Pergamon

J. Biomechanics, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 3655375. 1995 Copyright 0 1995 Ekvicr Science Ltd

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0021-9290/95

0021-9290(94)00102-2

THE EFFECT OF RIDER WEIGHT ON RIDER-INDUCED LOADS DURING COMMON CYCLING SITUATIONS
Cal Stone* and M. L. Hull?
*Hewlett-Packard, Rohnert Park, California, U.S.A.; and TDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A.

Abstract-Motivated bythedesire provide to information useful thedesign in analysis bicycle of frames, the hypothesis tested that a simple was linearmodel wouldrelate maximum the magnitudes rider-induced of loads riderweight. to Rider-induced areloads loads developed a result weight muscular as of and actions during pedalling. test this hypothesis, ridersspanning wide weightrangerode a bicycle To five a unrestrained a treadmill. on Dynamometers measured componentspedal six of loads fivecomponents and
of both seat and handlebar loads while riders rode three common cycling situations - seated cruising, seated climbing, and standing climbing. Average, average maximum, average and minimum values were component has been shown previously to dominate frame stressat the point most likely to fatigue (Hull and Bolourchi, 1988, .I. Strain. Anal. 23, 105-l 14), the results of this study should be useful in designing frames optimized for minimum weight and acceptable structural reliability.

computed allloadcomponents each analyzed for and was statistically. allthree cases, regression For test the slope significant theforcecomponent was for normal thepedal to surface. Because normal the pedal force

INTRODUCTION

To designa structure which must reliably carry loads usingtechniques engineering of analysis,information regarding the loading to which the structure is subjected is necessary. While this may seem obvious,only recently has such information becomeavailable for bicycle frameand/or componentdesign.Perhapsthis is becausequantifying the loading on bicycles is complex.The complexity arises part because the in of different sourcesavailable to generate loads. One sourceis the rider who developsloadsas a result of both the muscularaction associated with pedalling and his static weight. Theseloads are termed riderinduced.Another sourceis any surfaceirregularities over which a bicycle might travel. Termed surfaceinducedloads,theseinclude inertial loadsdeveloped as a result of accelerations. final sourceof loadsis A the control actionsof the rider suchaseither steering or braking. Concentratingon rider-inducedloads,addedcomplexity arises becausethe rider both contacts the bicycle at multiple points and participatesin a variety of cycling situationswhich introduce additional variables.Among these additional variablesarethe riding posture (i.e. seatedversusstanding), pedalling rate, and averagepower output. Because these variables assume broad spectrumof valuesduring a typical a cycling outing, the rider-inducedloadsare influenced dramatically depending on values assumed any components. However, no previous study has investigat given time. ated the effect of this type of variability on riderPrevious research determiningrider-inducedloads inducedloads. hasinvestigatedloadsat various contact points and The purposeof the research reportedby this article wasto test the hypothesis that a direct relation exists between rider weight and corresponding rider-inReceived in final form 18 July 1994. duced loads.Because rider-inducedloadsare fundaAddress correspondenceProfessor L. Hull. all to M.
365

cycling situations. Becauseof their utility in biomechanicalanalyses, pedal loads in the seatedposition have beenmeasured mostfrequently. Early studies measured driving pedal loads(e.g. Daly and the Cavanagh, 1976)while later studiesmeasured six all load components(e.g.,Davis and Hull, 1981a).Expandingthe numberof contact points, Bolourchi and Hull (1985) measuredloads at both the seat and handlebars addition to the pedal.Extending measin urements into cycling while standingwasthe work of both Sodenand Adeyefa(1979),who measured pedal loadsandestimated handlebarloadsfrom equilibrium considerations, Stoneand Hull (19931, measand who ured multiple load components both rider contact at points. Not only is quantifying rider-inducedloads complicated by the various situationsin which any given rider might participate, but also it is complicatedby the variability inherent in the riders themselves. Among the types of variability which havebeenshownto affect rider-inducedloads,particularly at the pedals, are differencesin lower limb anatomy (Ruby ef al., 1992)and differences muscularcoordination (van in Ingen Schenauet al., 1990).However, thesetypes of variability are probably of lesser importancethan the weight of the rider since,for equivalent speedand pedallingrate,larger,heavierriderswould beexpected to generate morepower (Pavish,1988)with concomitant increases pedal loads, especiallythe driving in

