Aero gains are the speed and performance improvements resulting from reducing the aerodynamic drag of a cyclist and their bike. The term aero gains comes from combining the words aero and gains.
Aero gains can be achieved by:
- Adopting a more aerodynamic riding position that lowers the body and reduces the frontal area.
- Wearing more aerodynamic clothing and accessories such as skinsuits, helmets, gloves, and shoes that reduce air resistance and turbulence.
- Using more aerodynamic equipment and components such as aero bikes, wheels, tires, handlebars, and bottle cages minimizes the drag and improves stability.
- Optimizing the tire pressure, chain lubrication, and bearing friction lowers the rolling resistance and mechanical losses.
Aero gains are measured by the amount of power or time saved at a given speed or distance.
For example, switching from a standard road bike to an aero bike can save around 20 watts or 1 minute over a 40 km time trial. Aero gains are important for cyclists who want to go faster on flat or rolling terrain, such as time trialists, triathletes, sprinters, and breakaway specialists.
![Alex Lee at Mr.Mamil](https://mrmamil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Alex-Lee-at-Mr.Mamil_-150x150.png)
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.