A draft that works like the real one.
Riding together only matters if the wheel in front makes a difference. In Draft Virtual Cycling it does: sit in and the air gets out of your way.
What a wheel is worth.
Power saved on a flat road when you sit on a wheel, compared with riding the same speed alone.
| Speed | Power saved |
|---|---|
| 30 km/h | 31% |
| 34 km/h | 33% |
| 40 km/h | 35% |
At 34 km/h that is the difference between holding 200 watts on the front and 134 watts on the wheel.
How it behaves.
Close is what counts
Right on the wheel, air resistance drops by 38%. The effect fades as the gap opens and is gone at about three metres, or when you sit a metre to the side.
Faster means more
Air resistance grows with speed, so the draft is worth more the faster the group rides. On a steep climb gravity does most of the work against you, and the wheel in front barely helps.
Holding the wheel
Ride at the pace of the rider in front and you stay on their wheel. Push well above that pace, around 40 watts more, and you pull out and pass.
You can see it
A tile on screen shows the gap to the wheel in front and how much the draft is saving you.
Common questions.
- How much power does drafting save?
- On a flat road, sitting on a wheel saves about a third of your power: 31% at 30 km/h, 33% at 34 km/h and 35% at 40 km/h. At 34 km/h that is 134 watts instead of 200.
- Does drafting help on climbs?
- Hardly. On a steep climb most of your power goes into lifting you against gravity, not pushing air, so the saving from a wheel is close to nothing.
- Is the draft stronger deeper in a line of riders?
- Not yet. The model counts the rider directly in front of you. Extra shelter further back in a line and crosswinds are not modelled.
Ride it first.
Draft Virtual Cycling is in early access. Leave your email and we’ll let you know when the first rides open.