366

C. Stone and M. L. Hull ometers (Hull and Davis, 1981). The absolute pedal angle Qp (Fig. 1) was computed from both the crank and pedal potentiometers. Handlebar loads were measured using a previously reported five-load component handlebar dynamometer (Stone and Hull, 1993). Using strain gages and cantilever beam principles, the dynamometer measured the two force-moment combinations, HFx/HMz and HFz/HMx, as well as the torsional moment HMy (Fig. 2). Like the handlebar dynamometer, the seatpost dynamometer was instrumented based on cantilever beam principles to measure five loads. Independent pairs of half-bridges sensed each of the two forceemoment combinations SFx/SMy and SFy/SMx (Fig 3). The two gages in each half bridge were mounted 180 opposed and located on the neutral axis of bending created by the other force/moment combination, hence minimizing cross-sensitivity (Beckwith et al.. 1982). The axial force SFz was measured by a full

mentally different depending on the cycling situation, it was desirable to test the hypothesis during common cycling situations. The specific objectives were: (1) to develop the instrumentation to measure rider-induced loads at the three rider contact points; (2) to experimentally measure the rider-induced loads during the different cycling situations; and (3) to test the hypothesis using statistical analysis techniques.

METHODS

Pedal loads were measured using the six-load component pedal dynamometer developed by Hull and Davis (1981). The pedal measured three force components (PFx, PFy, PFz) and three moment components (PMx, PMy, PMz) by means of foil strain gage and octagonal strain ring technology (Fig. 1). The crank angle BCand relative pedal-to crank angle were measured using continuous rotation potenti-

-f-DC (8, = 0)

Parallel to Riding Surface

\ --\

Fig. 1. Pedal dynamometer local coordinate system.The origin is at the center of the top surface of the pedal dynamometer. The plane formed by x,, and zp is parallel to the plane of the bicycle frame. y, is mutually perpendicular to X~ and zV 0, is measured positive from a line normal to the riding surface and clockwise when viewed from the chainring side of the bicycle. 0, is measured positive from the plane parallel to the riding surface and clockwise when viewed from the chainring side of the bicycle.

Effect of rider weight

361

Yh

Handlebar
zh Brake Hood

Fig. 2. Handlebar dynamometer local coordinate system.The origin lies at the center of the brakehood. x,, is parallel to the plane of the bicycle frame and q, is normal to the riding surface. y, is mutually perpendicular to x,, and q,.

bridge. The full bridge was realized by interconnecting four gages from two 90 strain rosettes mounted 180 opposed with gages oriented both along and perpendicular to the seat post axis.

Eachdynamometerwascalibratedusingthe apparatus and procedure describedpreviously (Hull and

Davis, 1981) then subjected an accuracycheck. and to The accuracycheckinvolved applying variouscombinationsof actual loads,computingthe apparentloads through the calibration, and then determiningdifferences. sufficientnumberof different load combinaA tions was applied to enablethe computation of root meansquared errors (RMSEs)for eachload component (Table 1).

Transducer data were recorded from five experienced cyclists (Table 2) who rode a racing bicycle (Model 1500,Trek, Waterloo, WI) adjustedto fit as closely as possibletheir own bicycle. Tire pressures were maintained at 690kPa (100psi). Cyclists used standard cleatswith toeclips and gripped the brake hoods.Notice that the weights the cyclistscovereda of broad range(547-894N) asdesired the hypothesis for tests. Each of the five cyclistsparticipatedin three separate laboratory experiments. experiments The included the commoncyclingsituationsin which a cyclist might participate during the course of a typical ride. To enable a realistic simulation of standing cycling,

368

C. Stone and

M. L. Hull

Riding Surface Fig. 3. Seatpost dynamometer local coordinate system.The origin lies at the intersection of the seatpost axis and the surface of the seat. The x, and Z, axes lie in the plane of the bicycle frame with the z, axis being directed along the seat tube. The yE axis is mutually perpendicular and positive y, points into the paper.

