[bennyelv]

I don't share your optimism about the strength of the scientific method in pro-cycling :) It's not too long ago (admittedly in the pre-disc brake era) that climbers would have their bike built up to sub 6.8kg and then add weight to it to bring it up to the limit rather than use deeper wheels.

If you look at TT equipment all team members use the same helmet regardless of the fact that helmet performance varies massively from rider to rider.

The 2016 S-works Venge is 5w faster than both the SL7 and SL8, so on flat stages all specialized sponsored teams are riding it... aren't they?

Why is nobody wearing a TT Helmet and visor on a normal road stage?

[seadan83]

> Why is nobody wearing a TT Helmet and visor on a normal road stage?

(1) weight is not always worth it, notably when there are lots of climbs

(2) riding with others, need to be able to turn your head. Further, you can't get as super low when in a big group. It also doesn't help as much because the group dynamic is more important than crouching extra low and/or helmet drag

(3) out of the saddle sprints.

[bennyelv]

Definitely not every road stage, but on a flat stage if your aim was to break away and stay away you should absolutely do surely?

Nobody ever has…

[seadan83]

To break away requires you to put out 30% more power than the person behind you, and then also means you need to put out 30% more power than the rest of the field. That is a good recipe to go out hard, overcook, and then get passed up by the entire peloton.

The 30% - Drafting is good for a 30% power increase. When in the middle if a peloton, even more. The breakaway plan can make sense, but not by fooling around in a TT helmet in the middle of a peloton for a few hours first.

[tpm]

> Why is nobody wearing a TT Helmet and visor on a normal road stage?

Because it doesn't work as much alone as in combination with specific aero body position. But you can't be in that position in a normal road stage because the aero handlebar extensions are forbidden in mass start stages.

Also there are less aero benefits to be had when you ride in the peloton behind other riders.

[seadan83]

You don't need aero bars to have you arms forward and narrow. It's not particularly safe, but doable for a while.

The aero bar question (whether to have them or not) comes down to how long you will spend drafting and climbing. It's a more interesting decisions in Olympics and triathlons than most road bike racing (the latter it makes no sense because people are drafting as much as possible).

[tpm]

Arms forward and narrow, forearms on handlebar is a banned position of course :)

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/uci-publishes-imag...