Testing the Science of Performance

Ford and Ironman team up for unprecedented wind tunnel study

Ford's aerodynamics engineers are lending their expertise to the world's toughest endurance event. As title sponsor of the Ironman Triathlon, last July Ford teamed with Ironman to conduct unprecedented wind tunnel testing to study the effects of drafting for cyclists. Groundbreaking collaborative research conducted this week confirms the bike-to-bike distance at which aerodynamic drafting benefits no longer change for a following rider.

"This innovative research serves as a milestone in our sport," said Ben Fertic, president of World Triathlon Corporation, owners of Ironman. "The Ironman and Ford teams are committed to enhancing the overall athletic experience and furthering the sport of Triathlon."

• Ford's aerodynamics experts team with Ironman officials in first-of-its-kind aerodynamics testing to measure the effects of drafting on cyclists
• Ford will be the title sponsor for Ironman Triathlon events, including the Ford Ironman World Championship, for three years 
• 2006 Ford Explorer debuts next week in media test drives along the challenging course at Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid Triathlon.   It will join the race as the pace vehicle.
• To view and download video of the wind tunnel testing, please click on this link:   http://ford.wieck.com/db/*query?05ironman&type=video&source=FRD>  

Measuring individual effort 

Triathlon may be one of the fastest growing sports today, but just for clarification: Not all cycling events are created equal. Drafting - or riding closely behind another rider to take advantage of the windbreak - is a strategic part of any cycling race. However, Ironman is purely an individual sport. To ensure individual performance, the Ironman rules mandate that each cyclist maintain a three-bike length minimum between himself and the cyclist in front of him. To test the three-bike rule and gain an empirical understanding of drafting, Ironman officials turned to aerodynamics experts at the Ford/Sverdrup Drivability Test Facility (DTF) Wind Tunnel #8. 

The wind tunnel facility - used to evaluate aerodynamics on all of Ford's North American products - also has served as a test site for motorcycle and Olympic skeleton sled racing. The facility has a test section length large enough to accommodate two triathlon bicycles at drafting distances up to 7.7 meters (more than three bike lengths apart).   For this cycling study, the Ford and Ironman team - including triathlon legend Paul Huddle - created ideal testing conditions to maximize the potential for drafting effects. 

Setting up the ideal testing procedure

Instead of the car or truck that usually occupies the testing area, two triathlon bikes were each affixed to an aluminum plate using a standard bicycle trainer. A smaller-stature rider, cyclist Jessica Williams, was located in the drafting position, while Ironman veteran Tom Demerly took the lead position. To measure the drag force on the following rider in relation to the distance between the two riders, Williams' bike was attached to a load-cell balance mounted below the floor of the wind tunnel. The cycles held a straight-line position while technicians measured drafting benefits at varying wind speeds, increasing the distances between the cycles to determine at what point drafting benefits become negligible. Drafting distances for this test ranged from 1.8 meters to 7.7 meters (going from a virtual wheel-to-wheel direct follow to more than three bike lengths apart.)  

The climate-controlled wind tunnel can generate wind speeds up to 150 mph. For the purposes of this cycling test, engineers created primary wind speeds of 15, 20 and 25 mph as the riders maintained a comfortable pedaling cadence.   Wind velocities of 30, 35 and 40 mph were used at the larger drafting distances in an effort to investigate the effects of strong headwinds.    

And now, the results

After evaluating the data, the team determined that under perfect testing conditions, the drafting benefit decreases rapidly as the drafting distance increases up to 5.8 meters (2 bike lengths). At drafting distances greater than 5.8 meters, the drafting benefit continues to drop, but at a greatly reduced rate. Although the engineers were not able to test for distances greater than 7.7 meters, extrapolating the data suggests that a rider trailing at six lengths would have similar draft force to a rider that's trailing at a three-length distance. What does that mean? Ironman's three bike-length rule remains intact.  

"We always welcome a chance to do something that's never been done before," said Ford Technical Specialist Paul Schulte, who led the company's study working with Ironman. "We've had a great time working with world-class athletes. It's been a learning experience for all of us, and we're eager to see what comes next."

Readying for Race Day

"The wind tunnel testing is a great example of how we're leveraging the relationship between Ford and Ironman in creative ways," said Chris Feuell, SUV group marketing manager, Ford Division, who is training for next year's Half Ironman event. "This experience opens the door for us to explore unique opportunities to break new ground working together."  

For 2005, Ford is the title sponsor of five qualifying events and the Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Ford SUVs will serve as pace and chase vehicles for each event, and will provide additional vehicle support for race staff and participants. The 2006 Ford Explorer will debut in conjunction with the Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid Triathlon in New York next weekend. More than 100 journalists will have an opportunity to put the new Explorer to the test along the Ironman route before athletes take on the same punishing roads during the triathlon event on Sunday, July 24.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With nearly 325,000 employees and 110 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company and Hertz. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

About Ironman

The Ironman Triathlon is the world's most challenging endurance event, attracting more than 50,000 athletes from around the world each year. The Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run completed in succession within a 17-hour allotted timeframe. Throughout its nearly 27-year history, the Ironman Triathlon has transformed from an event into a lifestyle and sports brand that includes licensed products and television production. The Ironman Triathlon has global reach with more than 28 events worldwide, varying from half to Ironman distance events. This year's Ford Ironman Triathlon World Championship will air on NBC on November 12 at 4:30 p.m. EST. For more information on Ironman, log onto www.ironman.com