Bicycle Wheel

The angular momentum of the turning bicycle wheels makes them act like
gyroscopes to help stabilize the bicycle. This gyroscopic action also helps to
turn the bicycle.
Having pointed to the gyroscopic nature of the bicycle wheel, it should be
pointed out that experiments indicate that the gyroscopic stability arising
from the wheels is not a significant part of the stability of a bicycle. The
moments of inertia and the speeds are not large enough. The experiments
and review of Lowell and Mcell indicate that the stability of the bicycle
can be described in terms of centrifugal force. ! rider who feels an
unbalance to the left will turn the handlebars left, producing a segment of a
circular path with resulting centrifugal force which pushes the top of the
bicycle back toward vertical and a balanced condition.
"resumably the larger masses and speeds of motorcycle wheels do make the
gyroscopic tor#ues a much larger factor with motorcycles
Turning a Bicycle
! bicycle held straight up will tend to go straight. $t is tempting to say
that it stabilized by the gyroscopic action of the bicycle wheels, but the
gyroscopic action is #uite small.

$f the rider leans left, a tor#ue will be produced which causes a counter
clockwise precession of the bicycle wheel, tending to turn the bicycle to the
left.
If you lean left, you turn left
! rider leaning left will produce a tor#ue which will cause the bicycle wheel
to precess counterclockwise as seen from above, turning the bicycle left. The
angular momentum of the bicycle wheels is to the left. The tor#ue produced
by leaning is to the rear of the bicycle, as may be seen from the right%hand
rule. This gives a rearward change in the angular momentum vector, turning
the bicycle left. This is a good visual example of the directions of the
angular momentum and tor#ues, but the gyroscopic tor#ues of bicycle
wheels are apparently #uite small &see Lowell and Mckell'.'. The
gyroscopically motivated descriptions like (leaning left turns it left( are
more appropriate to motorcycles. )ith a bicycle at low speeds, the main
turning influence comes from the turning of the handlebars.
$n terms of the stability of the bicycle when riding, the association with
leaning and turning does hold true. The construction of a bicycle is such that
a left lean does cause the front wheel to turn left, contributing a kind of self%
stability to the bicycle. $f you feel yourself unbalanced and leaning left, then
turning left does help you correct the imbalance because the centrifugal
force associated with the turn does tend to push the top of the bicycle back
toward the vertical. "art of the process of learning to ride a bicycle would
then seem to be the learning of how to turn the front wheel to produce the
needed centrifugal balancing force to bring you back to an upright and
balanced orientation. More drastic turns are needed at low speeds to get the
necessary centrifugal force which depends upon the inverse of the radius of
curvature. Much more gentle turns are sufficient at higher speeds since the
centrifugal force depends upon the s#uare of the velocity.
*teering +eometry,
http,--www.real%world%physics%problems.com-bicycle%physics.html
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Biomechanics
of cycling -
Improving
performance and reducing injury through biomechanics
/iomechanics is the science concerned with the forces that act on the human
body and the effects these forces produce. These forces determine how parts
of the human body move during the performance of a skill and in short
determine techni#ue. Therefore knowledge of biomechanics can help
improve cycling techni#ue to improve performance and reduce in0ury in
cyclists of all ability levels.
Mechanisms of cycling biomechanics
1nderstanding mechanisms of cycling biomechanics allows recreational
cyclists to position themselves for optimal comfort and efficiency and
competitive cyclists to improve their performance in competition. $t also
helps people undergoing physical therapy to attain maximum benefits from
the use of stationary bicycles, and reassures therapists that the demands
placed on their patients will improve their condition rather than hinder it.
!n important force in cycling is power output with every cyclist
&recreational or competitive' having to overcome this in order to move the
bicycle in different conditions. /eing able to apply pedalling forces
effectively is extremely important, while correct body positioning is crucial
for successful performance and in0ury prevention. This article considers
some variables of rider positioning and e#uipment set up that are important
to all cyclists.
Saddle height in cycling
2hanging the saddle height alters a number of variables in cycling including
0oint angles, muscle lengths and the force output muscles can produce.
3esearch has reported the optimal seat height &seated in an upright position'
to produce the most power output is 4567 of leg length &figure 4'. This
height is considered most efficient for track sprint cyclists who have to
produce extremely high power outputs for very short periods. ! 47
difference in saddle height in either direction % from 4567 of leg length %
would produce approximately 47 less power.
Moderate intensity cycling / steady state conditions
$n moderate intensity cycling, which is performed under steady state
conditions, a saddle height between 4587 and 4597 of leg length re#uires
the lowest oxygen consumption. /y using lower oxygen consumption for the
same power output means an increased efficiency, which is important for
touring and endurance cyclists who have to ride for long periods.
:rom The "hysiology and /iomechanics of 2ycling
$n terms of performance, a saddle height of 4567 of leg length is often
referred to as the ;maximum saddle height; and is recommended for short%
term power output, whereas a saddle height of 458%4597 is known as the
;optimum saddle height;, regarded as most efficient for events of lower
intensity and longer duration.
The saddle height also affects the activity of the muscles in the leg. !s
saddle height decreases the amount of muscle activity in the #uadriceps and
hamstring muscle groups increases. ! greater saddle height allows cyclists
to pedal with greater ease especially at high workloads.
Crank length in cycling
2rank length is another variable that contributes to force production. !
change in crank length can alter the distance between the saddle and the
pedal but with different conse#uences. $ncreasing the length of the crank
allows for greater tor#ue production &force of the pedal rotating' and
decreasing the length of the crank would increase the amount of muscular
tension involved in force production, which could lead to earlier fatigue.
