A groundbreaking time trial bike project hits a major snag, threatening months of meticulous development!
This is the thrilling second installment of our exclusive look behind the scenes at BMC's top-secret project to create their next-generation time trial bike. In this chapter, we delve into how BMC and their elite pro team partner, Tudor, rigorously tested and validated their initial design concepts in the high-stakes environment of a wind tunnel. However, their path to innovation is abruptly disrupted by a costly and unexpected rule change from the UCI, the governing body for cycling. Following this setback, the team faces the crucial moment of truth: putting their early prototypes to the test in real-world riding conditions.
Exclusive: Unveiling the Secrets of BMC and Tudor's Revolutionary Time Trial Bike Project
The renowned bicycle manufacturer and their esteemed team partner have granted us unprecedented access to document the development of a time trial bike so cutting-edge, it's still under wraps even from many of Tudor's professional cyclists.
In the first part of this series, I spent considerable time explaining what sets Tudor apart from other professional cycling teams and how their sharp focus on performance engineering significantly benefits their partners. It was with this unique approach in mind that I journeyed to the Silverstone wind tunnel last February, eager to witness firsthand how this performance-centric philosophy translates into aerodynamic advancements.
Wind tunnel testing has become an indispensable tool in the modern development of performance bicycles. Yet, more often than not, what we receive is polished marketing rather than genuine, detailed insights. BMC and Tudor were meticulously testing the 3D-printed prototype frame that we first glimpsed at the conclusion of part one. By embedding ourselves in the project at such an early stage, we had the rare opportunity to observe how a project driven by performance objectives leverages its time in the wind tunnel.
The scope of their test matrix might not have been exhaustive in terms of sheer numbers, but its depth was remarkable. Kurt Bergin-Taylor, Tudor's Head of Innovation, humorously remarked that theoretically, anyone could book an hour at a wind tunnel facility and perform the same fundamental work his team accomplished over multiple days. This isn't a reflection of inefficiency on Tudor's or BMC's part; rather, it underscores the immense rigor and painstaking attention to detail required to extract reliable, accurate data that instills confidence and guides the subsequent stages of development. This includes conducting tests across 11 different yaw angles and at three distinct speeds, repeating each test three times. Furthermore, they incorporated baseline repetitions, end-of-day checks, and next-day re-tests, all while meticulously performing a taring (zero offset) calibration between every single repeat. Bergin-Taylor candidly admitted this process is a "pain in the ass" and effectively doubles the testing duration, but he stressed its absolute criticality for ensuring the accuracy and validity of their findings.
However, even these stringent controls are rendered ineffective without consistent, repeatable results from one test run to the next. And here's where it gets challenging: humans are notoriously inconsistent, especially during prolonged testing sessions.
Not much for conversation, but a fantastic tester.
Enter Tudor's professional rider, Joel Suter – not the actual human athlete, but a sophisticated 3D mannequin meticulously crafted in his likeness. This dummy is equipped with spring-loaded joints, transforming it into the team's dedicated pedaling test subject.
The team initially developed a single prototype mannequin to boost testing efficiency. The rationale was simple: human riders get hungry, require travel, which eats into valuable racing and training time, and, crucially, exhibit lower repeatability in their movements. Since then, the project team has advanced to creating several more of these lifelike mannequins, each a full-scale replica of a specific rider. During a subsequent visit, I witnessed Marc Hirschi undergoing a 3D scan for his own mannequin. These mannequins are produced using high-resolution 3D scans captured by sophisticated scanners, each costing a substantial €40,000. The level of detail is astonishing, extending to the reproduction of individual features like veins. But their truly remarkable capability lies in their authentic, true-to-life pedaling motion.
While this isn't the very first pedaling mannequin to be utilized in cycling, BMC and Tudor firmly assert that theirs is potentially the most accurate in the entire industry. The creation process was undeniably complex, but the outcome was deemed superior to using a human subject with their inherent variability or a static mannequin. As Bergin-Taylor explained, a static mannequin is simply insufficient, particularly for this project, because the dynamic interaction between the rider's moving legs and the bike is absolutely essential to understand.
Both BMC and Tudor emphasized that engineering a pedaling mannequin is a formidable undertaking. The primary reason is the intricate chain of events involved in the human body's pedaling motion, involving the complex interplay of muscle groups contracting and relaxing across the foot, knee, and hip joints.
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This project highlights the incredible dedication and innovation within professional cycling. What are your thoughts on the use of such advanced technology in bike development? Do you believe the pursuit of marginal aerodynamic gains is worth the significant investment and complexity? Let us know in the comments below!
