Over the last few years there has been a steady flow of companies releasing aero testing products – or have been rumoured to be – aimed at (eventually) offering real-time detecting of a cyclist’s aerodynamic drag or ‘CdA’. The reason for which is simple: if you can improve your CdA, you can average faster speeds on a bike for less effort.

Currently the Notio Aerometer ($599 USD), and Velocomp’s AeroPod ($399 USD) are the only two sensors available for the consumer market. However, earlier this year VeloSense’s Ventos was spotted on the bikes of Jumbo Visma in the Tour de France; and Garmin have been rumoured to be entering the fray for some years now after they bought aero-testing company, Alphamantis, in 2007. Leaked reports of the “Garmin Vector Air” surfaced in 2019, however, a finished product is yet to materialise.

The reason these devices have remained a niche market product is likely due the fact it’s a difficult device to produce. Without a controlled lab or velodrome, a host of metrics are required for accurate measurement including air density and speed, rider power, wheel speed, slope, roll resistance – among others. Even with an accurate device, getting reliable data requires a person committed to testing and protocols (aka riding up and down the same stretch of road a number of times) and an understanding of what is and isn’t reliable data. On the open road gusts, traffic, rider movement, gradient changes or even magpie attack, will impact the data produced.

The GiBLi G10

gibli aero testingEnter, the GiBLI G10 aero testing device. The G10 sensor is a new aerodynamic sensor, currently on limited release and scheduled to officially be available in 2022.

Awarded the 2021 EUROBIKE Start-Up Winner Award, GiBLI aims to bring more mass-market appeal with their iteration of an aerodynamic sensor, targeting the evolving aero-testing market in the cycling and triathlon space. We met with Mark Ernsting, co-founder of GiBLI to talk about the G10 sensor.