|
The Physics of Winter Biking |
|
Wheel Size Suspension Brakes Helmet Color Bibliography |
Frontal suspension of a bicycle has advantages and drawbacks, but for most situations other than trailbiking, it is likely to be undesirable.
The reason for this is simple. The force you apply to accelerate your bicycle is applied downwards onto the pedals, which use the gears and chain to translate this into torque on the wheel. The frame also distirubutes the force into the wheels, downwards into the ground. If the frame is rigid, the ground will provide a normal force and the frame will stay in the same vertical position, meaning all the force goes into accelerating the pedals, which accelerate the gears and the wheel. Frontal suspension will allow the frame to give, absorbing some of the downwards force from your feet. Therefore, the same amount of energy put out will not yield as much acceleration from the bicycle. This is particularly true near the foot of a hill, if the slope is increasing. In this case, not only will the suspension absorb downwards force, but forward force as well, causing it to restrict the acceleration at two different points in the system. Frontal suspension can cripple you on a hill. I do not recommend it outside of trail biking. |