So SRAM is with triathletes Desiree Ficker and Craig Alexander, along with Carmichael Training Systems, at the A2 wind tunnel in Mooresville, NC.

The goal is to refine the aerodynamic bike position of Craig and Desiree to help them go faster. Both athletes will potentially look at more than 100+ macro and micro adjustments to their aero positions on the bike and each session will take nearly 4 hours. This place is pretty sweet, they also do NASCAR testing here in the larger wind tunnel. The tunnel testing itself will take place at 30mph with various wind (yaw) angles, equipment, and obviously position changes. All of the analysis takes place at a computer control center, which measures just about anything having to do with the athlete.

Desiree hears communication through a loudspeaker and knows all of her particulars as the general measurements from her inputs are projected onto the the floor in front of her as she is riding. She is probably riding less than 25% of the time as each particular change is discussed and then made. In the first hour they have made six changes.

Input and feedback comes from the A2 aero tunnel expert Mike, Desiree’s coach Lindsay Hyman, and Desiree herself. The smaller tunnel, the one we’re in, has four fans, the larger tunnel has 22. They were pulling a NASCAR car into the other tunnel when we arrived. Its 2pm and Desiree is in the tunnel now, its pretty hot and humid in the tunnel until the fans get going, but not as loud as you might expect. More pics and video to come.