Aerodynamics Consulting
Bicycle aerodynamics consulting:
turning drag into decisions
Aerodynamics easily becomes a pile of attractive curves nobody acts on. We start from the decision you need to make, then pick simulation, tunnel or field testing — and end with a trade-off you can execute.
Scope
From aero optimisation during product development, to position and equipment choices for a single rider.
CFD
Frame, wheelset, fork and full-bike combination studies for screening and trend judgement. Before "which is faster", answer "by how much, and is it worth changing".
Wind-tunnel design
Test matrix, operating points, sample size, controls. Tunnel time is billed by the hour — arriving with the questions prepared costs far less than improvising on site.
Position & equipment
Ranking marginal gains across position, helmet, clothing and wheelset. The largest gain usually comes from position, not from the most expensive part.
Data interpretation
Converting CdA watts into seconds on the course, and stripping out repeatability and measurement noise.
Race strategy
Pacing, group position, breakaway and time-trial equipment choices, planned against course profile and expected wind.
Product development
Writing aero targets into the product brief and trading them against structural and process constraints before changes get expensive.
Simulation, tunnel, field
each does one job
They are not substitutes; they are different points on the cost-versus-confidence curve. Use the wrong one and the money is spent without a usable answer.
Tier 1 · CFD screening
Cheap, fast, batchable. Right for narrowing dozens of options to three or four; wrong for a final standalone verdict.
Tier 2 · Wind tunnel
High confidence, high cost, limited sample. Right for validating key options — provided the controls are designed in advance.
Tier 3 · Field testing
Closest to reality, most variables. Right for confirming whether tunnel conclusions hold outdoors.
Output · The trade-off
Three datasets condensed into one executable sentence: change what, by how much, for how many seconds.
Who it is for
Bike and component brands that need a measurable aero target in the product brief.
Teams and clubs looking for the highest-return change within a limited budget.
Triathlon and time-trial riders for whom position and equipment are the result.
Race organisers needing course- and rules-level aero judgement.
Questions we get asked
No. Plenty of questions are answered with CFD plus field testing. The tunnel is for high-confidence validation of key options — we assess first whether it is worth the trip.
For relative comparison and trends, yes — given correct mesh, boundary conditions and validation. We do not promise absolute numbers in isolation; they are cross-checked against tunnel or field data.
Yes. Individual projects usually focus on position and equipment combinations: smaller scope, shorter cycle, no need for the full product-development process.
Split by stage: target definition, option screening, validation, conclusion. Each stage has a deliverable, and you can take just one.
Want the drag question answered properly?
Tell us the bike, the target scenario and the budget range. We will tell you what is worth testing and what is not.