Originally Posted by
carleton
I've read a lot on the internet about bike frames, but I've yet to come across any solid answer as to why round seatposts are being ditched for aero ones.
I recall reading somewhere (but it was literally years ago and the science may have changed....or not) that the teardrop seatpost does more of a cleanup job than a straight out aero job. So the teardrop helps to clean up the turbid air, thus reducing the drag. You saw this concept taken one step further with the Aussies at Rio with the 'ribbed' seatpost.
Originally Posted by
topflightpro
I talked with a guy about it once too. He had been chatting with a founder of another bike brand about starting a bike company. Anyway, based on the discussion, it became pretty clear that the sums don't really add up. The design and manufacture costs do, but it's the marketing costs that will kill you. And if you don't spend that money to advertise and promote your bike and brand, it's not going to sell.
Yeah, I was definitely looking at it as a hobby style thing rather than a full on business opportunity. For love not money. The opportunity I was presented with would have only required sales of about 10 bikes to cover setup costs, and then everything from there on was the cream. I just didn't have the money at the time, and now I really don't have the time either. But it would have been an interesting thing to do