High-accuracy wind tunnel test
Last updated on April 7, 2022
The cycling aerodynamic test rig was designed and built in 2018. It incorporates the knowledge and experience of more than twenty years’ R&D effort in aerospace engineering and racing car engineering, led by Prof. Xin Zhang. The test rig is used to measure the aerodynamic forces acting on a cyclist in the wind. A custom-built, high-accuracy balance is used to withstand the large unsteady pedalling force exerted by the athlete and resolve small changes in aerodynamic forces. The test rig has been used to evaluate cycling equipment and athlete performance. In addition, by combining with the cycling mannequin developed by the team in 2019, new cycling skinsuits and equipment were evaluated using the test rig.
The rig has the following capability:
─ Six-component high-accuracy balance; ─ Instrumentation for rotational torque measurement; ─ Low-interference aero bike supporting struts; ─ Suitable for both athlete and cycling equipment tests; ─ Embedded turbo trainer for realistic test condition.
