Top 8 'Aero-Advantage' Cycling Gear Upgrades to master for smashing your personal bests in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Hey there, speed seekers!
There's no feeling quite like it. That moment you glance down at your cycling computer after a hard effort and see those magic letters: "PB". Whether it's conquering a local KOM/QOM, smashing your 40km time trial, or just finishing your usual loop faster than ever before, that rush is what keeps us coming back for more. We train hard, eat right, and push our limits. But what if I told you there’s “free speed” just waiting to be unlocked?
The single biggest force holding you back on a flat road isn't your legs or your lungs—it's the air itself. At speeds over 20 km/h, aerodynamic drag becomes the dominant resistance you have to overcome. Think of it as an invisible wall you're constantly pushing against. The faster you go, the harder that wall pushes back. But here's the good news: you can make yourself, and your bike, much more slippery.
Welcome to the world of 'Aero-Advantage'. It's not about magic; it's about smart, targeted choices that reduce drag and convert more of your precious watts into pure, unadulterated speed. For 2025, let's move beyond just training harder and start training—and upgrading—smarter. Here are the top 8 aero-advantage gear upgrades you need to master to make this your fastest year yet.
1. Your Position: The Ultimate "Bio-Upgrade"
Before you even think about spending a dollar on new gear, the most significant aerodynamic gains are found by optimising the biggest source of drag: you. Your body accounts for roughly 80% of the total aerodynamic drag, so small changes here yield massive results. The goal is to present a smaller frontal area to the wind and create a smoother shape for the air to flow over.
Getting lower and narrower is the mantra. This means getting your torso more horizontal and tucking your arms and knees in. However, this is a delicate balance. A position that's too aggressive can restrict your breathing, reduce power output, and be unsustainable for long rides. The perfect aero position is one you can hold comfortably while still producing maximum power. This is where a professional bike fit is the single best investment you can make in your cycling performance. A good fitter will use their expertise to find your optimal balance between aerodynamics, power, and comfort.
Pro Tip: Don't just set your position and forget it. Practice holding it. Spend time on the indoor trainer getting used to your aero hoods or drops position. As we often stress in Goh Ling Yong's training philosophy, consistency is key. Your body needs to adapt to this new posture, so build up the duration you can hold it, ensuring your core is strong enough to support you without rocking your hips.
2. Skin-tight Clothing: Your Second Skin
If your body is the biggest source of drag, then the clothes covering it are the next logical place to find speed. A loose, flapping jersey or jacket acts like a small parachute, constantly catching wind and slowing you down. Studies have shown that switching from a regular club-fit jersey to a form-fitting aero jersey or skinsuit can save you anywhere from 10 to 30 watts at 40 km/h. That’s a massive, game-changing advantage.
Skinsuits offer the ultimate aero benefit by creating a completely seamless and wrinkle-free surface from your shoulders to your thighs, but they are often reserved for race day. For everyday training and fast group rides, a modern aero jersey is the perfect solution. These are made with advanced, textured fabrics strategically placed on the shoulders and sleeves to "trip" the air into a thinner, more attached layer of flow, reducing your wake and, therefore, your drag.
Pro Tip: Don't forget the details! Aero socks are one of the most cost-effective upgrades in cycling. Taller, ribbed socks that extend to the base of your calf muscle can smooth airflow around your ankles and lower legs, saving you a couple of crucial watts for a minimal investment.
3. An Aero Helmet: The Leading Edge
Your head is the very first thing that hits the wind, acting as the leading edge of your entire aerodynamic profile. An aero helmet is designed to guide that initial airflow smoothly over your head and down your back, rather than letting it separate into a turbulent, drag-inducing mess. For years, this meant wearing a long, teardrop-shaped time trial helmet, which was fast in a straight line but often hot and cumbersome.
The game has changed. Today’s aero road helmets, like the Specialized Evade or Kask Utopia, offer a huge percentage of the aero benefit of a full TT helmet but with far better ventilation and comfort. They are designed to be fast from multiple head angles, not just when you’re staring straight ahead. This makes them the perfect all-in-one solution for road races, criteriums, and your fastest training days.
Pro Tip: The fit is crucial. A helmet that is tilted too far back or has a large gap between the helmet and your back creates a pocket for air to get trapped. When you try on an aero helmet, get into your riding position (in front of a mirror if possible) to see how it integrates with your body shape.
4. Deep Section Wheels: Slicing Through the Wind
Nothing says "I'm here to go fast" quite like the hum of a deep-section carbon wheelset. Beyond their stunning looks, these wheels are a significant aerodynamic upgrade. A deeper rim (typically 40mm or more) helps the wheel slice through the air more efficiently than a traditional shallow-rimmed wheel. The U-shaped profiles of modern aero wheels are also designed to reduce drag in crosswinds.
