SMS scnews item created by Duncan Sutherland at Mon 7 Mar 2011 2005
Type: Seminar
Distribution: World
Expiry: 10 Mar 2011
Calendar1: 10 Mar 2011 1300-1400
CalLoc1: New Law Building 030
Auth: duncans@60-240-60-196.tpgi.com.au (dsut7890) in SMS-WASM

SUMS: Sutherland -- Bicycle Aerodynamics

The speaker has found a unique way to cram almost everything he finds interesting (fluid
mechanics, cycling, hair and free food) into one conveniently sized SUMS talk.  

In 1989 Laurent Fignon lost the Tour de France to Greg LeMond, by 8 seconds.  Anecdotal
evidence suggests it was calculated that if Fignon had a haircut, he would have lowered
his aerodynamic drag enough that he would have won.  

This talk will introduce basic fluid dynamics, and discuss how computational fluid
dynamics is used to simulate the aerodynamics of cyclists and bicycles.  

The talk is aimed at being fairly accessible to a general audience.