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Fairing Reduces Windchill

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Fairing Reduces Windchill

Old 11-25-21, 05:32 PM
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hotbike
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Fairing Reduces Windchill









Latest photos. The fairing and Tailbox are made of Coroplast (corrugated polypropylene plastic). The handlebars are BMX because I can’t assume a crouch position, it’s my neck vertebrae. So therefore I can’t mass produce these fairings, they won’t fit any other bike. It is custom fit to install on this bike.
For windchill reduction, I have added extensions on the handlebar nacelles. They each have one stainless steel machine screw, and the edges sealed with blue masking tape . No need to add lots of screws, in fact I think it’s better if they rip loose in a collision, and flop around hanging by the one screw. Masking tape is cheap.
Haven’t installed the studded tires yet, I’m going to wait and see what the weather does. I have installed Tannus Armour on both wheels.
The cargo space is very small on this bike, I have other cargo bikes, based on the same parameters and construction techniques. I consider this my touring bike.
The LED Lights are also a key feature of my creations. I’ve recently upgraded to motorcycle headlights and LiFePO4 batteries. I had been using lead/acid from 1986 until three weeks ago!

I’ve decided I’m not going to start a business making fairings. It was a student project for engineering school. My fairings suit my riding habits and local conditions. You certainly would not need windchill protection in the equatorial regions of the planet. It would be suicidal to ride without good LED lighting in New York City.
Yes, I keep the design very boxy. Molded curved plastic would require expensive molds. So flat plastic board is used. For the record, the angle of the front surfaces is less than 54° , and the trailing angle of the tailbox is 11°, 5° or 6° on each side. Really the edges should be curved. Feel free to make your own, it’s a DIY project. I can’t sue anyone for patent infringement.
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Old 11-25-21, 05:48 PM
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I used a Zzipper fairing for years in Michigan and Seattle. In cold weather, that simple fairing = a full layer of clothes. Also a tooth on a fix gear cog (though I didn't change because the hills stayed the same).
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Old 11-25-21, 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
I used a Zzipper fairing for years in Michigan and Seattle. In cold weather, that simple fairing = a full layer of clothes. Also a tooth on a fix gear cog (though I didn't change because the hills stayed the same).
Yes, that’s my experience. The fairing helps riding in a higher gear. Amazingly the Tailbox added a 6MPH increase in speed. But it’s the front fairing that reduces windchill. Would you buy another Zzipper or did you move south?
I wanted something with cargo space, electrical dashboard, solid colors, LED lighting, solar panels,and angular lines, that’s why I built my own. Also I have mounting points for a rain canopy.
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Old 11-25-21, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by hotbike
Yes, that’s my experience. The fairing helps riding in a higher gear. Amazingly the Tailbox added a 6MPH increase in speed. But it’s the front fairing that reduces windchill. Would you buy another Zzipper or did you move south?
I wanted something with cargo space, electrical dashboard, solid colors, LED lighting, solar panels,and angular lines, that’s why I built my own. Also I have mounting points for a rain canopy.
I no longer commute, plus I've tapered off winter riding because crashes have bigger consequences than they used to. Also I've never really liked the brake hood attachment and loss of hand position. As someone who has studied a lot of aerodynamics, I love the Zzippers. That simple shape works very well.

Last edited by 79pmooney; 11-25-21 at 06:25 PM. Reason: typos
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Old 11-25-21, 09:10 PM
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Nice work. My only concern would be with the use of masking tape. If it gets wet the whole thing might fall apart.

Dan
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Old 11-25-21, 09:13 PM
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on our tandem I am my wife's fairing.
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Old 11-25-21, 09:51 PM
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All I know is that I am a winter rider in Winnipeg and I want to leave here.
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Old 12-02-21, 05:59 PM
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Very resourceful. If vendors do not offer what you need, build it yourself.
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Old 12-02-21, 06:08 PM
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Originally Posted by _ForceD_
Nice work. My only concern would be with the use of masking tape. If it gets wet the whole thing might fall apart.

Dan

The inner nacelles are rugged, the outer nacelles are pinned by a 10-32 machine screw with a stainless wing nut, you can see in this picture.

The winter extensions are pinned by a 10-32 machine screw, only the edges are sealed with blue masking tape.


I like it like this, in the event of a sideswipe the masking tape will rip loose, but the pin will hold it together. It’s not perfect, but it’s also a DIY project that anyone can modify if they think they can do it better.
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Old 12-02-21, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by surveyor6
Very resourceful. If vendors do not offer what you need, build it yourself.
I struggled for almost twenty years to find investors to back fiberglass and eventually injection molded plastic fairings. But that plan had serious drawbacks; the molded fairing would fit only one make and model of bike, and manufacturers tend to change their model lineup every two to six years. I would have been stuck with expensive tooling to make aftermarket fairings for bikes that are out of production.
So this is why I’m so happy with Coroplast ™️ corrugated polypropylene!
Fiberglass fairings would cost fifty times more to make, not even counting the cost of the molds!
Fortunately , the discussion only involved what I would do with other peoples money, if they had been willing to lend it...
I knew Coroplast ™️ existed, but I didn’t know what it was called.
With the Internet, information is available that people would otherwise be unaware of (or tight lipped about).
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Old 12-02-21, 06:22 PM
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Corrugated polypropylene marked up before folding, pannier/Tailbox for rear rack

Finished polypropylene pannier/Tailbox from plans above.

Alternate 16” cube version of Pannier/Tailbox


Now, having gotten past the difficult part, the rest is easy. The fairing for the rear of the bike fits a standard rear touring rack, so I don’t have to make my own hardware, or redesign the fairing for every make, model, colors, and handlebars style of every bike on the market.



Here is the e-bike with the Fairing/Pannier system parked on a marble floor

It turns out that equipping the bike with LED lights costs more than equipping it with plastic.
Well , I’ve got one bad ass ride. See you around.

Last edited by hotbike; 12-02-21 at 06:27 PM.
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