Aerodynamic advantage has become a key cycling battleground and not a week goes by without a new bike or wheelset being announced that’s X watts faster. But alongside aero equipment development, there’s a parallel arms race in aero optimisation of riders' clothing.
Since the rider, not the bike, represents around 80% of the total frontal area, drag reduction in clothing design is arguably more significant. At the same time, it’s harder to quantify and optimise. While the bike and wheels are rigid structures, riders move around on the bike, and each rider moves around and sits differently, so the fastest clothing for one rider could be the slowest for another; it's highly personal.
