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Don't forget the Watt savings from an aero handlebar and having your GPS computer mounted out front on the same plane as your stem too. 😉
The problem with a lot of the clothing gains is they're wiped out on a miserable blowy wet day when you've got all your thermals and waterproofs on.
Plus you don't get pockets on skinsuits* so as a practical machine it makes it a bit limited.
*maybe some exist with them, but basically you need to think where you'll put keys, cards and cash if you're actually going anywhere - and you'll have to be sure you're not going to get any showers or stuff a waterroof inside the back or something. And obviously a lock waiting at the end of the ride is the way to go for the commute.
FWIW, I went from an annoyingly flappy club top and shorts to a skinsuit on the velodrome, and whether it was the accompanying extra fitness from being a few weeks into the season, the skinsuit, or just knowing I had less flappy clothes on so should be faster, I felt a lot more capable, able to get past the bunch much more easily and hang off the front a bit more (well, with some help from other riders anyway).
Also I really sit on the fence as to whether this is worthwhile. A low stem would be your first port of call for more speed, but can your back and neck take it? Will it just be more hassle than it's worth day in day out?
This is why I have a (non aero but still much faster than the commuter as the stem is low) road bike, for the dry days when I don't need lights and feel like accepting the position and going for it. It sits in the garage from about October to April/May.
Yeah I won't be donning a skin suit or extreme position anytime soon, just looking for practical gains. A fairly tight jacket and tights are however fine, so is getting on the hoods if you want to go fast or perhaps on mini tt bars.
Tempting.
60cm , its a gate mate , unless you are 190cm then crack on
193.5 cm 🙂 🙁
A low stem would be your first port of call for more speed,
No a well fitted position would be first port of call for more speed
The cycle paths in Berlin must be something else if you can regularly ride along at 40km/h for any distance on your daily commute.
On the Cambridge Guided Busway, which is probably the best cycle path...in the world, my morning commute speed is limited by all the other cyclists pootling about.
It's a different story at the weekend, or late at night with a monster tailwind, but even then it's not a race track.
But what do I know?
oldnpastit
On the Cambridge Guided Busway,
It’s a different story at the weekend, or late at night with a monster tailwind,
Fake News. Cambridge Guided Busway was designed with a constant headwind.... 🙂
The cycle paths in Berlin must be something else if you can regularly ride along at 40km/h for any distance on your daily commute.
Berlin isn't that densely populated, and it really depends where you live and when you ride, I don't commute or ride that often during rush hours. Then if you're fast enough you can also share the road. It's not like Copenhagen where the (very lovely) bike paths are nearly always busy and 40% of the population ride to work.
£1100 for a new BMC teammachine..