Cameron Poetzscher's Sports Blog​

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Cycling
  • Running
  • Sailing

Olympic Bike Enhancements to Increase Gains

10/5/2016

15 Comments

 
Picture

The Science of Speed - Olympic Track Bikes Unveiled

​The Rio Olympics track cycling revealed a lot about developments in the science of speed. Riding in a velodrome is unique. It is indoors, so there are no abnormal conditions to deal with, like wind or an uneven surface. This means that riders' times can be close to identical race after race. Teams pour all their effort into getting every ounce of extra speed and performance from the bike setup because of this. Materials, clothing, weight, and aerodynamics all work together in the pursuit of tiny gains. 

Paint

Prior to the Olympics, the British team announced that they had produced their most advanced aerodynamic bike to date. This included a top secret blend of resin that was extracted from Formula One racing. This was not surprising given team boss Tony Purnell was once part of the Jaguar and Red Bull F1 teams. 

Tires

​Higher pressure (220 psi) tubular tires that cause less friction on the track are a recent update to bikes. 

Frame Aerodynamics

Thousands of hours of wind tunnel testing along with rider testing and feedback go into producing the most aerodynamic and strongest frames possible. The most recent improvement is molding the handlebars and forks from one piece of carbon fiber to minimize wind resistance at the joints. 

Frame weight seems like the most obvious area to make gains, but there is a minimum weight of 6.8 kilograms (14.99 pounds) that bikes need to exceed. This is often an issue for carbon fiber bikes, where teams actually need to add weight to meet the requirements. ​

Changing Conventions

The crank and chain have always been on the right of the bike, however researchers noticed that velodrome wind resistance was strongest on the right side, so now bikes have left side cranks and chains. The US team even uses Teflon-coated aerodynamic chains. 
​

Clothing

The British team’s Adidas skin-suits were said to provide riders with a 7% performance advantage over regular materials. In a sport of tiny gains, this is a massive leap forward.

Note: This is a blog post for Cameron's Sports blog. Upon your approval, it will be posted. 
​
15 Comments
rachel kerolle
10/26/2016 07:35:02 am

Wow perfect

Reply
Austin Kline
10/26/2016 07:54:41 am

I believe that the bike enhancements are necessary and a long time coming. For speed I believe it's a major improvement and for those who are skilled better than other athletes they will have an advantage based on their ability.

Reply
Caroline Kaugher
10/26/2016 10:33:44 am

That's all just crazy!! Top secret resin blends, skin suits and Teflon coated chains! Too much for me! Very interesting though!

Reply
Mike Lee
10/26/2016 11:02:36 am

The science & tech behind these Olympic bikes blows me away! I can see why they run $13K a piece. Huge reason why GB won 6 of 11 Gold Medals in Rio. I mean Teflon-coated aerodynamic chains, who would have ever thought that would give you any advantage?!!

Reply
David WH
10/26/2016 11:20:12 am

Fascinating to see how far the technology is pushing the envelope. I never would have thought about the aerodynamic properties of the _paint_!

Reply
Tim C
10/26/2016 12:03:29 pm

It's interesting to read the science behind this. Very interesting and info informative.

Reply
HannahV
10/26/2016 01:23:42 pm

These bikes are definitely top of the line. So much power in such a streamlined piece of equipment.

Reply
Tim C
10/26/2016 02:00:16 pm

Very cool to read. Gives me a broader understanding of bikes.

Reply
c.m.
10/27/2016 07:00:43 am

The techniques and precision involved in aerodynamics are complex and staggering. We watch these athletes and know little of the science involved. It's not all about just training. It's quite fascinating.

Reply
Mona
10/27/2016 09:49:59 am

The aerodynamics are so impressive - what a feat of technology!

Reply
Connie Mastroianni
10/30/2016 10:29:30 am

just like nascar, upgrades and improvements in aerodynamics with improvements in bicycle. its amazing what they can accomplish.

Reply
Michelle
10/30/2016 01:35:30 pm

When in sports, there should be a proper gear and proper clothes. But mostly importantly, the athletes are prepared to win in any sports competition. Though, I like Adidas brand.

Reply
Sam
11/1/2016 12:08:28 am

Cycling has been an important activity and event that many people have adored and participated. The bikes have been advanced since the technology has improved dramatically. It's good to know the real science behind it.

Reply
bandona rani
11/19/2016 07:37:38 pm

WoW!! its great .

Reply
Mark Hobler
12/2/2016 01:44:18 am

Cycling is a very interesting topic. Everyone should know the fact of behind the science.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Cameron Poetzscher

    Author

    Cameron Poetzscher is a Harvard Business School graduate with extensive M&A, business strategy and operations experience.
    He is the VP of Corporate Development at Uber, and is passionate about sport.

    Categories

    All
    Cycling
    Running
    Sailing

Picture
Picture

© 2016 Cameron Poetzscher. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Cycling
  • Running
  • Sailing