Oof bycocles

of Bicycles

Ruvim Kerimov & Brett Nippard

Physics 30 Mr. Christoffel Due: Friday, October 4, 2013 Submitted: Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Physics of Bicycles Brett Nippard and Ruvim Kerimov Physics 30 Due: Friday, October 11, 2013 Submitted: October 11, 2013 Physics Of Bicycles Most people have ridden a bicycle one time or another in their lifetime. It took everybody some time to get the bike to balance and not fall over on them, but once you discovered the proper movement and motions of your body, bike rides became second nature. Just like anything we do in life, physics are grounded into the foundation of why it happens the way it happens. When we ride a bicycle, so much goes on but we dont even give a hint of attention to the real phenomena that happens. Through thorough research and an interview with an expert in the subject of bicycles, we found answers to our questions on why bicycles behave the way they behave. Our names are Brett Nippard and Ruvim Kerimov from Regina, Saskatchewan. We were curious as to how a bicycle functions, such as the advantages or disadvantages of different brakes, how the suspension affects a bicycles energy, how the angle of the frame can be a factor in the bicycles speed and momentum, how fast a bicycle can go and whether a bicycle can be ridden on a treadmill or not. To obtain the information needed, we researched various pieces of literature on the subject of motion and we interviewed the ever knowledgeable Lawrence Vandelinden, president of local bicycle shop Dutch Cycle. We were interested of the physics behind the bicycle and how it works to maintain the right balance without falling off. With its two narrow wheels providing the sole base of support, a bicycle should tip over quite easily. Indeed, a stationary bicycle is very unstable and difficult to balance. However, it is much easier to balance

on a moving bicycle in fact, the faster you go, the more stable the bicycle seems. As we took a deeper look for our explanations, we recognized that there is science behind it, and that physics plays a big role. We explained why it is possible to ride a bike without falling off. People balance on bicycles the same way they walk. The natural process of steering right on a bicycle is almost mechanically identical to the action of stepping to the right when you're walking. If youre walking forward and someone on your left pushes you to the right, your next step would be forwarded to the right. You prevent falling to the right by stepping to the right. The act of balance is the same for walking and biking. But trying to find the right balance on a bike takes some practice. The interesting fact is how the bike stands upright. When riding a bike and going in a straight line science has taken its place. If we take a closer look at the mechanics and the secret why the bike doesnt fall, it is that the bike is falling to the right, steering to the right, falling to the left, steering to the left and its continuation. While riding the bike, we dont realize what is happening because our body automatically corrects our mistakes to keep it upright. To keep the bike upright, the wheels have to be under the bikes center of mass. Two theories tell why it is possible that the bike doesnt fall. One is the gyroscope effect and the other is the caster effect. The gyroscopic effect states that while the front wheel of the bicycle is spinning forward quickly enough and by leaning the bike to the right, the result is applied like the torque. This moves the steering bar to the right which brings the wheels back under the bicycle and holds it up. The caster effect is a self- aligning effect to keep the steering straight. As the front wheel of the bicycle touches the ground and its direction changes and is going forward, the wheel will tend to follow and bring it back under the rider.

We asked about the difference of rim (cable) brakes as opposed to disc brakes. Mr. Vandelinden explained that the stopping power of rim brakes is extremely affected by wet road conditions, where the disc brake continues to work at maximum efficiency even when water comes into play. He recommended Dot 4 brake fluid for hydraulic disc brakes for even greater stopping and better performance. Through research, we could tell that mechanical disc brakes are found in almost every bike. Cables offer certain advantages over hydraulic systems, including simpler installation and adjustment, lighter weight and are less expensive than hydraulic lines. The drawback is a cable stretch, which reduces braking power, and forces more frequent adjustment. Cables are also susceptible to rust and dirt that are harmful for the braking system. Hydraulic discs contain special hydraulic fluid in order to operate the brakes. When the lever is activated, a plunger pushes the fluid through the hoses and into the caliper where the pads are pushed onto the rotor, stopping the bike. The advantage is that hydraulic systems are sealed so that water and dirt can't damage the brakes, and there is also better performance when braking. The disadvanges are the small air bubble or leak in hydraulic discs can cause a loss of power or complete failure. Therefore they require frequent inspection to have the best performance. While suspension speaks for itself for why it is important with any vehicle, we wanted to go more in depth and know when it is or isnt used for bicycles. Mr. Vandelinden said that the suspension is useful in the case of cushioning the ride, soaking up shock, comforting the ride and improving downhill speed. Even though it is a comfortable ride, it is a burden to have while going uphill as it adds weight to the bicycle. However, it is ideal for downhill biking or high speed biking. This is where our question on locking-out suspension

came into play. Without it, the suspensions would absorb the energy from the rider. While the locks add more weight to the bike, they improve the climb of a bike going up an incline. Our next question for Mr. Vandelinden was on how the angle of the frame can affect the bicycles ride, responsiveness and speed. Most standard bicycles have a head tube angle (the angle that affects the bicycle's stability) of 71.5-74.5. A bicycle at this angle is neutral, but there are other bicycles with steeper angles. A downhill bike has an angle around 65 or less. These steeper angles provide for a stiffer chassis, but more responsive and sensitive control and handling. Bicycles with longer frames are also stiff, but much faster than those with shorter frames. Much like a car or any vehicle, gears on a bicycle are quite similar in most ways. Each gear and sprocket provide for a given distance per rotation and has been used for a very long time for bicycles. Switching the bigger gears from the front to the back also provide a difference in difficulty in pedaling. Two more specific questions that we asked Mr. Vandelinden were if a bicycle could be ridden while on a treadmill and what would be the fastest possible speed a bicycle could attain. The answer we were given to the first question was yes. While he hadnt attempted riding a bicycle on a treadmill, he showed us a device on which you can ride a bicycle in place. This device was similar to how a bicycle would react on a treadmill where you need to find a balanced speed that will keep the bicycle balanced on the rotators. The answer to our second question was that a bicycle has been ridden at close to 110 mp/h or 177 km/h. While this bike was tested under conditions in its favor (a vehicle ahead to

block the wind in order for the bike rider to lose friction to gain more speed), it is amazing that something powered by man-made energy can go that fast. Through our interview for our research, we learned many answers to our questions. We learned a lot about how bicycles function, but there are so much that goes on and so much to know before you can even consider yourself an expert in the field. The biggest question we asked ourselves from the outset was how and why bicycles can stay upright and balance? There are so many factors to why this is and it astounded us. A bicycle will stay upright due to the center of mass being above the front wheel, the leaning of the rider, the mass distribution (how much weight is on each side), the gravitational force, the speed, the acceleration, the turn radius and counter steering. Next time you go riding a bicycle, think to yourself about how much science is involved in what you are doing. It is not merely a mode of transportation from point A to point B; but is truly a physics phenomenon. From how to stop the bicycle, to how to balance it, to why the angle of the frame is important, it is truly interesting. We appreciate the help of Lawrence Vandeven for the time he took to let us interview him and to fill our minds with knowledge and for hands on demonstrations of a bicycles functions. Not only is a bicycle a great way to exercise, it is a perfect illustration of motion and it is useful to have a basic understanding of how it works. We now know exactly how much is involved with the physics of bicycles and only aspire to learn more about other forms of motion we experience in our lifetimes.