oldlugs

It looks to me that one of those fairings, if attached to the handlebars could be a real problem in a hard crosswind or any strong wind gust that got behind it on an angle. Years ago when I was kid, delivering news papers I remember how hard it was to keep a bike balanced with just a basket on the front when it caught a crosswind, I can't imagine something that creates a pocket like that. It may help on calm days at higher speeds, and no doubt it would keep the wind off your chest and hands in the cold but I'm not sure it would be beneficial at all times, it would likely be a hindrance more often than not.

79pmooney

Trust me. It not nearly the issue you might think (unless getting that magic-carpet-ride I posted about last page every fifth blue moon or so is a problem for you). I used the Zzipper fairing all winter San Francisco Bay, Seattle and Ann Arbor for more than half my commuting regardless of weather. All those cities are known for real wind in winter, Pacific Ocean and the Midwest and Great Lakes.

Ben

Bikerider007

I think its cool looking. Most of us have several bikes and could be a neat way to make one different. If I came across one on CL at a decent price I would pick up.


I wonder if it helps in a tail wind. Like a parachute JK

79pmooney

Not much. You need that wind to be off to the side a little. Then you are talking sailing - and fast!

Ben

oldlugs

Sailing would be the word around here lately, in the past 10 or so years the wind has been getting pretty intense. I don't think a week goes by with out seeing 30mph or higher wind gusts. Years ago we only got wind around March and the occasional nor'easter but lately we see major wind almost constantly. Trees that stood tall for decades have toppled, roofing gets blown off, and boating in general has become a challenge at best.
For years I rode a motorcycle with a full fairing, the last time out with that bike I had trouble keeping in my lane at even lower speeds. The larger the rider, the more the wind affects you too, at over 6' and over 300lbs, I'm a big wind target.
My one motorcycle came with a bar mounted windshield, although not super aerodynamic, it was attached to the handle bars and it would catch not only wind but was affected by passing trucks and vans. Anything that produced a large draft would adversely affect the way the bike handled. After removing it, its a completely different bike, barely affected by such forces. Around here you are pretty much forced to ride outside the white line on most roads, on a 3 to 6 inch wide strip of asphalt usually bordered by a 4" dropoff into either rip rap or soft sand. Anything that could affect the ability to track a perfectly straight course like that would be dangerous around here. Now if your was riding on open road, with no obstacles or trucks flying by at 55 mph 12" to your left it might be a different situation.

Salamandrine 

Some of the original Moulton prototype models had fairings. This was circa 1960 or so - I have the book somewhere. I don't know if any made it into a rideable prototype.

Anyhow I always thought a little mini fairing just bike enough to keep the wind off your chest and hands would be a cool thing to have on a city/urban/commuter bike. This was inspired by freezing my hands off on more than one cold morning. I'd like something smaller than a zipper, with little extensions over the bar ends, kind of like a motorcycle fairing but smaller. I was going to make one at some point. The plan was to have it serve a dual purpose as a hard shell handlebar bag/windbreak. However, I moved to LA and commuting by bike here is not practical or safe. Also, it's not that cold...

wphamilton

Something like this? It actually does help aerodynamically.

I also build a prototype above the bars which might block some wind from your chest, but everyone's preference is to have it lower down.

Salamandrine 

Hey that's really cool. Looks practical too. Really there's no reason a handlebar bag shouldn't double as at least a quasi fairing. Why isn't there a future bike forum?

My idea was a bit different. Have sketches somewhere. It would be 3d and molded from ABS or maybe fiberglass, and have hand extensions. Was going to put it on north road type bars and an IGH commuter bike. Used to commute from the top of a hill in SF and would freeze every morning much of the year.

rossiny

Very interesting..considering how much air resistance slows u down it is surprising a fairing of some sort has not been developed into bike designs a long time ago.. Love the idea of having the fairing double as a bike bag..Another good point here made is about your body needing the cooling of air to keep from over overheating..so how would that be accomplished??

wphamilton

I was also thinking along the same lines, with somehow covering the hands also. That's a fiberglass shell btw, I've had several revisions since then and some look pretty good. I had the idea of making one with carbon fiber, but I'm honestly not that good with fiberglass and could make some pretty expensive mistakes so I've put that off.

With drop bar hoods, and those Claris cables I have, working up a good design extending over the hands was problematic for me, and it would about double the surface area on the bike and bulk carrying it around so I gave up on that. With your idea with northroad bars or flat bars, I could see that working.

jyl

I have been thinking - suppose one mounts a fairing to the frame rather than the handlebars. That would reduce any crosswind effects, right?

jyl

Ride Your Bike Faster or With Less Effort Using a Partial Fairing

Tennisfiend

Just browsing the forum for ideas for a new fairing and found this note - I do have a breeze cheater fairing which I imported in the early 1990's, and still use on my mountain bike and first generation avanti Electra 12v front wheel motor. Have also used it on my computer road bike successfully! It is a great but of kit but too large and heavy on my bike when I put it on the bus for part of my commute!

Road Fan

Yes, of course. I almost bought a Vetter for a Suzuki, but I liked the cafe racer look too much.

I had a windshield/bar fairing on the front of my Vespa 150 scooter, back around 1975. It helped with the wind and cold at city speeds, reduced speed to about 50 mph without a tailwind, and was a fantastic sail on the interstate with a tailwind. Fork was stable, so I thought that was a pretty decent design, considering.

Road Fan

There would still be sideforce on the bike, but it would not be trying to twist the bars/fork. You might need to countersteer into the wind.

Road Fan

WP, that is very impressive! I have a friend here in Michigan who has been posting over the years about aero touring luggage, but I don't know if he's taken it past dreaming.

Dylansbob 

I used to commute with an old LaFuma handlebar bag. It totally created a more aerodynamic bike. I had a couple of descents that were always faster with the bag versus without.

wphamilton

This one was probably the lightest and most aero of the half dozen or so I've built. Someone filmed this on one of my commutes and I found it on youtube.

rossiny

looks like a well tailored suit

rossiny

very good idea. I saw a recumbent I forget the brand and all the bags being behind you looked very aero

squirtdad

Search for posts by @hotwheels for some fairings.......

Hudson308 

This guy is a regular on the trails in the north and west suburbs of Minneapolis, especially in the spring and fall.

1st Deadman

I raced a Gravity Power Vehicle
( bicycle with no chain ) Not one non fairing bike
beat the worst fairing bike period !

79pmooney

Those fairings are roughly the same advantage as drafting someone. I take it you've never ridden one. I've owned two and rode perhaps several thousand miles with them. Upwind, they are a real advantage. 1-2 teeth on a fix gear. And with a strong wind 135 degrees from on the nose, the fairing acts as a sail and is ridiculously fast! (It acts like a sail especially if you lean the bike into the wind.)

They have other advantages too. You can dress a full layer of clothing less (and you will pay if you don't). At speed, you can look over the top of the fairing in the rain and keep you glasses dry. (I rode down Juaquim Miller into Oakland in a winter rain and arrived 1000' lower with dry glasses.)

The only real drawback of those Zzipper fairings is that they interfere with the brake hoods, limiting hand positions. When it comes to aero, they work very well.

Edit: Old thread and I've already been here twice. My oops!

Ben