How Efficient a Velomobile Racing Hood is? - Saukki does science 

Well done, it's great to get power meter confirmation of your previous rough test. Super info, thanks!

I had no idea the foam cover could make such a big difference. Another good video Saukki, keep them coming.

Thank you, Saukki, for the test and results. Nice remote garage door opener at the end, too.

Hello I'm SA-UUU-KEYY. I love the way you say it man !! ♥️

Very clear results. Thanks for your effort. And a great video again.

Very interesting results. The racing hood really does make a very significant difference.

Very good comparison. I always feel much faster running my Flevo roof on my Borealis compared to open cockpit. Thanks Saukki!

Good work, dude! I am going for a velomobile within the next weeks! :)

Great vid of the well-designed test. I'll use it with a link to it and the necessary credits.

Very interesting that the foam cover already gives that big a difference. I guess I can stick with that one for a while, or at the very least with the winter season coming.

Hi Saukki, Cool video and performance comparison. I was once experimenting with foam tail fairing on my recumbent where I only felt a difference on long even patches and down hill. Even more excited when I saw you are using our shop. You find me in the legal contact there. Best wishes Tobias

Finally, great video Saukki! :) This is the video I was waiting for, after all to measure is to know... I can calculate the drag and friction coefficient if you can provide another data set: a run done at 50km/h. Then the science is completed with this setup.

Thanks for the very informative test, Dr Saukki :)

Very interesting - what a difference the foam cover makes. It's too hot here in Texas to use the foam cover in summer and variable opportunity to use it in spring or autumn. But will be worth using it in the winter when cold air interferes with my breathing the most and a little warmth underneath would be nice. As for the race cap, haven't used that yet and I've had my DF since January. Maybe this coming winter I will give that a try since I'm much more accustomed to the velo, now. Thanks for re-doing the test and posting it - love this kind of info!

Great data and the results all make sense!

Fantastic ! Just fantastic demonstration of the importance of aerodynamics. 30 Watts less is terrific!

Thank you for comparing!

Really really good video. Thanks 👍

Thanks for this test! Well done. And... Now do the same test on a climb 😉 with a temperature sensor in the head area! This is a bit provoking, I know, but it is just for saying that when it's not rainy the foam cover seems to be the ideal compromise

Thank you Saukki. Thank you very much.

Good test by limiting the variables by using the power meter. The racing hood definitely makes you feel slower with no wind hitting your face, but those improved efficiency numbers are quite impressive! Now someone just needs to come up with a good A/C unit for the cockpit area....

Thanks much Saukki.

Thank you. Excellent video.

Very interesting Saukki, I thought that the mini visor, would of performed better. I'm glad I never bothered to un wrap mine.

What a surprisung difference between the mini visor and the foam cover, because both were open.

Excellent work Saukki! :D You could be velomobile PhD student! :D Could you do a test about the most aero setup you can get? Like taped hood and foot holes etc. =)

Well done Saukki, that was an excellent video! Perhaps in time, you may like to investigate the effect of speed on aerodynamic efficiency. Your tests were carried out at a respectable 45 kph - a speed at which aerodynamic improvements will be significant. If you carried out similar tests at much lower speeds, the results will show much less benefit from the aerodynamic aids. The benefit of these aids will be much greater the faster you go! Do you think you could average 50kph on your course? I'd be very interested to see how much this small increase in speed has on the effect of the various aids - I would assume the 'race hood' would be even better. Just a thought!

Nice job. Thanks

Nice, i also have the assioma uno power meter pedals. Very stiff and still light for powermeter pedals This clearly shows that aero is everything. Some roadies should have a look at this.

Very interesting! thank you for a good video :-)

For the record, Saukki, the fuel efficiency with the racing hood on is about 1083 km/l, or 2548 MPG in freedom units.

Nice video! Plus, I didn't know you had a twin - lol

Someone on bentrider mentioned that they didn’t think the racing hood made much of a difference unless the visor is closed. Because of that statement I was considering not purchasing a hood because it might not be worth the money. You may have changed my mind.

more we cannot ask for 3 config 3 diverant results good test results and video yes you had head wind saukki

foam cover and aerodynamic helmet stearing wind to side, I'll try that because hood in the city would be annoying.

