > On Nov 1, 8:51 am, Eric Norris <campyonly...@me.com> wrote: > > > > Any thoughts from other riders with fendered bikes about whether they > > > make your bike slower? I've been riding my somewhat newly fendered > > > Quickbeam lately, and it seems to be a little more sluggish than I > > > remember it being in years past. > > > > --Eric N- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
