| Home | Introduction |
Aerodynamics | Materials of Bikes |
Gearing &
Drivetrain |
Bibliography |
Power & Energy in the sport of Cycling:
Lance Armstrong exerting large amounts of energy to create motion to win the Tour de France
Photo Courtesy of http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com
In the sport of cycling, the main source of energy comes from the cyclist themselves; in this section, we'll be focusing on the system of the bike and how energy is conserved in this system.
In this system surrounding the bike, there are a few variables that affect the efficiency of this system include:
1) Mechanical Drag caused by friction in the drivetrain system of the bike
2) Friction or rolling resistance caused by the tires rolling over the ground
3) Aerodynamics or wind resistance, one of the biggest limiting factors in the amount of energy actually goes toward motion
A general breakdown of how much power is needed to overcome the following forms of resistance
Photo Courtesy of Cervelo.com
Previous Page < > Next Page