Everything begins with the cyclist

Without a cyclist, your cycle is going nowhere. But with one, it can go long distances and climb mountainous peaks. You can race or trek, by yourself or with companions. The only thing you need to get everything rolling is apply force to the pedal.

In this section we begin the process of tracing what makes a cycle move, tracing a path from from the cyclists shoes to the pedals to the chain to the rear wheel and finally to a forward force to the road.

The absurdity of pedaling

Have you ever thought about how fundamentally strange the pedaling process is? Your goal is to be moving at speeds approaching  40 mph plus on descents, and over 20 mph on flats. Yet, are your feet moving at anything close to those speeds?

For that matter, do your feet actually go any where except in a circle. Think about your pedaling motion. They move in circles, moving forward, downward, backwards, and upwards. Many times per minute, your feet return to where they started. And yet, when everything is done, it is this circular motion that generates the power that moves you forward.

Next Topic:   Pedaling Force