Table 1. RMSE

errors for each of the dynamometers Fz(N)

14.1 4.5 6.5

WN)
Pedal Seat Handlebar
6.1

FYW) 3.3

Mx(Nm)
0.3

My(Nm)
0.3 0.2

Mz(Nm)
0.5

1.3
3.3

1.6

0.1
0.2

0.1

0.1

cyclists rode all cases unrestrained on an inclined treadmill (Model 24-72, Quinton, Seattle, WA). Tread-

mill speedand grade were adjusted to require an

average power output and gear ratio was selected to require a pedalling rate which was representative of

pedalling rate = 97 RPM), CaseB (speed = 7.2 m s- , grade = 6%), = 84 RPM) and Case C - standing = 6.3 m s-l, grade = 8%, pedalling

seated climbing
pedalling rate climbing (speed rate = 73 RPM).

the following steady-rate cycling situations:Case A seated cruising (speed 10.32m s- , grade = 4%, =

The 4% grade for the seatedcruisingcasesimulated the air resistancethat would be sustainedduring
normal cycling on that terrain.

Effect of rider weight Table 2. Cyclist information Weight (NJ

541 663 716 778 894

369

Rider 1 2
3 4 5

AgeW
23 23 22 35 30

Height (m)
1.69 1.72 1.83 1.88 1.83

Average riding distance per week (km)

525 240 325 200 200

Skill level Cat. Cat. Cat. Cat. Cat. 2 4 2 4 3 Racer Racer Racer Racer Racer

Once a subject was comfortable and steady on the treadmill, the data collection process commenced. All analog signals were converted to digital form using a 12 bit A/D converter and a sampling rate of 200 Hz/channel. Signals were sampled in a burst mode so that the time delay between successive samples in a single burst was 20 ps. The total time of sampling was 5 s allowing a minimum of six full cycles of data to be collected at the specified pedalling rates. Both before and after data collection, dynamometer signal offsets under zero load were recorded. Recorded data were processed according to the following operations and calculations: l remove the average static offsets of the dynamometers; l calculate the dynamometer loads using the calibration information; l digitally filter calculated dynamometer loads; l compute the instantaneous power output over all cycles of data; l from the individual cycles of loads, instantaneous power, and pedal angle compute the mean values, the average maximum and minimum values, and the average phase angle corresponding to the maximum and minimum values; l for a particular subject, compute an average cycle of data for all individual loads, the pedal angle, and the power output. In addition to the above operations, special software previously described in Newmiller et al. (1988) converted raw potentiometer data to degree increments, and computed the crankarm angular velocity using a finite difference technique. Also, dynamometer load and crankarm angular velocity data were digitally filtered using a zero phase shift, fourth-order Butterworth filter. To minimize high-frequency content and retain the features of the actual data, cut-off frequencies of 15 and 5 Hz were selected for filtering the dynamometer load data and crankarm angular velocity data, respectively. A linear regression analysis was performed whereby the regression coefficients were tested against the null hypothesis, and the R2 values were computed. For all hypothesis tests, the level of significance for rejecting the null hypothesis was 0.05. The independent variable was the riders weight and the dependent variables were the calculated mean. average maximum, and

average minimum values of both the individual and the power output.
RESULTS

loads

To gain a qualitative appreciation for the effects of rider weight on the rider-induced loads, the first results to be presented are the average load component profiles for three subjects at each of the rider contact points for a single cycling case (i.e. seated climbing). The data of only three rather than all five subjects were included since including the data from all five obscured features of the plots. All three pedal forces developed their largest magnitudes during the downstroke region of the crank cycle (O-180). However, only the magnitudes of peak values for the driving components (PFx and PFz) appeared to be influenced by the rider weight; maximum magnitudes increased with increasing weight (Fig. 4). The pattern of PMy (Fig. 5) nearly duplicated the pattern of the corresponding negative PFx (Fig. 4). This characteristic of the pedal loads has been observed and explained previously (Hull and Davis, 1981). Because of the relation between PFx and PMy, the presence of weight effects observed for PFx in the downstroke was also observed for PMy. The remaining pedal moments PMx and PMz (Fig. 5) did not correlate to any of the pedal forces so that neither load was consistently influenced by rider weight. The handlebar forces exhibited a distinct two-cycle for each crank cycle and were strongly correlated to one another (Fig. 6). These characteristics have been explained previously (Bolourchi and Hull, 1985). Notwithstanding the strong correlation, only the extreme positive excursion of HFx (2nd peak) increased consistently with rider weight. Similar to the handlebar forces, the handlebar moments exhibited the two-cycle behavior for each crank cycle and the moments HMx and HMz were strongly correlated to each other (Fig. 7). Despite the strong correlation, only the extreme negative values of HMx appeared to be consistently influenced by weight. The handlebar moment HMy did not correlate strongly with the other two moments particularly in the standing position and peak values were not weight dependent.

