I train with our retail manager, Jerry Humphreys.  At about 185lbs, I can’t stay with him on any hill of length with grade over 5%.  Conversely, with him at 133lbs, he struggles to put out the same power as me on the flats or downhill sections.

Typically, he is about 8 beats per minute higher than me when all things are equal:  equal freshness, both on road bikes, and riding side by side with equal wind.  When he drafts me, he typically is 25 to 30 beats per minute less than me in my draft.

This last week, I had to go out on the time trial bike while he rode his road bike.  Going east on Dixileta (1% uphill grade into a headwind), with me in the aero position (yet with standard training aluminum clincher wheels) and Jerry in my draft, we rode 2 miles and at the end of the effort, his heart rate was not 25 to 30 less, but 1 beat per minute more than me!  From there, we went down the infamous “Col d’ Pima’let” and I hit 39.1mph on the 1% downhill, cross wind, section, all the while keeping my heart rate in the mid-150’s!  Jerry informed me that he couldn’t stop pedaling and his heart rate averaged about 142 beats per minute for the approximately 5 mile section.

Now what does all this mean in the real world??

While I was on a time trial bike in full aero tuck and Jerry was on a traditional road bike, it confirms that the lead rider goes faster at LESS watts and heart rate, and the drafting rider has to use MORE watts and heart rate!  Just like how you hear that the Tour de France is won by the rider who puts out the least amount of work, this applies if you are riding an aero road bike.

Most of you already know that if you are NOT doing your triathlon or duathlon on an aero bike, with aero handlebars, and aero wheels, you are not on the same playing field as your competition, but most of you have not yet embraced the advantages of aerodynamic road bikes.

The world championships was recently won by Mark Cavendish, who rode an aero road bike, a ¾ sleeve skinsuit, aero shoe covers, and an aero helmet cover for the 160+ mile road race!  When a race of multiple hours is won by sometimes only inches, all things being equal, it is usually going to be the one that is the freshest.  I’m pretty sure that XX watts saved per hour times X hours = BIG ADVANTAGE!

Here at FASTER, we carry Cervelo “S” series aero road bikes, Scott “Foil” aero road bikes, and Blue “AC1” series aero road bikes.  Our manufacturers make claims of anywhere from 20 to 30 watts saved at 25 to 30 mph.  If you train with power, you know how important 25 to 30 watts is!

FASTER has built many “ultimate” bikes for customers and we decided to build the ultimate aero road bike that represents the very best in performance and aerodynamics. Here are the specifications that we came up with.

• Cervelo S5 Frameset

• Shimano Dura Ace Di2 Electronic group (with custom hidden battery setup in the seat post by our service manager, Mark Bunz), as well as very clean and aerodynamic cable routing

• Simkins aero “Egg Brakes” – which are the most aerodynamic road calipers (in our opinion)

• Zipp Vuka Sprint aerodynamic handlebar

• Zipp Service Course stem with “dimpling” for aerodynamics

• Rotor Aero Chainrings

• Speedplay pedals w/ DMT 4-bolt Speedplay drilled shoes (most aerodynamic according to Speedplay)

• Reynolds 81mm deep carbon clinchers for training

• ENVE 60mm front / 70mm rear w/ Smart technology rim profiles

Look out for our ultimate aero road bike picture gallery next week or come check it out, along with all the other items and services that FASTER specifically provides or carries to help you get faster including:  the world’s first low speed wind tunnel designed specifically for needs of cycling manufacturers and both cyclists and triathletes.

We wish you all the best in 2012, and hope you meet all your goals related to bike!

Sincerely,

James