Which hairstyle is more aerodynamic? It is tested in Specialized's wind tunnel

The American ultracyclist Lael Wilcox was declared the fastest woman to cycle around the world in 2024, but now she wants to try again to also break the men's record set by Mark Beaumont in 78 days. To do this, Wilcox is pushing everything to the limit.

Lael Wilcox tests hairstyles in the wind tunnel for her world record attempt

Lael Wilcox continues to fine-tune every detail of her upcoming world record attempt on a bicycle, and in her quest for every possible second, she has even tested which hairstyle is the most aerodynamic. The cyclist recently visited the Specialized facilities to conduct several sessions in the wind tunnel with the goal of optimizing her setup before facing one of the most demanding challenges in ultra-endurance cycling.

Wilcox is preparing a new attempt to cycle around the world that requires maintaining an extraordinary pace for weeks. Her goal is to complete around 386 km daily for 78 consecutive days, which means riding at speeds close to 24 km/h for 16 hours a day, or even a bit faster if she wants to reduce the hours spent on the bike.

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In a challenge of this magnitude, any small improvement can have a huge impact on the final result. According to the cyclist herself, gaining just one mile per hour in average speed would save approximately one hour each day, a difference that, accumulated over nearly three months, can be decisive. Even improvements of just a few minutes daily can add up to many hours by the end of the attempt.

Additionally, Wilcox wants to reserve at least six hours of rest each day, which makes it even more important to optimize her efficiency during the time she spends pedaling.

To analyze how to reduce air resistance, Wilcox went through the Specialized wind tunnel, where she tested different elements of her setup: bikepacking bags, aerodynamic attachments, gear, and even her own hairstyle.

Among the most interesting results of the test, the cyclist discovered that having her hair tied up in a bun is more aerodynamic than a ponytail. This conclusion even led her to consider a more radical option of cutting her hair very short to simplify her daily routine and reduce the time spent on personal care during the trip.

The analyses also included the aerodynamic behavior of the setup she will use during the attempt. Wilcox plans to use Zipp 454 wheels along with Specialized Mondo tires of 32 mm, as well as adjusting the position and the bag system she will carry on the bike. In fact, one of the conclusions from the test was that a small bag on the aerodynamic attachments can be even more efficient than riding without it, something particularly interesting for a challenge where carrying equipment is essential.

Her preparation also includes long training sessions. At the beginning of the year, she incorporated days of over 370 km into her weekly routine, although she recently reduced the load after noticing that her resting heart rate was starting to increase, a sign of accumulated fatigue.

With technical adjustments underway and training fine-tuned, Wilcox continues to prepare for a record attempt that will require combining extreme endurance, strategy, and absolute efficiency. In such a challenge, even unexpected details like hairstyle can end up being part of the equation.