370
160 140 120 100 & K h 6o 60 40 -Rider2

C.

Stone

and

M. L. Hull

F0 z iz

-1

20 0 -20 40 0 45 90 135 160 225 270 315 360

-2

I 45 90 135 180 226 I 2iO

Rider4 I 316

: /

360

Crank
60 60

Angle

(deg)

Crank

Angle

(deg)

40
20

%
r % -20 40 40

I 40 -3 -100 ,' -120 0 45 so 135 180 225 270 315 360 4 0 -_45 90 135 I

-Rider I 160 -Rider2 Rider I 225

\ \ \

270

315

360

Crank

Angle

(deg)
4

Crank

Angle

(deg)

-Rider -Rider2 Rider

Rider Rider

2 4

4 -5 4

1
0

I
45

I
90

I
135

I
160 225

k-
270 315

1
360

45

so

135

160

226

270

315

360

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Fig. 4. Average pedal force profiles for seated climbing (84 RPM pedalling rate, 6% grade, 7.2 m s- speed). Because the seat supports a large portion of the riders weight, both force components in the plane of the bicycle (SFx and SFz) were related consistently to rider weight. Absolute average values as well as maximum magnitudes both increased with increasing weight (Fig. 8). Although the other seat force component (SFy) is not affected intuitively by rider weight, there was an apparent relation where the extreme negative value increased in an absolute sense. The seat moments SMx and SMy (Fig. 9) did not correlate to any of the seat forces. Only the moment SMy appeared related to rider weight with the average value decreasing as weight increased. Instantaneous power output profiles (Fig. 10) were derived from the contributions of the normal and tangential pedal forces to the crank torque in conjunc-

Fig. 5. Average pedal moment profiles for seated climbing (84 RPM pedalling rate, 6% grade, 7.2 m s speed), tion with the crank angular velocity. Profiles indicated maximum values which were directly related to rider weight. The results of the regression analyses on each of the three quantities computed for each of the load components for the three cycling cases are summarized ir Table 3. With the exception of PFz and PFx in Cases B, (seated climbing) and C (standing climbing), respectively, data in this table are limited only to those load components and quantities where the null hypothesis that the slope was not significantly different from zero was rejected. Because of the importance of PFz in dictating frame stresses (Hull and Bolourchi, 1988) data for quantities associated with this load component were included for all three cycling cases.

Effect of rider weight

371

-80 0 45 90 136 180 226 270 316 360 0 45 90 136 180 226 270 316 360

Crank Angle
60

(deg)
1 0 -1

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Rider

g 2, $4 40

-2 -3

-5 4 -7 0 46 90 135 180 226 270 316 360 0 46 90 136 180 226 270 316 366

40

40

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Fig. 6. Average handlebar force profiles for seated climbing (84 RPM pedalling rate. 6% grade, 7.2 ms- speed).

The results for cycling Case B confirmed only some of the qualitative observations made from the load profile plots in Figs 4-9. From the figures, the average maximum of the tangential pedal force PFx, the average minima of the seat forces SFz and SFy, and the average of the seat moment SMy were all related with apparent consistency to weight when only the three riders were considered. However, when the data from the remaining two riders were included in the regression, a statistically significant relation was not apparent. Only a few computed quantities exhibited consistent significant linear relations for the three cycling cases. One quantity which missed this category by the smallest of margins was the average maximum magnitude of the normal pedal force PFz. For both the seated cruising and standing cases. this relation was significant and was marginally not significant only for the seated climbing case. While either significance or near significance was apparent from all three cycling cases, the values of the slopes emphasize that weight effects were case dependent. The absolute slope of the standing case was more than twice that of either of the seated cases (which had similar slopes), thus indicating a more profound influence of rider weight on maximum magnitude normal pedal forces in standing than seated. Because instantaneous power during the downstroke is dictated primarily by the normal pedal force
BM 28:4-B

1 t

I I

Rider

45

so

135

180

225

276

316

360

Crank

Angie

(deg)

Fig. 7. Average handlebar moment profiles for seated ciimbing (84 RPM pedalling rate. 6% grade. 7.2 m s speed).

