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AERODYNAMIC DRAG

The air resistance a cyclist must overcome, proportional to the square of speed. Above 25 km/h, ~80% of a rider's power goes to overcoming drag. The dominant performance variable on flat and rolling terrain.

Dan Bigham's hierarchy of aero gains: position (40-80W saving), skinsuit vs loose jersey (10-20W), aero helmet (5-10W), deep-section wheels (3-8W), aero frame (1-3W). Most amateurs invest in the wrong order — buying aero wheels before fixing their position. A proper bike fit that lowers the frontal area is worth more than any equipment change. CdA (drag coefficient × frontal area) is the metric; lower is better.