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Mechanics in Bicycle: A Case Study

This document discusses several key components and mechanics of bicycles. It explains that bicycle frames are designed to distribute weight evenly between the front and back wheels. The document also describes how bicycle brakes use friction to slow wheels by clamping rubber shoes onto the rims. Additionally, it discusses chain drives and how they transmit power from pedaling to the rear wheel through a roller chain and sprockets. The document closes by analyzing bicycle stability and how trail and leaning into turns helps maintain balance.

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Satyam Tiwari
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526 views

Mechanics in Bicycle: A Case Study

This document discusses several key components and mechanics of bicycles. It explains that bicycle frames are designed to distribute weight evenly between the front and back wheels. The document also describes how bicycle brakes use friction to slow wheels by clamping rubber shoes onto the rims. Additionally, it discusses chain drives and how they transmit power from pedaling to the rear wheel through a roller chain and sprockets. The document closes by analyzing bicycle stability and how trail and leaning into turns helps maintain balance.

Uploaded by

Satyam Tiwari
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A Case Study

MECHANICS IN
BICYCLE
Submitted To: Submitted By:
Mr. Lalit Batra Satyam Tiwari
Bicycle physics is a broad and complex subject, perhaps
more so than one can imagine. Although the number of
components of a bicycle is small, the interaction between
them and the dynamic principles involved, is complicated.
This is especially true with regards to bicycle stability, which
is the result of a complex dynamic interaction within the
bike-rider system.
Bicycle frame
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other
components are fitted. It’s triangular shape is carefully designed to distribute your
weight. Although the saddle is positioned much nearer to the back wheel, rider lean
forward to hold the handlebars. The angled bars in the frame are designed to share
weight more or less evenly between the front and back wheels. If all weight acted
over the back wheel, and rider tried to pedal uphill, rider tip backwards; similarly, if
there were too much weight on the front wheel rider would go head over heels every
time you went downhill!

Frames aren't designed to be 100 percent rigid: that would make for a much less
comfortable ride. Virtually all bike frames flex and bend a little so they absorb some
of the shocks of riding, though other factors have much more effect on ride comfort.
It's also worth remembering that the human body is itself a remarkably efficient
suspension system; riding a mountain bike along a rough trail, you'll very quickly
become aware of how your arms can work as shock absorbers! Indeed, it can be
quite instructive to view the body as an extension of the bike's basic frame, balanced
on top of it.
How bicycle brakes work
No matter how fast you go, there comes a time when you need to stop. Brakes on a bicycle work
using friction (the rubbing force between two things that slide past one another while they're
touching). Although some bikes now have disc brakes (similar to the ones cars use), with separate
brake discs attached to the wheels, many still use traditional caliper-operated rim brakes with shoes.

When you press the brake levers, a pair of rubber shoes (sometimes called blocks) clamps onto the
metal inner rim of the front and back wheels. As the brake shoes rub tightly against the wheels, they
turn your kinetic energy (the energy you have because you're going along) into heat—which has the
effect of slowing you down. There's more about this in our main article on brakes.
How bicycle wheels work
A wheel and the axle it turns around is an example of what
scientists call a simple machine: it will multiply force or speed
depending on how you turn it. Bicycle wheels are typically
over 50cm (20 inches) in diameter, which is taller than most
car wheels. The taller the wheels, the more they multiply your
speed when you turn them at the axle. That's why racing
bicycles have the tallest wheels (typically about 70cm or 27.5
inches in diameter).
The wheels ultimately support your entire weight, but in a
very interesting way. If the wheels were solid, they'd be
squashed down (compressed) as you sat on the seat, and
pushing back up to support you. However, the wheels of most
bikes are actually formed of a strong hub, a thin rim, and
about 24 highly tensioned spokes. Bicycles have spoked
wheels, rather than solid metal wheels, to make them both
strong and lightweight, and to reduce drag.
Chain Drive

Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to
convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. the power is
conveyed by a roller chain, known as the drive chain or transmission chain passing over a sprocket
gear, with the teeth of the gear meshing with the holes in the links of the chain. The gear is turned,
and this pulls the chain putting mechanical force into the system.
Required number of chain links for desired center distance

The required number of chain links is rounded to closest even or odd number and
then the actual center distance is then determined as

C = F p [ 2 X - (z 1 + z 2 )]

Contact angle is determined as


Bicycle Physics – Stability
Bicycles are inherently stable when riding. Even riderless bicycles are stable if
given enough forward velocity. Much effort has gone into analyzing the factors
which make a bicycle stable. It has been determined that "trail" (shown below)
is often an important contributor to bicycle stability. For the traditional bicycle
design, if trail is positive, meaning the projection of the steering axis with the
ground is in front of the contact point of front wheel and ground, then the
bicycle is more stable when riding (i.e. it's less likely to fall over when riding it).
If this projection is behind the contact point (negative trail) then the bicycle is
less stable and the bicycle is more likely to fall down when riding it.
Based on the geometric parameters shown, the mathematical formula for trail is:

where Rw is the wheel radius, Ah is the head angle as shown, and Of is the rake, as shown, also
known as the fork offset.
When analyzing bicycle stability it is common to use two parameters; the lean angle and
steering angle of the bike. The lean angle is the left and right angle the bike frame makes
with a vertical plane, and the steering angle is the angle the front wheel makes with the
plane of the bike (containing the bike frame). where θ is the lean angle and α is the
steering angle.
Leaning Into A Turn

When riding a bicycle it is necessary to lean into a turn in order to compensate for the effect of
centripetal acceleration. The inward lean balances the centripetal acceleration which makes the turn
possible without falling over.

To analyze the physics behind a lean consider the following schematic.


Where:

θ is the lean angle


R is the radius of the turn measured from the center of mass G of the bike-rider system
ac is the centripetal acceleration of the center of mass G of the bike-rider system
m is the mass of the bike-rider system
g is the acceleration due to gravity, on earth, which is 9.8 m/s2
L is the distance from point G to the effective contact point P between bicycle and ground
N is the normal force between bicycle and ground
F is the friction force between bicycle and ground, in the direction of ac

Since there is no acceleration in the vertical direction the sum of the vertical forces is zero. Thus,
Apply Newton's second law in the horizontal direction:

where v is the velocity of the bicycle around the turn.

Sum the moments about point G:


(Note that we are ignoring three-
dimensional effects in this equation.
They are assumed to be negligible).

Combine the above three equations to find an expression for the


angle of lean θ. We have
References
● https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/201
9/ENU/Inventor-Help/files/GUID-A462C258-197E-43D3-A25C-0C97A7DA6039-htm.html
● https://slidemodel.com/templates/cycling-powerpoint-template/
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_drive
● https://www.explainthatstuff.com/bicycles.html
● https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1687814017739513
● https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325907970_Bicycle_Frame_Mechanics

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