Dept of Mathematical Sciences

As a rule of thumb, the dominant resistive force on a cyclist riding along a flat road at a speed above 10mph is aerodynamic drag; at higher speeds, this drag becomes even more influential because of its non-linear dependence on speed. Reducing drag, therefore, is of critical importance in bicycle racing, where winning margins are frequently less than a tyre's width (over a 200+km race!). I shall discuss a mathematical model of aerodynamic drag in cycling, present mathematical reasoning behind some of the decisions made by racing cyclists when attempting to minimise it, and touch upon some of the many methods of aerodynamic drag assessment.