ROAD BIKE AERODYNAMICS AND POWER ANALYSIS
Copyright © 1999-2009 John Cipolla/AeroRocket. All rights reserved
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The new Road Bike Aerodynamic and Power Analysis determines road bike ground velocity, time to travel 40 km and several road bike power components knowing the road bike's drag coefficient (Cd), air density, road grade, total weight, frontal area and power generated by the rider in watts for any of four standard rider-power categories. New in this version of the analysis is a procedure to determine air density as a function of altitude and air temperature which varies linearly with altitude from sea level. The new procedure to determine atmospheric density is valid to 36,000 feet well within the altitude requirement for bike riders and model rockets. 1) RoadBikeAero.pdf (129 KB Download - No Password Required): This is a free download of the Road Bike Aerodynamic and Power Analysis in pdf format for those not having MathCAD. 2) RoadBikeAero.mcd (47 KB Download - No Password Required): This is a free download of the Road Bike Aerodynamic and Power Analysis in MathCAD 8 format. MathCAD is required. Simply click the files above to download, no password is required. The numerical methods and fluid dynamic equations presented in this analysis are identical to those required for the aerodynamic analysis of model rocket and high power rockets and are further described in S.F. Hoerner's book, Fluid Dynamic Drag. If this download is useful or interesting please send AeroRocket an email and explain how it has helped so this type of information can continue to be provided. Thank you. John Cipolla, Chief Aerodynamicist AeroRocket.com

REFERENCES
Fluid Dynamic Drag by S.F. Hoerner
See page 3-14, for the drag areas (D/q) of an average person
and Chapter III for the drag of basic shapes like cylinders, plates and airfoils
Fluid Mechanics by Frank M. White
See the section on Hydrostatic Pressure in Gases