Bermuda Olympian Tyler Butterfield spent time with SD Wind Tunnel as he dials his position.
SD Wind Tunnel uses a state of the art system to accurately measure the forces acting on the cyclist. Unlike other facilities that use balances that are designed to measure much higher loads, each component of the LSWT balance was tailored specifically for the loads expected to be encountered by the cyclist. This allows for precise, detailed data to be acquired for the smallest changes in bicycle setup or cyclist position.
Support hardware specifically designed from the ground up for supporting bicycles
The support system was designed to have the minimum influence on the test data. Only the wheel support posts and rollers are connected to the balance giving the cleanest possible data set with the least amount of support interference possible.
Butterfield is working on his mechanics in a bid to be technically sound for the new year.
The cyclist is elevated in the tunnel using a splitter plate. This installation method has several benefits. 1) The cyclist is located in the center of the tunnel where the highest quality and most uniform airflow is found, an inherent design feature of all wind tunnels. 2) The bicycle is moved out of the region of "dead" air that develops along the wind tunnel floor.
