INTO THE AIR
This is a view from the top of the Superstition Mountains looking down on Mesa, Apache Junction and in the distance Phoenix Arizona. I camped on the very point of Flatiron (marked with a highlight) at least a dozen nights. It is a short but steep hike from 1700 feet to as much as 4000 feet, Flatiron is around 3500 feet. In this 2.6 mile hike I could feel the change in air pressure, oxygen levels and temperature.
The air is something we all take for granted. We say things like the air is heavy or thick without a thought that it is being held against our planet by gravity. If we submerge a few feet in water we can easily feel its resistance and pressure. Air is not as dense but it has a great deal of effect at speed.
They were discovering the power of down force, ground effects, drag and turbulence. There were no wind tunnels it was all math and guess work. Soon they had to make rule changes because the cars were too fast for the tracks.
The SR-71 Blackbird spy plane was developed using thousands of hours in early wind tunnels, chalk boards and slide rules. It was secretly designed and built in the 60's as a high altitude high speed spy plane during the Cold War. The declassified speed was 2193 miles per hour. The ultimate in thrust and aerodynamics far ahead of its time.
Today wind tunnels run 24/7 to perfect this engineering science. They wind tunnel race cars, passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, trains, planes, helmets, bridges, sky scrapers, sunglasses and golf balls.
Dale Earnhardt was an expert at reading the wind. He was also an expert at spinning his competitor on the last lap but that is another discussion. I loved when he talked about the nuances of drafting like bump and side drafting.
After his years of experience he perfected the use of the air to his advantage by saving tires and fuel or making that momentum pass using the slip stream. Today restrictor plate racing creates a nose to tail 200 mph parking lot. These races are now total aerodynamic strategy.
Racing bicycles are designed to reduce drag and air resistance. They are powered by one human so preserving this limited amount of energy is vital. Feather light aerodynamic bikes, aero wheels, aero positions, helmets, shoes and clothing are developed and tested in wind tunnels.
The ultimate in cycle track racing is run on indoor tracks in still air, on smooth wooden tracks on 200 psi tires to limit friction. Everything is aerodynamically designed plus the choreography of nose to tail drafting is an art. They reach sustained speeds of over 50 mph. I have been in a line of road bikes on a rolling highway once I could not believe the speeds we could maintain.
The front rider pushes flat out then drops to the tail to rest. Each rider takes a turn at the point. The group can easily keep the speed of the front rider because they are sitting in the turbulent air behind him plus reducing his drag.
The same principle applies to tandem bikes, one hole in the air, the friction of two tires and two humans powering it forward. I rode with an older couple in their seventies they were on a tandem bike with panniers, they kicked my butt.
So how can I use these principles with my loaded touring bicycle with panniers with only one human powering it? Yes it is heavy, under powered and the worst possible example of aerodynamics. However I have discovered a few tricks.
First of all this is a "hold my beer and watch this" moment. I might have tried this in the past, but it is not practical. Trucks do create a great deal of turbulence that can be felt in a car and on a bicycle.
I have drafted trucks in my Geo Metro hatchback across America to save gas more than once. I stayed in their slip stream for hours or until they finally got tired of me following them. I actually got 50 miles per gallon with my three cylinder 51 hp engine by drafting.
If I have a head wind I try to find a busy highway with plenty of eighteen wheelers. They push a lot of wind but they are going too fast to actually draft but the turbulence they leave in their wake pulls you along and is easy to ride through. Look for buildings or walls that can act as a wind break. The secret is finding turbulent air whenever possible. It doesn't sound like much help but over a long day it adds up.
A day of headwinds is like riding up a mountain but you never reach the summit. Busy highways are hectic but you can find some relief. Drafting other loaded bikes can help a little but I think it is more like assembly line work you tend to push each other.
The reality of solo loaded bicycle touring is you will face headwind days and they usually suck big time. Make the best of them eventually you will get a tail wind day and you will feel like Superman.
