Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder
Done that way, it'd add drag.
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Nope.
NASA et al have already done this with fabric, self-inflating. Although not a perfect shape, it is pretty good and gets most of the aero benefit at very little cost or complexity. Makes the draggy squared off shape of a truck trailer into a nice rounded shape, for better aero.
Using Dacron fabric (as with sails and ultralight aircraft wing skins), you can use an iron to heat shrink the material to adjust the shape. Very light, and cheap to do. PVC pipe would work to make a light, simple, and cheap frame, if needed.
It would make a nice protective envelope for bicycles carried on a rack at the back of the car or van, if the front wheels of the bicycles were removed to make the package smaller.