DIY: Carbon Cockpit for Speedmax

paschmann

My next foray into Carbon fiber design, tooling and development came with this project. Overall, a reasonable success. Still not perfect, and probably will not be used due to the catastrophic risk associated with riding a bike at 50mph and these breaking, but in theory and practice, a great learning opportunity.

Inspiration

Part 1: Prototyping

Part 2: Design

Fusion 360 for the design work.

Part 3: Tooling/Plug

This consisted of 4 3D printed cubes glued together and then finished with lots of sanding, and an epoxy coat.

Part 4: Version 1

The first version didnt go according to plan, I ran out of Carbon fiber material, and also recognized some layup issues. I decided to finish it anyway, but it was a dud 🙁 read more

Notio – Aero meter #CDA

paschmann

This did not end up lasting too long. Some interesting insights from the device, but accuracy especially with something like CDA is very nuanced.

Key take away, continue to use Best Bike Split (software derived CDA versus this physical device).

This was one of my test from Huntersville Business Park:

Test Conditions

  • Weather: Hot
  • Bike Setup: Fully loaded with 2 water bottles, no tools
  • Note: Rear radar moved during testing
  • Coefficient of Rolling Resistance (Crr): 0.004
  • Rider Weight: 190.08 lbs
  • Tire Circumference: 2136 mm
  • Calibration Factor: 1.39

Key Findings

  • Visor position: Down position saved ~0.007 CDA (Notio) / ~0.002 CDA (BBS)
  • Calf sleeves: Minimal impact – ~0.001 CDA (Notio) / ~0.009 CDA (BBS)
  • Direction matters: Counter-clockwise on this HBP loop showed higher drag in both systems
  • System difference: Best Bike Split consistently reads 0.044-0.092 higher than Notio
  • Best configuration: No sleeves + visor down = 0.222 CDA (Notio) / 0.2843 CDA (BBS)
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    Travel: Bay Area & Lake Tahoe

    paschmann

    A short weekend away with Kitty in the Bay Area after spending the week there for work.

    A short visit on the way to the airport to visit Apple and my second time going to the computer history museum. That place really gives me nostalgic vibes from my childhood.

    First stop was Half Moon Bay and a new spot I had not been to before, Martens Bay. We spent the night at the Harbor View Inn which was mediocre (loud).

    Day two we drove North through Pacifica, across the Golden Gate Bridge and to Muir Woods National Monument area. It was the first time for me visiting Muir and Stinson Beach. Next we visited the giant redwoods of the Muir Woods National Monument. read more