Re: Science of cycling still largely mysterious

Am Thu, 22 May 2025 13:25:04 -0400 schrieb Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>:

On 5/22/2025 11:53 AM, Wolfgang Strobl wrote:

Am Wed, 21 May 2025 13:30:59 -0400 schrieb zen cycle
<funkmasterxx@hotmail.com>:
 

On 5/21/2025 10:43 AM, Wolfgang Strobl wrote:

Am Tue, 20 May 2025 11:44:29 -0400 schrieb Frank
There is one paragraph in the whole article that I wholeheartedly agree
with, it's the one at the very end
>
| That being said, the bike is a well-designed machine
| because the best machine is still the rider on top of it.
| The best shock absorber is the bent arms of the rider,

>
I take exception with that, given how a hard tail transmits impacts
directly into ones ischial tuberosities.

 
That very much depends on how you sit on a bike.

>
One of our club rides frequently crosses a long bridge (~1000 feet =
~300m) over a reservoir. The road surface of that bridge is by far the
roughest paved road I know around here, but we use it because
alternative ways around the reservoir are far out of the way.

On my personal rides I often visited Remagen, doing a descent from about
250 m down to a church slightly above the Rhine river for a good look
along the river, continuing by riding uphill again. This includes about
700 meters uphill over a a paved road broken beyond recognition.  It's
about 61 m of altitude gain over 700 m, almost 9 percent on average on
something resembling a tortoise shell with hard edges between the
plates.  I still can do it, carefully, but it was hard even when I was
able to put more weight on my knee joints.

<https://www.mystrobl.de/ws/pic/fahrrad/20250502/map_remagen.jpg> shows
a partial map of a ride done this month, the following short link shows
the specific part via Google StreetView.
 
<https://maps.app.goo.gl/xH1aw3tviczAxb7g8>

This part of one of my standard routes might be a bit harder than riding
300 m over a flat bridge.  :-)

>
I frequently do most of that stretch in a high gear and out of the
saddle, or nearly so. Similarly, when coasting a downhill on a rough
road, I often lift just a bit off the saddle. In addition to comfort, I
think it makes for a faster coasting speed.

Well, I have had many such short strips of broken roads on my rides. I
don't like it, but given no better choice, I can take it and and haven't
have had any problems with doing these either sitting, out of the saddle
or something in between.  These techniques are standard practice, AFAIK.
What I try to avoid are long stretches of rough surfaces and/or with
many potholes, because riding these ist grueling and serves no purpose,
when it comes to become and to stay fit. In addition, I like to visit
places. I'm still looking for parts of my region I haven't visited yet,
at least not by bike. I wouldn't be able to continue that on bad roads
or gravel. 

Suspension works by converting kinetic energy into heat. I have better
things to do with my strength and endurance than to produce heat.

Better (wider) tires and, as you rightly mention, some riding techniques
like sligtly going out of the saddle are good enough for me and for
where I want to ride.  Other people have other preferences. Good for
them! But as long as I have the opportunity to get around on roads I
like to ride on, I will continue doing just that.

--
Bicycle helmets are the Bach flower remedies of traffic