(Bolourchi and Hull, 1988), it is not surprising that the average maximum power also was related significantly to weight. Here, however, the relation was significant in all three cycling cases with the largest p-value for the slope being 0.009. Not only was the average maximum value significantly related, but also the mean power was significantly related. The significant relation for mean power follows from Newtons laws (Pavish, 1988). Restricting attention to the seated cases, quantities associated with additional load components were related consistently and significantly to rider weight. These quantities included the average maximum value of the handlebar force HFx and the average minimum value of the seat force SFx.

372

C. Stone and M. L. Hull

-160 0 45 SO 13.5 160 226 270 315 360

4 0 45 SO 136 180 225 270 315 360

Crank

Angle

(deg)
6

Crank

Angle

(deg)

60

40 4 80 -60 0 46 SO 135 160 226 270 316 360 4 0 46

-RiderI

--

---*

-Rider2 Rider4

90

135

160

226

270

316

360

Crank
0 -60

Angle

(deg)

Crank

Angle

(deg)

Fig. 9. Average seatpost moment profiles for seated climbing (84 RPM pedalling rate. 6% grade, 7.2 m s- speed).

-160 8 N El -266 -260 z JO0 -360 400 0 45 so 135 190 225 270 316 360 I I I ',466 s r B P

SW 700 666 666

366 266 loo 0

I I I I

1 1

I I I

Crank

Angle

(deg)

I I I
0 45 so 136 160 226

Fig.

8. Average seatpost (84 RPM pedalling

force profiles for seated climbing rate, 6% grade, 7.2 m s- 1 speed).

r I
270 316 360

Crank

Angle

(deg)

During standing cycling, maximum magnitudes of two pedal force components, PFy and PFz, were significantly related and the maximum magnitude of the third force component, PFx, was only marginally not significantly related. The relationship mentioned earlier between the negative of PFx and PMy accounts for the significant relation observed for PMy.

Fig. 10. Average instantaneous power output profiles for seated climbing (84 RPM pedalling rate, 6% grade, 7.2 m s- speed).

DISCUSSION

To aid in the design analysis of bicycle and/or structural components, the hypothesis in this study was that peak rider-induced loads be related to rider weight for the three typical

frames tested would cycling

cases investigated. If this hypothesis were shown to be true, then load magnitudes could be obtained simply by scaling according to a riders weight. Because frames accommodate an extensive range of rider weights, knowledge of maximum rider-induced load magnitudes is important so that frame designs can be optimized for minimum weight and adequate structural reliability. The need to test the hypothesis stemmed from differences in pedalling mechanics among individuals. While a linear relation between average power and

Effect of rider weight Table 3. Regression results for the averaged load and power output quantities against rider weight for seated cruising, seated climbing, and standing climbing. (Case A: 97 RPM, 4% grade, speed = 10.3 ms-i: Case B: 84 RPM, 6% grade, speed = 7.2 ms-t; Case C: 83 RPM, 8% grade, speed = 6.3 mss.) Regression coefficients Case A Load type PFz PFz HFx SFx SFY Power Power PFz* PFz* HFx HMx SFx Power Power PFY PFz PFx* PFY PFz PMY Power Power Averaged quantity Mean Value Avg Min Value Avg Max Value Avg Min Value Avg Min Value Mean Value Avg Max Value Mean Value Avg Min Value Avg Max Value Avg Min Value Avg Min Value Mean Value Avg Max Value Mean Value Mean Value Avg Max Value Avg Min Value Avg Min Value Avg Min Value Mean Value Avg Max Value Slope - 0.31 - 0.65 0.10 - 0.39 - 0.11 0.28 1.09 - 0.26 - 0.62 0.12 - 0.01 - 0.12 - 0.32 0.27 - 0.12 - 0.35 0.68 - 0.41 - 1.45 - 0.01 0.33 1.63 Intercept 24.8 31.9 44.8 124.3 22.4 - 12.5 - 19.7 - 7.3 - 4.7 - 55.3 2.2 3.0 73.7 - 5.2 57.4 - 49.8 - 301.5 199.0 184.5 6.0 - 28.0 - 241.3 p-values Slope 0.022 0.010 0.004 0.034 0.009 0.008 0.009 0.079 0.05 1 0.039 0.029 0.046 0.050 0.009 0.012 0.001 0.05 1 0.022 0.005 0.037 0.009 0.005 Intercept 0.066 0.720 0.015 0.204 0.193 0.725 0.890 0.927 0.976 0.106 0.113 0.915 0.395 0.882 0.037 0.084 0.150 0.06 I 0.29 1 0.138 0.537 0.230
R2

