Flappy jersey: just how much do they effect performance?
07-13-15, 11:55 PM
#1
Flappy jersey: just how much do they effect performance?
So I've got a shop kit that I wear routinely that's very tight and form-fitting in the stomach, but because it's cut for a individual with a muscular chest, back, and shoulders (which is not me) it has some material that flaps in the wind at the chest and particularly at the tops of my shoulders (not so much that you can actually hear it flap, just feel it). I have no way to really scientifically compare it to another jersey, but it got me curious just how much I might be giving up by wearing it.
Of course, everyone knows that an oversized jersey that's big everywhere like a trash bag does nothing but harm performance, but what about a jersey with some flap only at the widest part of the body? How might it effect a TT and everyday riding outside of a draft? I guess my main mission is to determine if I should save the flappy jerseys for recovery rides, and find more form-fitting wares for when I want to TT, sit up front on a group ride, or toy with Strava. Or if it just really doesn't matter, as long as it's close to form-fitting.
Of course, everyone knows that an oversized jersey that's big everywhere like a trash bag does nothing but harm performance, but what about a jersey with some flap only at the widest part of the body? How might it effect a TT and everyday riding outside of a draft? I guess my main mission is to determine if I should save the flappy jerseys for recovery rides, and find more form-fitting wares for when I want to TT, sit up front on a group ride, or toy with Strava. Or if it just really doesn't matter, as long as it's close to form-fitting.
07-14-15, 01:29 AM
#4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmNGQLi36xc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p8SdRRe1fo
also, get a skinsuit for racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p8SdRRe1fo
also, get a skinsuit for racing
07-14-15, 05:58 AM
#6
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07-14-15, 06:14 AM
#8
For a time trial? It probably will affect your time a bit. If you are serious about time trialing you probably want an aerosuit. For sitting up in front of a group ride? Why would you even care? As for Strava, aren't most of the segments like ten meters long? Unless you are 0.0002 seconds behind the leader and you really want to beat him, then it won't be an issue.
07-14-15, 06:33 AM
#10
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Seriously?
About the same effect on performance as untrimmed nose or ear hair.
Assuming ofc that you have already shaved off your eyebrows as mandated by the cult leader
About the same effect on performance as untrimmed nose or ear hair.
Assuming ofc that you have already shaved off your eyebrows as mandated by the cult leader
Last edited by bakes1; 07-14-15 at 06:36 AM. Reason: Typo
07-14-15, 06:49 AM
#12
About twice as much as you can feel, maybe? As long as you can't feel or hear a difference, it probably isn't making a difference. But imagine the energy being used to flap the fabric, cause a buzzing noise, tug on your chest as the fabric billows behind you or whatever. How much energy would you have to expend to make it do that if you weren't moving along on your bike? All that energy is going the opposite way you want it to go.
07-14-15, 06:53 AM
#13
Señor Blues
For a time trial? It probably will affect your time a bit. If you are serious about time trialing you probably want an aerosuit. For sitting up in front of a group ride? Why would you even care? As for Strava, aren't most of the segments like ten meters long? Unless you are 0.0002 seconds behind the leader and you really want to beat him, then it won't be an issue.
07-14-15, 08:44 AM
#16
Perceptual Dullard
07-14-15, 08:53 AM
#17
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Lol, I was thinking the same thing.
OP, I'm sorry you're getting all these sarcastic responses.
Of course it makes a difference or competitive TTists or trackies would wear whatever. The flapping has a cost. Maybe 1 second over a 40k TT, or something of that order of magnitude. Does a second matter? Probably not for most of the riding your doing.
But say you're riding a TT and you make enough equipment improvements to gain 10 seconds. That's enough to be the difference between first and second in many instances. So it certainly *does* matter in some circumstances, you just need to understand the circumstances.
They way you would find out how much effect it would have would be to do aero testing. When I was meeting with my fitter recently to talk TT bikes, I was wearing a normal but non-flappy jersey. No flapping but not skin tight. His comment was, "see those couple of wrinkles in your jersey? That has got to go."
OP, I'm sorry you're getting all these sarcastic responses.
