We’ve been following this story pretty closely since it first popped up on our radar back at the end of 2015. Boardman bikes decided to build their own wind tunnel at their new headquarters, but more importantly is that they are building it as part of an overall cycling Performance Centre that will bring real world testing capabilities into the reach of more amateur and aspiring elite cyclists. Now that construction is underway, Boardman has a bit more of a concrete timeline in play, with the opening of the facility and the ability for the cycling public to get a slot in their wind tunnel or other physiological laboratories set for early 2018…
As a quick recap, the new Performance Centre at The Valley Retail Park near Evesham in Worcestershire, England will give cyclists access to Boardman’s own cycling-specific wind tunnel, top-level bike fitting, and physiology testing suites. Designed to offer the world-class performance analysis now reserved for the top-level of athletes with deep pockets, the Boardman Performance Centre hopes to appeal to all levels of cyclists and triathletes looking to optimize their performance on the bike, whether their goals are the Olympics, Paralympics, or just the local weekend race.
Chris Boardman told us about the project now that it is underway on site, “I’m really excited the finish line is finally in sight. People who know me will tell you I tend to play things down and avoid superlatives but for this project, I feel confident in saying when the doors open in early 2018, it will be a genuine game changer for the sport of cycling. Making aerodynamic understanding accessible to anyone who wants to go faster – be they sportive rider or pro athlete – it’ll be nothing short of revolutionary.”
Having recently spent some time spectating on some wheel & tire wind tunnel testing, it’s very clear that there is a lot to gain for riders of all levels who may not really appreciate some of the minor changes that can impact how the bike+rider combo slips through the wind. We’ll keep an eye on its continued development and hopefully get a chance to venture there ourselves for a first hand look at optimizing how we ride sometime early next year.