373

0.864 0.920 0.954 0.822 0.926 0.93 I 0.925 0.697 0.770 0.805 0.837 0.785 0.770 0.925 0.910 0.982 0.768 0.865 0.947 0.81 I 0.924 0.948

*Does not meet the criteria for rejecting the null hypothesis. rider weight can be derived from Newtons laws, linear relations cannot be derived for any other attribute of either the power or the rider-induced loads. For example, in the case of the maximum power, it is possible for the average and the maximum to vary independently depending on pedalling mechanics. This follows because the average power Pis related to the instantaneous power P through the equation urements representative of actual cycling in these positions. Consequently, a large motorized treadmill was selected as the vehicle for the tests. The treadmill enabled cycling in the standing position without lateral restraint so that leaning of the bicycle, which has been shown to be an important characteristic of standing cycling (Hull et al., 1990), could occur. The treadmill also reproduced the equivalent inertia associated with all three cycling cases. Equivalent inertia is potentially an important factor influencing rider-induced loads although no study has yet investigated this factor. The results of the regression analyses undertaken to test the hypothesis revealed that only 19 of a possible 153 load/power quantities met the criterion for rejecting the null hypothesis at a significance level of 0.05 (Table 3). Thus, the set of loads to which rider weight scaling could be applied potentially is small. One possible reason for not observing more significant linear relations is the variability introduced by the different pedalling mechanics of the subjects. While a larger sample size may have reduced the error mean square thus increasing the number of significant linear relations detected, as will be discussed shortly the sample size used enabled the detection of the most important linear relation for bicycle design purposes. Accordingly, once this relation was detected, the need to increase the sample size was obviated. In addition, nonlinear relations between rider weight and the

where Bc is the crank angle. Since the P(0,) function depends on pedalling mechanics, there will be a direct relation between P,,, and p only if there is sufficient similarity in the P(0,) functions among subjects. Indeed, the intersubject maximum power has been shown to vary independently of the average power for different shoe/pedal connections (Davis and Hull, 1981a). This was strictly a result of changes in muscular coordination. Because intrasubject differences in coordination have been documented as mentioned in the Introduction, it was necessary to formulate and test the hypothesis that attributes of both riderinduced loads and instantaneous power were linearly related to rider weight. To test the hypothesis for cycling cases which included both the seated and standing positions, it was important that the equipment yielded loading meas-

4symmetr~
relation hcthveen

in

ioading rider urigh:

rna~

aIs0 i~ni.l

coniplicate values

lhe of

useful for alternative geometries, it would he necessar) to perform stress analyses of any alternatives using procedures similar to Hull and Bolourchi ( (9X8)

I he peal

load components nlcasul,ed .tt Ihi rider c:rrtalt point> on only one bide ~1 the hlcyclt: .Isymmetry in pedal loads has beeu well ~!ocume~;tLmd(2.g. rhly uld Cacanagh. 1976) an<1 pre\umahl) asymmetry icould he ap-

parent in handlebar loads as wcii Perhaps a larger number of significant relations would exist if both the right and left side loads on the pedals and seat were measured simultaneously and then resolved about a single point in the plane of itic frarrlc neat the rider contact point,. In thlz niann(7 the ettcL?s ofasymmetrq would be eliminated and the fuli resultant load components couid be r~aluated for \ignrficant relations to rider weight. Note that this would not he a simple task owing to the instrumentation reyulrements. Although the number ofquantities exhibiting significant linear relations to rider wclght wab limited, the results ma) still bc us&ii to dcsipn analq,sis. To appreciate this usefulness, it Is lirst necessary to understand the importance of sprc~hc loads in dictating frame stresses. Load impclrtance lo frame stress for seated cycling was explored through finite element analysis (Bolouchl and Hull. 15x8). The (maximum magnitude) normal pedal force PIa/ dominated the alternating stress at the bottom bracket, the most likely region for fatigue fai!ruc. Although only stresses for seated cycling were evaluated. I! \cems reasonable to presume that standing cycling would produce even greater detrimental effects at the bottom bracket region as a result of both no seat loads and the increased magnitude of the normal pedal load PFz (Stone and Hull, lYY3). Assuming that the maximum normal pedal force dominates the stresses at the bottom bracket region during standing cycling, the results of this study have direct usefulness in bicycle frame design. The maximum magnitude normal pedal force related linearly to rider weight for all practical purposes for all three cycling cases btudied. Thu<. using the regression equations presented herein. it become\ pobsible to estimate the maximum magnitude normal pedal force of a particular rider weight and cycling case and then relate that force to an a!ternating stress amplitude through either finite element analysis (Davis and Hull, 1981b; Delph er (il.. 1986: Hull and Rolourchi. 1988; Peterson and Londry, 1986: Soden cut I/.. 1986) or experimentai methods (Davis and Hull, 198lh: Soden et al., 1986). Although the regression equations should prove useful for design analysis of frames with the conventional double-diamond geometry, their usefulness may not extend to frames of alternative geometries. This is because only the relationship between the maximum normal pedal force and stress in a frame with this geometry has been studied to date. To determine whether the regression equations would be