Dear Saukki, interesting video. Did you also test the Flevobike roof on your Quest? I wonder what these results are. Thanks, Ben

Very informative Saukki. Nevertheless I mostly ride with only the mini visor because otherwise I get so hot that my power drops dramatically. I wonder whether you, and others, don't have the same experience. Greetings Erwin and Tante Lies

GREAT video! Many thanks for sharing! I have used Kreutzotter to get an idea of different weight differences, tires etc. How do you feel your results compare to the formulas in Kreutzotter? It seems to me that the Kreutzotter Quest setup is the naked one without the cover (or visor, or hood) - as the calculator requires 190 watts to reach 45 km/h. It would also be interesting to make the test the other way around - keeping the power constant and see the difference in speed. And of course comparisons to other velos - like the Strada, the QV or the DF. Keep up the the great work!

For my, the racing hood is very claustrophobic and make to breathe in excess on hills. I want to try another type of roof same the flevo roof or similar maybe.

Cool video! Do you use the foam cover with or without the mini visor? I use it with, but I'm not sure if it's the smartest thing to do since I'm creating two "bumps" :-)

Nice. Did you ever do the equivalent, but with constant power? So same route, but try and hold as close to 180W for all four options and compare the speed over the distance?

Wow, that racing hood makes a impressive big difference in efficiency ! Incredible speed for the watts! How about staying cool.. is it going to be an issue? I guess you will get more heat build up?

Hello Saukki, Did you test a Flevo top also? Greets, Cliff

What is the name of the band(s) music you were playing?

Im surprised the foam cover made that big a difference! I mean, it makes sense if you think about it, but you think of something thrown in by the manufacturer as an extra as cheap and ineffective!

Hi Saukki. If you want to round a number: 5,9 is 6, not 5. Thanks for the video

Saukki, I don't know if you are monitoring these comments anymore, but I have a question about the various covers available. On your blog you have a picture of the black top that I think is a Flevo top. That was not included in this efficiency test and I assume its efficiency is somewhere closer to the foam cover than the race hood. However, my question is related to functionality. I don't yet have a velomobile, but have been doing research. I live in Tucson Arizona. My greatest need is for a sun cover as it is not abnormal to have temperatures between 35 and 40 C. Over 40 C I'll not be venturing out with human powered vehicles. (I have ridden in 41C heat on my Tour Easy bicycle). As you might guess, my question is the trade-off between the Flevo roof vs. the head-in hood (I am looking at the QV).

Saukki, just watched the video this morning over breakfast. Afterwards I went upstairs to my spreadsheet version of the Kreuzotter calculation and estimated the difference in speed for each configuration change (45.9, 47.7 and 49.4kph). In other words pedaling at 186 Watts with the full canopy would raise your speed from 45kph to 49.4kph. So the speed difference is nearly the same as your tolerance at holding speed. I'm not sure there's an easy way to tighten up that speed accuracy other than a motor/cruise control/amp meter. It also concerned me a bit that you said there was wind. Wonder if it would be possible to repeat the test on a windless day. I assumed weight of 110kg, rolling resistance of .004 and standard day for temp and pressure since I didn't see that you had them listed. I'd be happy to share the calculations if you email me at nickolas.hein@gmail.com. Actually you should correct your percentage differences. It looks like you need to flip the division to get the correct value (1-Higher value /Lower value). This will result in a slightly higher percentage change (6.3, 19.2 and 31.9%) and a top speed of 50kph with the full hood at the same power. Sorry to be a stickler, but if I don't say it Mike Mowett will :-) Thanks for putting this out there, I love this kind of analysis and I hope you do too. Thanks for all your other great videos too.

I don't see the point of this "premieres at some vague time" thing. By the time videos do, I've forgotten about them.

Thanks for the excellent video, complete, detailed, well documented! Unfortunately I can't give you thumb up, this music is spoiling the rest 🤔

NASCAR used to include convertibles, but then aerodynamics popped up...so they put the top up!

Paljonko tuommonen velomopiili painaa

I don't know what this means Saukki.

annoying!