Journal of

Biomechanics
Volume 67, 23 January 2018, Pages 1-8

Aerodynamic study of time-trial helmets in cycling racing using CFD

analysis
F. Beaumont a , R. Taiar a , G. Polidori a , H. Trenchard b , F. Grappe c

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.10.042 ↗
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Abstract

The aerodynamic drag of three different time-trial cycling helmets was analyzed numerically for two
different cyclist head positions. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods were used to investigate the
detailed airflow patterns around the cyclist for a constant velocity of 15 m/s without wind. The CFD
simulations have focused on the aerodynamic drag effects in terms of wall shear stress maps and pressure
coefficient distributions on the cyclist/helmet system. For a given head position, the helmet shape, by itself,
obtained a weak effect on a cyclist’s aerodynamic performance (<1.5%). However, by varying head position, a
cyclist significantly influences aerodynamic performance; the maximum difference between both positions
being about 6.4%. CFD results have also shown that both helmet shape and head position significantly
influence drag forces, pressure and wall shear stress distributions on the whole cyclist’s body due to the
change in the near-wake behavior and in location of corresponding separation and attachment areas around
the cyclist.

Introduction

Cycling science has undergone a constantly evolving in recent years. Research has advanced our
understanding of aerodynamics, and many studies have been conducted on bicycle performance
(Chowdhury et al., 2011, Barry et al., 2014, Lukes et al., 2005), cyclist’s riding position (Grappe et al., 1997,
Jeukendrup and Martin, 2001, García-López et al., 2008, Jobson et al., 2008), race clothing (Oggiano et al.,
2009, Chowdhury et al., 2010) and the shape of the cyclist’s helmet (Alam et al., 2014, Mustary et al., 2014,
Abdullah and Muda, 2015a, Chabroux et al., 2008, Brownlie et al., 2010). Concerning the effects of
aerodynamic drag, Chabroux et al., 2010, Alam et al., 2014 showed that at a velocity of about 30 km/h,
aerodynamic drag contributes to nearly 70–80% of the total resistance to cyclist’s forward motion, the
remaining being attributed to rolling resistance.
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 The cyclist’s on-bicycle position during time-trials has been widely studied and represents about 65–80% of
the total aerodynamic drag in which the 15% range is attributable to differences in helmet and clothing
design; optimized positions, helmet and clothing designs therefore reduce wind resistance and improve
performance (Grappe, 2009, Blocken et al., 2013, Defraeye et al., 2010, Defraeye et al., 2011). The residual
drag is attributed to the wheels (mainly the front wheels), the bicycle frame and other components
(Chowdhury et al., 2011). The use of aerodynamically efficient helmets (typically referred to as “aero
helmets”) can provide a significant advantage during a time-trial when compared with standard protective
helmets (Mustary et al., 2014, Abdullah et al., 2015b). Various studies have investigated the aerodynamic
performance of both recreational and racing helmets, including an assessment of the aerodynamics of
ribbed bicycle racing helmets (Alam et al. 2014), cyclists’ posture and the performance of time-trial helmets
(Chabroux et al., 2012, Chabroux et al., 2008, Barry et al., 2014), aerodynamic drag on time-trial helmets
(Brownlie et al., 2010). Alam et al., 2010, Chowdhury and Alam, 2012 have shown that for velocities between
30 and 40 km/h, depending on its shape, the helmet contributes about 2–8% of the total aerodynamic drag
of the cyclist-bicycle system.

In addition to empirical investigations, computational or numerical modelling is a comparatively recent

approach to investigating aerodynamics in sports sciences. One such method, Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD), has proven to be a powerful and effective tool for simulating complex fluid flows (Gardan
et al., 2017). CFD provides high resolution data on the flow field around an object of study, refining our
understanding of the aerodynamics of given objects of study or isolated specific components of those
objects. Blocken et al. (2013) used the CFD method to investigate the aerodynamic drag of drafting cyclists.
The results of their CFD calculations are in good accordance with wind tunnel measurements. Defraeye et
al., 2010, Defraeye et al., 2011 used CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements to evaluate the
aerodynamic performance of different cyclist positions. Sims and Jenkins (2011) used CFD to improve the
aerodynamic design of the bicycle helmet. However, to our knowledge, few numerical studies have been
performed on the aerodynamic performance of time-trial helmets.

Therefore the aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of helmet design and head position in
real-world conditions using numerical methods, specifically Computational Fluid Dynamics. In this study,
three time-trial helmets of different brands and shapes have been considered, consistent with actual current
trends in time-trial cycling. In order to accurately reflect real racing conditions, the following head positions
were tested:
• A classical time-trial position in which the helmet is aligned laterally and level with the back, called the
head-up position (horizontal gaze).

• A super-low head-down position to test how the helmet integrates with the rider, called the head-down
position (vertical gaze).

The latter position is adopted by elite cyclists who look down and slightly backward toward the rear of their
bicycles in order to reduce their frontal profile and aerodynamic drag as much as possible. This position,
adopted intermittently for safety reasons, also allows cyclists to reduce neck fatigue.

The most aerodynamically efficient position for a cyclist is achieved when his or her back is parallel to the
ground with both hands on low narrow handle bars, minimizing frontal area (Barry et al., 2014, Grappe et
al., 1997). Thus, keeping this position constant, in this study only helmet and head position were varied in
order to determine their respective aerodynamic effects. Simulations were performed using a velocity of
15 m/s, corresponding to the typical average velocity during a flat course time-trial competition achieved by
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 an elite competitive cyclist. In this study, wind effects were not included, and may form the subject of
further studies.

Section snippets

Geometry, computational domain and mesh

Three different time-trial helmets were selected for this study. To assess the effects of helmet shape on
aerodynamic performance, different aerodynamic designs were selected. For purposes of anonymity, we do
not identify the brand names and the manufacturers of the helmets used in this study. Helmet 1 is a smooth
helmet with two sharp lines in the tail section of the helmet and a ventilation hole in the front of the
helmet. It has a shorter tail than helmet 2 which is a smooth, standard…

Modeling validation

The numerical procedure was validated by comparison with experimental and numerical data from Blocken
et al., 2013, Defraeye et al., 2010. Drag force as well as drag coefficient were determined by integrating the
net traction force component over the entire surface of the cyclist's body.

The drag area values used for comparison are summarized in Table 1 and were deduced from wind tunnel
measurements data issued from literature and CFD simulation for a cyclist without bicycle. Our results are
in…

Discussion

CFD provides the ability to obtain detailed flow field information which allows greater insight into the
causes of the drag force. Streamlines, which are usually used to visually describe fluid flow (Fig. 3), clearly
shows that variations in air velocity depend on air flow trajectories around the objects. One can observe that
the flow remains attached when the head is properly oriented. Indeed, a long-tail helmet with a tear-drop
shape (like helmet 2) keeps the air flowing along its surface for …

Limitations

The main limitations of this study are, first, that the bicycle was not included in the computational model
thus the interference drag between the cyclist and the bicycle setup is not accounted for. Moreover, only one
cyclist was studied, and so we have not considered the influence of differences in cyclist’s anthropometric
characteristics on the results. The simulations were also performed with wall functions which were used to
model the boundary layer. Finally, steady simulations were…

Conclusion

The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the aerodynamic drag of three different helmets by
quantifying both the influence of external geometry and head position. In the head-up position, helmet
performance in all three cases is nearly equal. However, when head position was altered, we observed
significant differences in helmet performance. Varying the head position modifies the cyclist’s frontal
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 surface area, which significantly influences the aerodynamic performance. In the head-down…

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.…

Fundings

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-
profit sectors.…

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