The neighborhood kids riding their bicycles up and down the streets on a summer afternoon are not likely to be thinking about science as they feel the warm air against their faces or struggle to pedal up a hill. But in today's highly competitive sports environment, world-class racing bicyclists have to be part-time scientists, interested in the role mathematics, physics, and engineering play in improving the design of wheels, gears, frames, and other parts of a bicycle. They also need to understand the aerodynamics of cycling. Comprehension of these variables provides information that can help them shave valuable seconds off their time in a race and gain an edge over other competitors.

Wheels and Tires

Wheels have come a long way since the ancient Mesopotamians invented them around 3500 B.C.E. It was not until the Industrial Revolution that the wheel was made useful...