hamishbarker
Well-Known Member
My conversion has gotten heavier - I added a fairing. But the fairing is GREAT for keeping more than half of me dry in wet weather, even really pouring rain my legs only get a little damp. No noise, the mountings I made are working great. Crosswinds are no problem. I can feel a little tugging in really gusty winds, but quite safe riding.
Speed wise - I think about 5% more top speed but will have proper data soon (note the yellow hub - a low cost secondhand old powertap which I built into a velocity rim, so I will be doing some Chung method power data analysis soon to determine CdA and Crr with and without fairing (and possibly with both the old and new (shorter) rear shock. Initial indications seem to show a CdA around 0.32 and Crr 0.005 but poor data, so better estimates later. Note how low the old bottom bracket is now - means my seat is a little lower than the front bottom bracket, I made the mod to reduce frontal area a bit. New 100mm rear shock to achieve this (for kids bike I think? The original was 150mm, I chose 100mm to specifically make the lowering mod) cost a big $10 (new) including postage from Hong Kong on ebay. Seems to work fine.
I have 1.75" tires on it. The Front is a Compass (same mould as panaracer T-serve, lighter casing for less rolling resistance apparently - soon testing will tell), the rear is still a panaracer T-serve I haven't bothered to change yet.
The thing is heavy. 19kg. ugh. And ugly (especially with all the 3M retroreflective tape) But for my daily 23km commute (46km round trip), over 2500km so far, it's the business!
The top of the fairing is supported on a couple of spinaci type bars (copies of cinelli spinaci aero handles for DF drop bars, not allowed in races these days so really cheap).
Full fenders are also keeping me nice and dry.
The little clamps out past the edge of the fairing hold my lights (not mounted in the photo).
Speed wise - I think about 5% more top speed but will have proper data soon (note the yellow hub - a low cost secondhand old powertap which I built into a velocity rim, so I will be doing some Chung method power data analysis soon to determine CdA and Crr with and without fairing (and possibly with both the old and new (shorter) rear shock. Initial indications seem to show a CdA around 0.32 and Crr 0.005 but poor data, so better estimates later. Note how low the old bottom bracket is now - means my seat is a little lower than the front bottom bracket, I made the mod to reduce frontal area a bit. New 100mm rear shock to achieve this (for kids bike I think? The original was 150mm, I chose 100mm to specifically make the lowering mod) cost a big $10 (new) including postage from Hong Kong on ebay. Seems to work fine.
I have 1.75" tires on it. The Front is a Compass (same mould as panaracer T-serve, lighter casing for less rolling resistance apparently - soon testing will tell), the rear is still a panaracer T-serve I haven't bothered to change yet.
The thing is heavy. 19kg. ugh. And ugly (especially with all the 3M retroreflective tape) But for my daily 23km commute (46km round trip), over 2500km so far, it's the business!
The top of the fairing is supported on a couple of spinaci type bars (copies of cinelli spinaci aero handles for DF drop bars, not allowed in races these days so really cheap).
Full fenders are also keeping me nice and dry.
The little clamps out past the edge of the fairing hold my lights (not mounted in the photo).