1. Significant linear relations between rider weight and 19 of a possible 153 averaged load/power output quantities were found. Relations of the average minimum value (maximum magnitude) of the normal pedal force PFz and the average maximum value (maximum magnitude) of the power output were present for (virtually) all three test cases. Relations of the average maximum value of the handlebar force HFx and the average minimum value of the seat force SFx were found for both seated cycling cases. 2. The results of this study appear useful for performing a fatigue failure analysis of conventional bicycle frames subject to rider induced loads. Of all the rider induced loads, the normal pedal force PFz dominates the stress at the bottom bracket, the region most prone to fatigue failure. Since the maximum magnitude of the normal pedal force related strongly with rider weight, this relation can be used to advantage in performing stress analyses of bicycle frames designed to accommodate different weight riders.

REFERENCES

Beckwith, T. G., Buck. N. L., and Marangoni. R. D. (1982) Mechanical Measuremenrs, Third Edition. Addison Wesley, Reading. Bolourchi. F. and Hull, M. L. (1985) Measurement of rider induced loads during simulated bicycling. Inr. /. Sports Biomerh. 1, 308-329. Daly, D. J. and Cavanagh, P. R. (1976) Asymmetry in bicycle ergometer pedalling. Med. Sci. Sports 8, 204-208. Davis, R. R. and Hull, M. L. (1981a) Measurement of footpedal loads during bicycling: II. Analysis and results. J. Biomechanics 14, 874-896. Davis. R. R. and Hull. M. L. (1981b) Design of aluminum bicvcle frames. J. Mech. Des. 103. 901-907. Delpg. T., Kim, W., Flower. R. and kedcay, J. (1986) Bicycle frame stress analysis: steel vs aluminum vs titanium/CADs future in cycling. Bike Tech. 5, Special Poster Issue. Hull, M. L., Beard, A. and Varma. H. (1990) Goniometric measurement of hip position during cycling while standing. .I. Biomechanics 23, 687.-703. Hull, M. L. and Bolourchi, F. (1988) Contributions of rider induced loads to bicycle frame stresses. J. Strain Anal. 23, 105-l 14. Hull. M. L. and Davis, R. R. (198lj Measurements of footpedal loads during bicycling: I. Instrumentation. J. Biomechanics 14, 857-872. Newmiller. J., Hull, M. L. and Zajac, F. E. (1988) A mechanically decoupled two force component bicycle pedal dynamometer. J. Biomechanics 21, 375-386. Pavish, D. L. (1988) Unsaddling horsepower: a practical way to measure and test your power against the pros. Bike Tech 7, 13-16. Peterson, L. A. and Londry, K. J. (1986) Finite-element structural analysis: a new tool for bicycle frame design. Bike Tech 5, l-9.

Effect of rider weight Ruby, T., Hull, M. L., Jenkins, D. and Kirby, K. (1992) The effect of lower limb anatomy on knee joint loads during seated cycling. J. Biomechanics 25, 1195-1207. Soden, P. D. and Adeyefa, B. A. (1979) Forces applied to a bicycle during normal cycling. J. Biomechanics 12, 527-541. Soden, P. D., Millar, M. A., Adeyefa, B. A. and Wong, Y. S. (1986) Loads, stresses,and deflections in bicycle frames. J. Strain Anal. 21, 185-195.

375

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