What are the pros and cons of fairings?

What's your experience been with fairings? I just got a Stratus XP and am considering adding a fairing.

Does the extra weight make climbing harder?
Can you still use fenders with a fairing?
How much speed do you gain on the flats?
What is the benefit of a smaller fairing (teardrop vs. full)?
How much easier in headwinds?
Do you get a great benefit in tailwinds?
How much of a problem are sidewinds?
Does it really keep you dry in rain?
Does a "hot pocket" develop in hot weather?
Have you dropped the bike more often with a fairing?

Thanks for your input.


rsbeach

 

rsbeach, welcome to the forum. Another Buckeye! We won't hold that against you though. lol

Different bikes will do differently with fairings. For example, my SWB Giro 26 does no better with a fairing, in fact, I can go faster without the fairing. What the fairing does though is help keep my feet from freezing. Therefore, I rode with it this past Spring and took it off around June 1. It will go back on sometime in September.

Some bikes though will get a big boost with a fairing. Some with the large ones and some even with the small ones. One huge advantage, especially with the larger fairings is that they help keep the weather off you. Yes, they can be a bit tricky in crosswinds and might help a little with a tail wind but that is doubtful. However, I do not speak from experience, only for other's experiences.

That said, I do believe your bike would be great with a fairing.

Hopefully others can answer more specific questions you posted. Good luck.

 

A full size fairing extends the season.
If not adjusted or fitted properly may interfere with feet.

 

Bob,
LWB low Bottom Bracket bikes like the Stratus XP and and my Easy Racer's 'Rush receive a definite advantage when using a full faring. You really can't lay the seat back near as far as you can on a bike with a higher bottom bracket. For some reason the body doesn't work very well when in a "Z" position.

I have a full fairing on my LWB. I don't notice any real disadvantage when climbing (although I don't climb all that well without a fairing anyway ).

I find speed advanteges begin around 12 mph. The faster you go, the more the advantage. In a head wind it's great!. I have notoced a slight sail effect if I'm running with a tailwind. Crosswinds can be a little tricker, especially gusts but not unmanageable.

You can use a fender with a fairing depending on how things are adjusted. My 'Rush has both fenders and a full fairing (plus a body sock though I haven't used it yet).

You will want to use rubber washers/mounts when you mount the fairing. This almost completely cuts out the road rumble usually associated with fairings.

My Easy Racers fairing is very narrow and I do have issues with the inside foot/pedal striking the fairing during tight low speed turns. This is only an issue when I am trying to turn the bike around 180 degrees. It did cause me to drop the bike the first time I tried such a turn but I have since learned to compensate. It has never been an issue while riding as I never turn the handlebars steeply enough to cause interference. Wider fairings like the Super Zipper and Windwrap may not have any interference to begin with.

If you mount your bike to your rack by turing the front wheel around backwards (to shorten the wheelbase) you won't be able to do that with the fairing mounted.

Adjustment is the key for getting the most from a fairing. You want the front of the fairing to clear your feet and the top to be just below your eyes. You look over a fairing, not though it.

 

My first post on the forum.

I commute to/from work 10 miles each way about twice a week and take one or two 20 mi rides on the weekends.

I got a Gold Rush in June 2007. I was planning to get a faring in Nov 2007 to combat the colder air, but then had to take time off due to an unrelated knee injury for about 5 months. So it was June 2008 before I got my faring (Zipper). At the same time I put my clipless pedals (left over from my DF days) on my recumbent.

So I'm about 10% faster now - I attribute climbing up hills faster to the pedals and going down hills faster to the faring; as well as getting into better shape now that I am riding more. I've also noticed that in spite the cooler mornings, the trunk of my body is not getting chilled the way it was last year about this time. In terms of absolutes - one long straight downslope that I used to peak out at about 28 mph, now I hit 34 mph - I think that's all due to the faring.

Laidback cyclist posted that it is bicycle frame dependent - I can certainly believe that. According to that post the LWB with a faring sees an advantage, which I have definitely seen. There was one gusty day I felt the crosswinds sitting at lights, but didn't notice them when riding.

The only time I have trouble with the pedal hitting the faring is when I'm backing the bike up into my garage and I just make sure I turn the handlebars slightly to avoid the pedal at one position. I have the bottom of the faring mounted to the outside of the brackets - which moves it as far forward as possible.