#!markdown
There should be agreement on the quantitative aspects, and my guess is that
this stuff would not cut it. It doesn't seem serious to me. Passionate though.
If accurate graphs for different bikes were available, I think it would be a
decent start to rationally understanding the implications of design to the
rider. I can see a big role for engineers, but it's really down to how designs
are interpreted by different types of riders. Riding a bike is an interesting
design problem as I see it because it's the interaction between a machine and
an active human that forms the functional unit. Engineers should be able to
effectively apply the physics and mechanics to the bike, but how well do they
really understand the load capacities of riders' arms, legs and their dynamic
ranges of extension and compression? My guess is that we're in the place we
are now through empirical trial and error with little consideration for those
things. It's not the quickest route from point A to point B, but it does work.
On the other hand, it does seem that there has been some rational application
of using drive train forces to counter changes to the centre of mass during
acceleration. The marketing suggests so at least.
Maybe I'm wrong there. You interact with designers periodically I imagine and
they talk about aspects they considered in design. Do they factor in the human
component?
May 13, 2016, 12:32 p.m. - Nat Brown
#!markdown There should be agreement on the quantitative aspects, and my guess is that this stuff would not cut it. It doesn't seem serious to me. Passionate though. If accurate graphs for different bikes were available, I think it would be a decent start to rationally understanding the implications of design to the rider. I can see a big role for engineers, but it's really down to how designs are interpreted by different types of riders. Riding a bike is an interesting design problem as I see it because it's the interaction between a machine and an active human that forms the functional unit. Engineers should be able to effectively apply the physics and mechanics to the bike, but how well do they really understand the load capacities of riders' arms, legs and their dynamic ranges of extension and compression? My guess is that we're in the place we are now through empirical trial and error with little consideration for those things. It's not the quickest route from point A to point B, but it does work. On the other hand, it does seem that there has been some rational application of using drive train forces to counter changes to the centre of mass during acceleration. The marketing suggests so at least. Maybe I'm wrong there. You interact with designers periodically I imagine and they talk about aspects they considered in design. Do they factor in the human component?