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Old 01-29-2022, 02:31 PM   #966 (permalink)
Bicycle Bob
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: N. Saskatchewan, CA
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Appliance White - '93 Geo Metro 4-Dr. Auto
Last 3: 42.35 mpg (US)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard View Post
An air-cooled seat might be nice. Maybe 3D printed with a gyroid infill and a parasitic blower. The faster you pedal, the harder it blows.
That would sure help avoid arriving as a "wetback." My friend Steve had a helmet liner made from thin, soft tubing (NASA surplus) that he would circulate ice water through. I had a windbreaker with a blower connection on a pocket.
I also have sketches of velomobiles with fabric sides that can be furled or deployed on the go. When riding uphill or with the wind, maximum ventilation is needed. Sometimes, solar gain is a big problem, and one side should stay reflective. A big "greenhouse" can be a major liability.
Other possibilities include water misters in the air intakes. To allow time for evaporation, they should be very high pressure, and aimed into the stream. Or, the intake diffuser could be a few separators that can be kept wet.
Sometimes, it takes less energy to run the wheels than the fans needed. Winter is when things get easy. Closing intakes more than makes up for the drag of denser air. I ride in a t-shirt, and keep a ski jacket handy to wear when I exit.
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freebeard (01-29-2022)