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.
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.
Note: This is a blog post for Cameron's Sports blog. Upon your approval, it will be posted.
