CoachingAnswer

HOW MUCH TIME DOES AERO EQUIPMENT ACTUALLY SAVE IN CYCLING?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 10 July 2026

ANSWER

At speeds above roughly 25km/h, aerodynamic drag accounts for the large majority of the resistance a cyclist has to overcome, which is why aero gains — position, clothing, wheels, frame shape — typically deliver more real-world time savings than equivalent weight savings for most riders on most terrain. A well-fitted aero position alone can save several minutes over a typical time trial or flat road race distance, often more than an equipment upgrade costing many times as much.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Above roughly 25km/h, aerodynamic drag dominates the resistance a rider fights, more than weight or rolling resistance.
Position changes are usually the cheapest, largest aero gain available to most riders.
Aero wheels and clothing offer smaller, still meaningful gains beyond position.
On steep sustained climbs, weight matters more than aero — context changes what's worth optimising.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The rider considering an aero equipment upgrade

You're deciding between spending money on aero wheels, a new frame, or improving your position, and want to understand where the actual time savings come from.

The time trial or flat-race focused rider

Your events are largely flat or rolling, where aerodynamics dominates performance far more than on sustained climbing terrain.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

Dan Bigham has made a career out of proving that the biggest aero gains are usually the cheapest ones. Position — how a rider actually sits on the bike — typically dwarfs the gains from any single piece of equipment, yet most amateurs spend on equipment first and position last, which is backwards from where the return actually sits.

The context matters enormously though. A rider training for a hilly gran fondo with sustained double-digit gradient climbs is fighting gravity more than air resistance for large stretches of the event, and weight becomes the more relevant variable there. Aero is not universally the priority — it depends on the terrain and speed of your actual events.

The honest advice for most amateurs with a limited budget: get a proper position assessment before buying anything. It's the highest return-per-dollar aero investment available, and unlike a wheel upgrade, it costs nothing to maintain once dialled in.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Dan BighamHead of Engineering, Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe; former Hour Record holder
The single biggest aerodynamic lever most cyclists have is their own position on the bike, not the equipment underneath them. A poor position on a very expensive aero bike will still lose to a good position on a standard bike in most real-world scenarios.
Hear it: He Accidentally Mastered Aerodynamics | Dan Bigham

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Get a position assessment before an equipment upgrade
A proper aero or bike fit assessment — even a basic one — typically reveals more available time savings than most riders can buy through equipment alone, and it costs a fraction of a wheel or frame upgrade.
Match your aero investment to your actual terrain
If your key events are flat or rolling, prioritise aero position and equipment. If they're sustained steep climbs, prioritise weight and power-to-weight instead — the two aren't equally valuable everywhere.
Test changes with real data, not assumption
Where possible, use a power meter and consistent conditions to compare before-and-after changes to position or equipment. Perceived comfort and actual aerodynamic benefit don't always agree.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKEBuying aero equipment before addressing riding position.
FIXPrioritise position work first — it's typically the largest and cheapest aero gain available, and equipment upgrades compound on top of a good position rather than replacing the need for one.
MISTAKEChasing aero gains for hilly, low-speed events where weight matters more.
FIXMatch your investment to your actual event profile. Aero gains shrink significantly at low climbing speeds, where weight and sustained power output matter more.
MISTAKEAssuming a more aggressive position is always faster.
FIXA position you can't sustain or produce power in for the full event distance may test faster in a short effort but cost you more over race distance. Aero and power output need to be balanced, not maximised independently.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is aero more important than weight for climbing?

On steep, sustained climbs at low speed, weight and power-to-weight ratio matter more than aerodynamics, since drag scales with speed and climbing speeds are typically much lower than flat-road race speeds. On rolling or flat terrain at higher speed, aero dominates.

How much time can a good position save over a bad one?

It varies by how poor the starting position is, but improvements of several minutes over a one-hour effort are common when going from an untested, upright position to a properly assessed aero position — often more time than an expensive equipment upgrade delivers.

Are aero wheels worth the cost for an amateur rider?

They offer a real, if smaller, benefit on top of a good position, particularly on flatter courses at higher speeds. For a rider who hasn't yet addressed position, clothing, or basic bike setup, wheels are rarely the highest-value first purchase.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

He Accidentally Mastered Aerodynamics | Dan Bigham