Cycle Efficiency vs. Cycle Resistance

Bicycles are mechanical. They have chains and gears and pedals, which interact in the process of riding. As with all machines, when parts work together, they create heat which is lost. This friction has a net effect of reducing the amount of pedal force that is translated into rear wheel forward force.

Modeling Cycle Resistance

In this context, some of the pedal force simply does not make it in one form or another to the rear wheel. Fortunately, bicycles are highly efficient and this loss is of the order of 5% or less. It is often approximated by reducing the pedal force by a percentage.

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