It's still Fender Season, folks!

[Rolf]

Just a friendly suggestion to leave the fenders on for the season...

[Jen, Carly: I know the winter tandem's in the shop.]

Hope the rest of the ride was incident-free this morning. It was snowing fairly heavily down Blenkinsop after I left the group.

[BearPope Recruit]

Yes, SINCERE APOLOGIES for having the *summer* bike out today! I know we got Dolly too.

Maybe think of it as early training for 'cross 2010?!?!

Snow on Lochside & at Matticks which caused us to retreat the way we came & back along the water to Mirage for coffee (thanks Norm!).

[Rolf]

Hey Jen, no worries, I know you guys didn't have a choice today. But you weren't alone. I'm not sure if folks think the 0.322% reduction in one's drag coefficient makes it worthwhile to remove 'em on dry days, or if it's a symptom of having a bunch of bikes and not enough time to swap fenders among them.

But it's no biggy; despite the bemused expression above, I had a lot of fun scaring the kids with my dirt-speckledness.

[Lister Farrar]

I'm not sure if folks think the 0.322% reduction in one's drag coefficient makes it worthwhile to remove 'em on dry days, or if it's a symptom of having a bunch of bikes and not enough time to swap fenders among them.

If anyone needs a little psychological encouragement, wind tunnel testing suggests fenders may actually improve aerodynamics:

From an earlier post http://tripleshotcyling.freeforums.org/ ... .html#1526:

Saw an article in Bicycle Quarterly, (vol 6 # 1 fall 07), an alternative to the consumer magazines, at Fairfield Bicycle Shop. The article reported on wind tunnel testing of bikes with riders, with fenders, bags, different positions and clothes.

Their conclusion: "We found that more than anything else, frontal area, which is determined almost entirely by rider position and clothing, affects a bicycles aerodynamics."

Tidbits:
Going from hoods to drops saves 7% drag.
Full tuck reduces drag 38% (!)
Lowering stem 2 cm saves 5%
Tight fitting jacket (vs snug jersey) adds 4% (And you thought I took my jacket off 'cause I was hot! )
Loose jacket adds 12%
Fenders and mud flap (except for Eric's ? ) may actually reduce drag, but results not statistically significant.