Of course it makes a difference or competitive TTists or trackies would wear whatever. The flapping has a cost. Maybe 1 second over a 40k TT, or something of that order of magnitude. Does a second matter? Probably not for most of the riding your doing.
But say you're riding a TT and you make enough equipment improvements to gain 10 seconds. That's enough to be the difference between first and second in many instances. So it certainly *does* matter in some circumstances, you just need to understand the circumstances.
They way you would find out how much effect it would have would be to do aero testing. When I was meeting with my fitter recently to talk TT bikes, I was wearing a normal but non-flappy jersey. No flapping but not skin tight. His comment was, "see those couple of wrinkles in your jersey? That has got to go."
07-14-15, 09:05 AM
#18
Perceptual Dullard
Depends on your starting point but actually I'd say you're off by more than an order of magnitude. I'd say the ballpark is 1 sec/km for a flat TT. Whether anyone considers that significant or insignificant depends, of course, on the individual. If you race, 40 seconds over a 40km TT is huge. If you don't, it's not.
07-14-15, 09:17 AM
#19
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Depends on your starting point but actually I'd say you're off by more than an order of magnitude. I'd say the ballpark is 1 sec/km for a flat TT. Whether anyone considers that significant or insignificant depends, of course, on the individual. If you race, 40 seconds over a 40km TT is huge. If you don't, it's not.
Nice as usual to get a real response to a post in the 41. Thanks.
40 seconds is indeed huge
07-14-15, 09:28 AM
#20
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What about the performance loss of unzipping your jersey while riding? I notice towards the end of a few Tour stages some of the guys have unzipped their jersey. Seems that would go against the aero benefits those guys are always looking for...
07-14-15, 09:52 AM
#21
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The Tour riders often unzip their jerseys on steep mountain climbs or at the end of a stage where time doesn't matter like being part of the peloton. But you won't see an unzipped jersey when time matters.
07-14-15, 09:57 AM
#22
Senior Member
Originally Posted by spectastic;17977602[URL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p8SdRRe1fo
Slightly bigger gain than aero wheels, a little less than aero bike (Venge).
So is "who cares" appropriate if you also say "who cares" about aero wheels and aero bikes?
07-14-15, 10:00 AM
#23
Senior Member
There is an issue with flappy jerseys that doesn't have anything to do with performance directly. Sometimes a flappy jersey will cause high readings on some heart rate monitors. Evidently the technical material will cause some static electricity when flapping around and this interferes with the heart rate monitor chest strap. I've seen my heart rate reading over 250 bpm when it's more like 125 bpm. It usually goes away when you've worked up a sweat under the strap and jersey. I've heard it called "Flappy Jersey Syndrome".
07-14-15, 10:15 AM
#24
So I've got a shop kit that I wear routinely that's very tight and form-fitting in the stomach, but because it's cut for a individual with a muscular chest, back, and shoulders (which is not me) it has some material that flaps in the wind at the chest and particularly at the tops of my shoulders (not so much that you can actually hear it flap, just feel it). I have no way to really scientifically compare it to another jersey, but it got me curious just how much I might be giving up by wearing it.
Of course, everyone knows that an oversized jersey that's big everywhere like a trash bag does nothing but harm performance, but what about a jersey with some flap only at the widest part of the body? How might it effect a TT and everyday riding outside of a draft? I guess my main mission is to determine if I should save the flappy jerseys for recovery rides, and find more form-fitting wares for when I want to TT, sit up front on a group ride, or toy with Strava. Or if it just really doesn't matter, as long as it's close to form-fitting.
Of course, everyone knows that an oversized jersey that's big everywhere like a trash bag does nothing but harm performance, but what about a jersey with some flap only at the widest part of the body? How might it effect a TT and everyday riding outside of a draft? I guess my main mission is to determine if I should save the flappy jerseys for recovery rides, and find more form-fitting wares for when I want to TT, sit up front on a group ride, or toy with Strava. Or if it just really doesn't matter, as long as it's close to form-fitting.
Maybe a flappy, sleeveless jersey would make you faster? lol
