Are Aero Bicycle Frames Worth It?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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With an aero bike,

you’ll simply be able to go faster than you would with a non-aero bike

. The 150-Watt rider riding during a windy day now finishes 6.5 minutes faster on an aero bike (8.4 minutes with no drafting) and is 83.3 seconds per hour faster (93.6 seconds with no drafting).

Are aero bike worth it?

That might seem like a lot, but

for most riders, the overall aero benefits will outweigh the climbing benefits for the vast majority of riding situations

. Consider that the rider makes up the far larger percentage of the overall weight of the rider and bike combo.

Is Aero a good bike brand?


The unisex Merida Reacto 6000 is a great value aero road bike

with excellent handling and a stiff and fast frameset that shares its geometry with the Merida Reacto Team-E. The bike does put you in an aggressive position, which makes sense for a bike that is built for speed.

Are aero bikes uncomfortable?

You cause more drag than the bike and tyre rolling resistance will slow down narrow high pressure tyres on averagely poor road surfaces. Assuming the aero bike fits (reach, saddle to bar drop etc,.) the same as the non aero bike

it would be just as comfortable

.

How important is Aero in cycling?

With an aero bike,

you’ll simply be able to go faster than you would with a non-aero bike

. The 150-Watt rider riding during a windy day now finishes 6.5 minutes faster on an aero bike (8.4 minutes with no drafting) and is 83.3 seconds per hour faster (93.6 seconds with no drafting).

What are aero bikes used for?

Aero bike is generally used for

bike riding competitions, riding tours and personal bike riding sport

.

Is an aero bike faster?


With an aero bike, you’ll simply be able to go faster than you would with a non-aero bike

. The 150-Watt rider riding during a windy day now finishes 6.5 minutes faster on an aero bike (8.4 minutes with no drafting) and is 83.3 seconds per hour faster (93.6 seconds with no drafting).

At what speed does Aero matter more than weight?

Once you are doing more than 15km/h (9.3mph), the aerodynamic drag is the biggest resistance for the rider. At

35km/h (21.7mph)

it’s four times more potent than the effects of weight.

How far can you ride on an aero bike?

I’ve done

150-250km

rides on an aero bike, race bike, and a gravel bike (endurance geo), and was perfectly comfortable on all of them. Theoretically, you should be able to go faster on the aero bike, thereby spending less time on the bike, which should result in less discomfort, or at least for a shorter duration.

Which Aero is the best?

  • BMC Timemachine 01 Road Four – £6,999 / $7,499. …
  • Pinarello Dogma – F12 £10,000 / $13,500. …
  • Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra – Di2 £5,499 / $7,250. …
  • Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap – £11,050 / $12,499.99. …
  • Cervélo S5 – £10,199 / $11,500. …
  • Specialized S-Works Venge – £9,749 / $12,520.

What is the difference between an aero bike and a road bike?


Aero road bikes are narrower – forks, frames, seatpost, hidden (internal) cables – are all designed and built to slice through the wind more efficiently than a climbing bike

. Deep dish aero wheels will be your next consideration. Wheels make a big difference.

Does specialized make an aero bike?

We live and breathe aero, but this

Venge

is so much more. The frame is lighter than a Tarmac SL5 Disc, more aerodynamic than the Venge ViAS, built to handle on a razor’s edge with a Rider-First EngineeredTM design—it’s everything an aero bike should be, and damn it’s fast.

How can I make my aero bike more comfortable?

What’s a good weight for a road bike?

A typical road bike should not weigh more than

18 pounds

, pedals and cages included. Compared to other hunting bikes, these bikes are lighter and easier to ride on paved surfaces.

Is a Madone more comfortable than a Emonda?


Madone will probably be faster

. But if you do lots of climbing, longer group rides, or generally prefer some comfort over an aggressive geometry, the emonda is a great bike for that.

How much time do aero wheels save?

Using aero wheels has been found to reduce a cyclist’s CdA by

3-5%

, so if you generate 350W of power, using aero wheels could see your speed on the flat rise from 44.6kmh to 45.4kmh, an increase of 1.63%.

How much faster will aero wheels make me?

So there you have it, aero wheels can make you slightly faster while simultaneously making your wallet significantly lighter.

Two kilometres per hour

faster in this case. However, there is no need to buy them, it ultimately depends on what you want to get out of your riding.

How much time does aero helmet save?

Aero helmets typically save

30-60 seconds for every hour of riding

.

Is Emonda faster than domane?

Domane Emonda Speed Slower than Emonda Faster than Domane Stability More stable than Emonda Less stable than Domane

Are aero road bikes dead?


The aero bike is dead

. Well, according to Specialized it is. Earlier this week the company launched its latest road racing bike, the Tarmac SL7, which not only hits the UCI weight limit of 6.8kg but is so fast in the wind-tunnel thatSpecialized has decided to ditch its dedicated aero bike, the Venge, altogether.

Why are aero bikes heavier?

Endurance and lightweight bikes will often have long seat tubes to allow for some flex and provide additional comfort.

The extra material required for aerodynamic tubes adds to the weight of the bike

, as a consequence aero bikes are heavier than lightweight bikes even if they share the same geometry and specifications.

Is a lighter bicycle faster?

Even at the steepest grade he tested (7 percent), a one-pound difference between bikes only saves about 2.5 seconds—and

the lightest bike only reaches the top 7.5 seconds faster than the heaviest one

.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.