Effect of arm position on the aerodynamic drag of an ITT position
Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)
On a flat course at speeds typical of an individual time trial, aerodynamic drag accounts for up to 90% of a cyclist’s resistance with 60‐80% of coming from the cyclist’s body. Significantly, the rider power, 𝑃, required to overcome the drag force, 𝐹d, increased as a function of velocity cubed.
Hence the goal in cycling aerodynamics is to minimize CdA through optimization of athlete position and/or equipment (see, for example, Blocken et al.). Since it is the hand and arms that are the first part of the cyclist to meet the oncoming air, this paper will examine the effect of subtle changes to arm position on CdA and projected time for an ITT.
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