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Cycling speeds in crosswinds

C. Clanet, Hector Abel, E. Brunet, Francesco Grasso, C. Robert, and C. Cohen
Phys. Rev. Fluids 6, 124601 – Published 1 December 2021

Abstract

Using a large-scale wind tunnel equipped with an aerodynamic balance mounted on a rotating turntable, we first study the aerodynamic force exerted on a cyclist in time trial position from head to tailwind limits. A theoretical model for the aerodynamic force is developed to show the origin of the different experimental features. The theoretical analysis is then extended to the power dissipated in crosswinds and it is shown that the expression commonly used in the literature only holds in the pure head and tailwind limits but must be corrected in the general case of a crosswind. A new analytical expression for the total aerodynamic power is derived and used to determine the cycling speed in arbitrary crosswind conditions.

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  • Received 28 March 2021
  • Accepted 4 November 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.6.124601

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

C. Clanet1,*, Hector Abel1, E. Brunet2, Francesco Grasso3, C. Robert4, and C. Cohen1

  • 1LadHyX, UMR7646 du CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France
  • 2FFC, 1 rue Laurent Fignon, 78180 Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France
  • 3DynFluid Laboratory, Cnam-Arts et Métiers, Paris 3, France
  • 4Institut Aérotechnique (IAT-CNAM), 15, rue Marat, 78210 Saint-Cyr-l'École, France

  • *clanet@ladhyx.polytechnique.fr

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Issue

Vol. 6, Iss. 12 — December 2021

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