Broctoon

Interesting, if only in an academic way. I'd never realize an advantage from something like this.

I'm curious how it really helps, even for someone who's already maximized his aero efficiency wherever possible... I guess I don't understand enough about aerodynamics.

The little humps on high-end carbon wheels are claimed to reshape the airflow just past the trailing edge of the rim to prevent a stall, which robs power on less advanced shapes.

But vortex generators? These disturb the smooth, laminar flow right next to the surface they're mounted on. You see them on race cars just forward of the spoiler, used to increase spoiler's downforce. They are also sometimes placed on an airplane's wing just forward of control surfaces, ailerons especially, to increase the control surface's authority. In each of these cases, they actually make the entire surface *less aerodynamically slick overall, but the tradeoff is considered worthwhile. (* Technically, what they do is add parasitic drag, a bad thing for airplanes, but again, worth the compromise sometimes.)

How could vortex generators on your body save power? I thought we usually try for maximum laminar flow and minimal turbulence.