Aerodynamics of Racing Bicycle Helmets- An Experimental Study

The aerodynamic efficiency is becoming an important factor in bicycle helmet design and marketing. Currently most manufacturers primarily focus on safety features in helmet rather than aerodynamic efficiency. The characteristics of the bicycle helmet (position, geometry and number of vents) are extremely important features for the minimization of the aerodynamic drag. A comprehensive research is needed to improve the design of recreational and racing bicycle helmets. As part of a larger study, a series of commercially available helmets has been studied using wind tunnel under a range of wind speeds, yaw and pitch angles to determine their aerodynamic performance. In order to obtain the results as realistic as possible, an instrumented mannequin was used in wind tunnel testing. A relative ranking of each helmet was made based on their aerodynamic properties. Modification to one of the helmets indicates that there is a scope for further improvements.