<either of these occur if you 0ust raise or lower the saddle height.
There are limitations on the length of the crank with longer cranks assisting
in hill climbing while shorter ones are best suited to track events. The crank
length must however allow the pedal to clear the ground when cornering and
must not interfere with steering of the front wheel and must therefore be
short enough for these circumstances.
2rank lengths can also affect the comfort of the cyclist. $f cranks are too
long the hips and knees may have to flex &bend' too much at top dead centre
&T=2' position &highest point of the pedal' and can cause great discomfort.
)hen changing crank length, the saddle%to%pedal distance must be altered
correspondingly to maintain the same effective saddle height. *ince 0oint
and connective tissue in0uries have been associated with over%long cranks it
is recommended caution is needed when experimenting with crank lengths.
Seat tube angle in cycling
The positive interaction between the cyclist and bicycle re#uired to
maximise cycling performance is dependent on the design of the bicycle.
The seat tube angle &*T!' between the top tube and the seat tube &see figure
>' is important since it determines the rider;s comfort level.
The *T!s cyclists use changes depending on the competition. 2ompetitive
road cyclists claim that *T!s between 9>? and 9@? are most effective for
optimal performance, while competitive triathletes often ride with steeper
*T!s of 9@%9A?. ! steeper *T! allows a rider;s body weight to be
positioned further forward over the crank with triathletes believing this
allows for greater comfort, efficiency and power production when using
aerodynamic handlebars. There however may be advantages gained from
selecting a bicycle with an *T! best suited to the chosen terrain.
3esearchers examining the effects of *T! during moderate intensity cycling
have reported more oxygen is used at shallower *T!s &B9@?', compared to
steeper *T!s &C9@?' making performance easier when using a steeper *T!
&C9@?'.
Standard recommendation for cyclists
The standard recommendation for cyclists on *T! has been to select an
angle that will result in the kneecap of the forward leg being directly over
the pedal axle when the cranks are horizontal. !lthough not in the scientific
research, it is believed that this position provides for even weight
distribution.
Saddle fore-aft position
The fore%aft position refers to the location of the rear of the saddle behind a
vertical line drawn to the centre of the crank axle &point of crank
attachment'. The saddle is positioned to allow a plumb%line dropped from
the patella to bisect the pedal axle when the crank is in the horizontal
forward position. This enables the hip and knee extensor and flexor muscles
to be fully utilised, which minimises strain on the knee 0ointD any change in
the fore%aft position of the saddle will change the 0oint angles.
The position of the knee over the pedal axle should be regarded as the
starting point from which minor ad0ustments can be made. ! saddle
positioned too far forward will decrease the knee angle at T=2 and threfore
increase the activity of the #uadriceps to extend the knee, raising the risk of
in0uries. 2onversely, a saddle positioned too far backward reduces the
effective working of the hamstrings, gluteus maximus and gastrocnemius
muscles.
Triathletes and time trialists
Triathletes and time trialists have experimented with the position of the
saddle, with many adopting an extreme forward posture combined with
;maximum saddle height; with the aim to reduce air resistance while
maximising power output. :or safety reasons, such extreme positions are
confined to time trial and track events only.
Shoe-pedal interface
Ene of the main reasons why cyclists obtain knee in0uries is due to the
connection of the foot with the pedal. $t is accepted that the use of cleated
&wedged' cycling shoes on pedals with toe clips or the more recent clipless
pedal system allows a better knee alignment and greater power to be
produced compared against regular sport shoes.
Toe clips are also used to enhance performance by enhancing efficiency
early in the pedalling cycle. However the introduction of clipless pedals has
made in0uries associated with incorrect positioning and alignment of the foot
more evident as fixing the cyclists foot to a pedal during cycling places
stress on the knee during pedalling. !s a result, a pedal system was designed
to provide ;float; % a rotational allowance of the shoe in relation to the pedal.
"lacing the ball of the foot directly over the pedal helps to decrease stresses
across the knee ligaments and is the most efficient cycling position. ! more
forward foot position, with the pedal either in the arch of the foot or under
the heel, increases hip extensor and flexor activity but does not allow the full
range of ankle motion needed for effective force production.
*ome cyclists prefer to mount the cleats on their cycling shoes in such a way
that the ball of the foot is slightly in front of or behind the pedal axle. )hen
the ball of the foot is ahead of the axle, the effective lever arm from the
ankle to the pedal axle is shortened, re#uiring less force to stabilise the foot
on the pedal and putting less strain on the !chilles tendon and
gastrocnemius. Triathletes and time trial specialists favour this position as it
allows them to produce more force when using large gears, even though it
limits their ability to pedal at high cadences.
"ositioning the ball of the foot behind the pedal axle effectively lengthens
the lever arm from the ankle to the pedal axle, making it more difficult for
the foot to act as a rigid lever, and the !chilles tendon and gastrocnemius
have to work harder to stabilise the foot on the pedal. Track cyclists favour
this position since it allows them to pedal at higher cadences during fixed
gear events.
Upper body position in cycling
The handlebar design popular in triathlons and time trials was developed to
improve the aerodynamics of cyclists by allowing them to adopt a ;tuck;
position similar to that used in downhill skiing. !n aero handlebar with
elbow rests allows the rider to adopt a position with a flatter back and
reduced frontal area. 1ltimately, the flexibility of the cyclist may determine
the most comfortable position on the bicycle
Optimum power output in cycling
To achieve optimum power output and avoid in0ury it is important that
cyclists are positioned correctly and the bicycle is set up properly. *addle
height, crank length, seat tube angle, saddle fore%aft position, shoe%pedal
interface and upper body position are all factors to be considered to improve
cycling performance and reduce in0ury.