In a crosswind, a deep-section wheel can actually generate a "sailing effect." The wind flows over the curved rim profile, creating a small amount of lift that can actually propel you forward, reducing the effort needed to maintain your speed. For all-around performance, a rim depth between 45-60mm is a fantastic sweet spot, offering substantial aero gains without being too difficult to handle in gusty conditions.
Pro Tip: Pair your wheels with the right tyres. For maximum aero benefit, the tyre should be slightly narrower than the external width of the rim, creating a smooth, seamless transition. Many modern wheelsets are aerodynamically optimised for 28mm tyres.
5. Aero Handlebars: Your Cockpit Command Center
Upgrading your handlebars provides a two-for-one aero advantage. First, the bar itself has an aerodynamic profile—typically a flattened top section—that cuts through the wind more cleanly than a traditional round bar. Second, and more importantly, it can help you get into a more comfortable and sustainable aerodynamic position.
Modern aero handlebars often feature fully or semi-integrated cable routing, which tucks the brake and gear cables away from the wind. This not only looks incredibly clean but also removes a significant source of drag from the front of your bike. The flattened top sections also provide a comfortable platform to rest your hands on during long, steady efforts, encouraging you to stay in a lower position for longer.
Pro Tip: Consider an integrated bar-and-stem combo for the ultimate clean look and aero gain. However, a separate aero bar and stem offer more adjustability, which can be crucial for dialling in your perfect fit.
6. Tyres: The Unsung Aero Heroes
While we often think of tyres in terms of grip and rolling resistance, they play a surprisingly important role in your bike’s overall aerodynamics. As mentioned with wheels, the interaction between the tyre and the rim is critical. A poorly matched tyre and rim combination can create a "lightbulb" shape, causing air to detach and create turbulence.
The modern trend, backed by extensive wind tunnel testing, is towards wider tyres (25-28mm) on wider rims. This creates a much smoother, more unified profile that allows air to stay attached as it flows from the tyre to the rim, significantly reducing drag. A wider tyre, run at a slightly lower pressure, also reduces rolling resistance and improves comfort, allowing you to stay aero for longer without being beaten up by the road.
Pro Tip: For your next tyre upgrade, consider a tubeless setup. Going tubeless allows you to run lower pressures for better rolling resistance and comfort, and the sealant provides excellent puncture protection, giving you the confidence to push hard without fear of flatting.
7. Aero Water Bottles & Cages: The Marginal Gain Masterclass
This is the quintessential "marginal gain" that pro teams obsess over, and for good reason. A standard round water bottle sticking out from your frame is an aerodynamic disaster. It's a blunt object placed right in an area where you want clean airflow. Aero water bottles and their integrated cages are designed to nestle into the frame, smoothing the airflow around the down tube and seat tube.
While a single aero bottle might only save you a watt or two, cycling is a game of cumulative gains. These small savings, when added to your aero helmet and tight-fitting jersey, start to become significant. It’s an easy and relatively inexpensive swap that shows you’re serious about optimising every last detail.
Pro Tip: Placement matters. A bottle on the down tube is generally more aerodynamic than one on the seat tube. For time trials or short races where you only need one bottle, always use the down tube position.
8. Aero Shoes & Shoe Covers: Finishing Touches
Your feet are constantly spinning in circles, churning up the air down below. The buckles, straps, and vents on standard cycling shoes create a surprising amount of turbulent drag. Aero road shoes are designed to combat this with smooth, dimpled surfaces, rear-facing dials (like the BOA Li2), and a streamlined profile.
Don't want to splash out on new shoes? You can get nearly the same aerodynamic benefit for a fraction of the cost with a good pair of aero shoe covers (or booties). These lycra covers slip over your existing shoes, smoothing out the entire profile and hiding the drag-inducing buckles and straps. They are a must-have for any time trial or road race where every second counts.
Pro Tip: For a true "pro" look and a tiny extra gain on a budget, some riders even pull their tall aero socks up over the top of their shoe dials and straps to create a smoother leading edge.
Your Fastest Year Awaits
Chasing personal bests is a journey of continuous improvement, and mastering your aerodynamic profile is one of the most rewarding parts of that process. It’s a fascinating blend of physics, technology, and personal optimisation. You don’t need to buy everything on this list at once. Start with the biggest and most cost-effective wins: perfecting your position and investing in some quality, tight-fitting apparel.
From there, you can layer on the gains, piece by piece, turning your bike—and yourself—into a streamlined system built for speed. Each watt you save from the wind is a watt you can use to go faster, for longer.
Now over to you. What’s the first ‘Aero-Advantage’ upgrade on your list for 2025? Share your plans and questions in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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