At Body Rocket, we're redefining what's possible in cycling and triathlon performance by putting real-time aerodynamic data directly into the hands of athletes - no wind tunnel required. But we know that with such a revolutionary system, questions come fast.
Whether you're new to aero testing or looking to refine every detail of your position, equipment, and fuelling, this FAQ dives into the most common and most important questions we get from riders just like you.
From how we measure drag to what else we track beyond CdA, this guide will help you understand exactly how Body Rocket can become the most powerful tool in your performance arsenal.
What is Body Rocket? Body Rocket is the leader in on-bike aerodynamics, delivering the world’s first integrated system that measures real-time aerodynamic drag, biomechanics, and power simultaneously. By uniting these three pillars of cycling performance under real-world conditions, Body Rocket effectively shrinks the wind tunnel and puts it on your bike - offering insights that were previously only possible in a lab. No other system matches our ability to capture and analyse these interdependent data streams in motion, making Body Rocket the definitive tool for performance-driven cyclists.
How is Body Rocket different from other cycling technology currently available? Unlike systems that measure aerodynamics, biomechanics, or power independently, Body Rocket uniquely integrates all three pillars into one unified, high-precision system in real-time. This creates a powerful, connected dataset that unlocks a deeper understanding of how position, efficiency, and power interact, providing a competitive advantage and comprehensive insights no other system can match.
How will Body Rocket help me specifically improve my cycling performance? By providing continuous data and insights from the intersection of aero, biomechanics, and power, Body Rocket helps you understand your performance in the real world. This allows you to make better decisions about bike set-up and pacing strategies and understand how to optimize your position for maximum speed, endurance, and efficiency in various wind conditions. You can also see how well you maintain your aerodynamic and biomechanical positions as you fatigue over the course of an event, something not practical with existing methods.
How is the CdA calculated, and what are the advantages/innovations in the body rocket system? CdA (Coefficient of Drag Area) is calculated using direct measurements of aerodynamic drag force, air speed, and air density. Body Rocket uses highly sensitive, bike-mounted sensors to capture these parameters in real time while the rider is in motion. This allows us to compute CdA dynamically and accurately under real-world conditions - not just in controlled lab settings.
What sets Body Rocket apart is that our system directly measures the aerodynamic drag force acting solely on the rider, rather than on the entire rider-bike system. This distinction is critical because it isolates the human contribution to aerodynamic drag, enabling more precise optimisation of rider position and equipment choices. Unlike traditional methods that estimate CdA based on speed and power output, Body Rocket’s direct-force measurement eliminates the need to account for variables like rolling resistance, drivetrain losses, or changes in rider weight, all of which introduce error in indirect methods.
What are the biggest early gains Cyclists & Triathletes can make to optimise aerodynamics?
- Position on the bike - Try testing both a lower and higher position, narrower or wider bars, and a more compact or extended cockpit setup. - Aero gear - Helmet, tight kit, clean cockpit. - Riding still and smooth - No wasted motion.
Does Body Rocket help optimise for tyre choice and tyre rolling resistance? Body Rocket does have a test mode that allows you to use the same technology as other aero sensors to test things like bikes and tyres in controlled conditions. In theory you could use the two measurements to remove rider aerodynamics and make a better determination of rolling resistance than has previously been possible.
Does Body Rocket provide any other values apart from CdA data? Body Rocket does go beyond CdA and provides deep biomechanical and performance insights that are crucial for triathletes and time trialists aiming to optimize every detail of their ride.
Here’s what we provide in addition to aerodynamic data like CdA and drag force:
High-Precision Power Data
Integrated with the worlds most accurate power meter.
Measures left/right power balance, torque effectiveness, and power phase - letting you know when a change has effected your biomechanics.
This ensures your aero testing is directly tied to your true output.
Weight Distribution
Real-time monitoring of how your weight is distributed across the bike - between saddle, bars, and pedals.
Critical for understanding if your position shifts may affect your long term comfort in the position.
Rider Movement & Stability
Tracks micro-movements at the saddle and handlebars.
Detects shuffling on the saddle, excessive fidgeting, or positional instability — all of which can increase drag and waste energy.
Gives you clear data to reduce unnecessary motion and improve posture consistency.
Is there any aerodynamic difference between high cadence vs low cadence? We haven’t looked into this but investor and friend of Body Rocket, Alex Dowsett, did a piece a while back.
Does Body Rocket mean I no longer need traditional lab testing like wind tunnels or motion capture? Possibly. For many, they’ve never been to a wind tunnel, and this is opening up opportunities they’ve never had before. Elite teams are using it in conjunction with their existing tools. Kristian, and others, are finding it replaces the need for lab-based testing methods like wind tunnels or motion capture systems by embedding precision sensors directly onto the bike to measure data in real-world conditions. It offers a more complete picture of your aerodynamics across a range of conditions than a single wind tunnel session and provides detailed biomechanical insights under real cycling load. It brings lab-grade data directly to the road, making elite-level insights more accessible.
How accurate is the data provided by Body Rocket, particularly for aerodynamics and power? Body Rocket has focused on providing class-leading performance in each pillar with no trade-offs. It is the only on-bike aerodynamic device ever validated directly against a wind tunnel, showing accuracy within a +/-2.5% error. In field testing, results regularly repeat to 1% error or better. For power measurement, it aims for 10x accuracy compared to existing power meters.
How easy is Body Rocket to install and integrate into my regular rides? Installation is designed to be straightforward, comparable to installing power meter pedals and a stem. Setup on a bike should take about 30 minutes. The system broadcasts data as both an ANT+ power meter and through an ANT ConnectIQ app, allowing the data to be saved as part of your Garmin Fit file and viewed in Garmin Connect alongside other ride data like Power, HR, and GPS. Watch our How to Install the Body Rocket system below:
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