▁then ▁improved ▁aer od ynam ics ▁means ▁the ▁spe eds ▁on ▁fl ats ▁and ▁down ▁hills ▁may ▁be ▁substantial ly ▁higher ▁than ▁its ▁un fa ired ▁counter part , ▁and ▁often ▁enough ▁faster ▁to ▁make ▁up ▁for ▁the ▁slower ▁clim bing ▁due ▁to ▁weight . ▁ ▁An ▁aer od ynamic ▁fair ing ▁must ▁be ▁well - sh aped , ▁but ▁minim izing ▁the ▁front al ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁vel om obile ▁is ▁also ▁important ▁to ▁reduced ▁drag : ▁a ▁fair ing ▁with ▁half ▁the ▁front al ▁area ▁may ▁approach ▁half ▁the ▁air ▁drag . ▁ ▁In ▁turn , ▁aer od ynamic ▁vel om ob iles ▁use ▁a ▁laid - back ▁or ▁rec umb ent ▁r iding ▁position , ▁with ▁the ▁r ider ' s ▁head ▁much ▁lower ▁than ▁on ▁regular ▁b icy cles . ▁ ▁In ▁turn , ▁vel om obile ▁is ▁much ▁easier ▁to ▁accident ally ▁" hide " ▁behind ▁a ▁car ▁or ▁road - side ▁shr ub ber y , ▁f ences , ▁etc . ▁ ▁Vel om obile ▁bodies ▁are ▁typically ▁light ▁enough ▁that ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁mass ▁is ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁mass ▁on ▁an ▁un fa ired ▁rec umb ent ▁cycle . ▁ ▁This ▁makes ▁corner ing ▁stability ▁similar ▁to ▁similar ▁un fa ired ▁cycles . ▁ ▁However , ▁minim izing ▁vel om obile ▁width ▁also ▁cont ributes ▁to ▁reduced ▁front al ▁area ▁and ▁thus ▁drag ; ▁so ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁additional ▁in cent ive ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁vel om obile ▁narrow . ▁ ▁The ▁narrow est