Frame builders and designers have been working on creating more aerodynamically efficient designs. Some recent designs have concentrated on shifting from round tubes to oval or tear-shaped tubes. There is a delicate balancing act between maintaining a good strength-to-weight ratio while improving aerodynamic efficiency. Improvements to wheels have made perhaps the biggest impact. A standard spoked wheel has been described as an "egg beater," creating many small eddies as the tyre rotates -- creating drag. Disc wheels, while generally heavier than their spoked counterparts, produce less wind drag and turbulence when they spin.

Continued on the next page...