Physics of Mountain Biking

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Recommended: Physics in cycling

Mountain biking is enjoyed by millions of people throughout the year, and is attracting more and more people everyday. Physics plays a vital role in this sport and without it, mountain biking would have no challenges and would cease to exist. The concept of mountain biking is simple. Just take your primitive bike riding skills, and ride trails found off the beaten path. From this notion of riding a bike, an Olympic sport has evolved and many people have found meaning and joy in their lives.

m = mass of bike and rider

g = gravitational force

A= acceleration

mu = kinetic friction coefficient

· Inertial Forces = m *A

· Frictional Force = mu * m * g * cos(theta)

· Gravitational Force = m * g * sin(theta)

Gravity is the force that holds the bike to the ground and causes riding up hills challenging and riding down them easy. While gravity is acting straight down on the mountain biker, a normal force is exerted on the biker that opposes gravity. While a bicyclist pedals or rides down a hill, he or she encounters an acceleration, and this is due to either gravity or the potential energy stored in the biker’s muscles. When accelerating from rest, inertia is the biggest force encountered. But once the biker gains momentum, this force is no longer the main opposing force. The mass of a mountain biker is dependent upon the weight of the bike and of the individual. This mass can be easily calculated by multiplying the combined weight of the bike and its rider in kilograms by the gravitational force exerted by the earth. These forces and more are discussed throughout the rest of this web page.

Gravity affects every aspect of our lives, and it plays a big role in mountain biking, especially when it come to hills. Whenever you pe...

... middle of paper ...

...s the affect of air resistance.

Wind Resistance can add to air resistance if traveling against the wind, but it can also aid a biker in fighting air resistance, if we happen to be traveling in the direction of the wind. (Which seems to never happen!)

The Boyertown Institute of Science. Bikeway, 1999. Retrieved April 2, 2003 from World Wide Web:

< http://www.members.aol.com/datasam/BIS/page1.htm>

Kyle Heenk, The Physics of Cycling, 1998. Retrieved April 2, 2003 from World Wide Web:

The Physics of Bicycling, Date Unknown. Retrieved March 28, 2003 from World

Wide Web:

< http://www.physicsofbicycling.homestead.com/index.html >

Rolling Resistance, Date Unknown. Retrieved March 28, 2003 from World

Wide Web:

< http://www.softride.com/rollingresistance.html >

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