Cycling, Measurements Of
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 for "human-powered machines." The development of the pneumatic tire helped turn cycling into an immensely popular activity in the late nineteenth century.
The earliest bicycles were "high-wheelers," or bikes with a huge wheel in front and a small wheel in back. These bikes did not have gears or even chains; pedals were connected directly to the bike's front wheel.
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