Computational fluid dynamics analysis of hand-cycle aerodynamics with static wheels: Sensitivity analyses and impact of wheel selection

Abstract

Aerodynamics research in cycling has underpinned innovative bicycle design, new refined riding positions and optimised rider apparel. There has been a rise in the level of aerodynamics research focused on cycling since the turn of the millennium, enabled by significant increases in computational power and the availability of software/hardware. However, cycling research has not yet fully embraced para-cycling, with limited studies conducted on the aerodynamic performance of hand-cyclists and other para-cyclists. Wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted in this research for the analysis of hand-cycling aerodynamics, focused on competitive H1–H4 category hand-cyclists. A quarter-scale representative geometry of a hand-cyclist was used in high-speed wind tunnel experiments. The accuracy of the simulations performed with the three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations was found to be dependent on the turbulence model choice and near-wall grid resolution. Computational fluid dynamics simulations predicted the magnitude of the drag and lateral forces to an accuracy of 2.5% using the shear stress transport [Formula: see text] turbulence model. This study also presents the impact of wheel diameter and disc wheels on hand-cycling aerodynamics via computational fluid dynamics simulations, providing a deeper understanding of the aerodynamic characteristics unique to the hand-cycling discipline in the sport of competitive cycling. Drag reductions of up to 8.9% were found when utilising 20-inch diameter spoked wheels, opposed to the 26-inch wheels. Variations in wheel diameter between the front and rear wheels were found to have a significant impact on the CDA in part through altering the pitch angle of the hand-cycle.

Elite performance in para-cycling: a scoping review

“…Descriptive findings on Equipment orientated studies can be found in Table 3. One group of authors did extensive research on aerodynamics in handcycling and tandem cycling (Mannion et al, 2018a(Mannion et al, , 2018bMannion et al, 2019aMannion et al, , 2019bMannion et al, 2019c;Mannion et al, 2019d;Mannion et al, 2019e). Using computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel tests, many different effects on aerodynamics were determined that could directly be implemented by athletes and coaches.…”

“…Using computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel tests, many different effects on aerodynamics were determined that could directly be implemented by athletes and coaches. In handcycling for instance, Mazzola et al (2012) had suggested using front and rear disc wheels to reduce aerodynamic drag, but Mannion et al (2018b) further elaborated on this and indicated that disc wheels increase lateral forces and create a low-pressure region between the rear wheels (Mannion et al, 2019a). Therefore, a front disc wheel and high-rim spoked wheels constitute the best wheel configuration for handcyclists (Mannion et al, 2019e).…”