Re: Drafting in Bicycle Races

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@SFU.CA>]

As a former bicycle racer I can assure you that there are *two* free
lunches here. The reason that successful breaks usually have more than
one rider is that the guy in front, while he works harder than those
drafting on him (by quite a bit), actually benefits from having
someone on his wheel. The guy behind acts as a spoiler, I suppose.

When I moved to Canada I resumed racing. Being obviously an old guy I
was tolerated (in Novice class) to never lead. I won one such race
(I know, I'm a bad sport) and they stopped tolerating me.

My brother (who is an aeronautical engineer and doesn't race) tells me
that there is an optimum aspect ratio ~6:1, length to transverse
dimension, for low drag. Two or three bikes with riders is about right.

Leigh

> Hi:
>
>    In bicycle races one rider will ride closely on the tail of the rider in
> front of him so that he will be riding in the "air resistance shadow" of the
> front rider.
>
>     I know of no reason based on basic physical laws of why this should
> impose an extra burden on the front rider except that it seems to violate my
> sense that there should be no free lunch.
>
>    So my question is: Does the front rider in any way need a greater power
> output to maintain the same speed by virtue of having someone drafting
> behind him?
>
>    I am looking forward to any responses.
>
> Ed Schweber