Examining the Science behind Bicycle Performance Bicycle Frame
Efficiency What effect does frame stiffness have on efficiency?
When you push on the pedals, the frame deflects like a spring.
This deflection absorbs energy known as strain energy. It has
long been assumed that all or most of this energy is lost. The
first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created
or destroyed. So “lost” means that the strain energy stored and
then released by the frame goes somewhere besides the drive
train. So where does this energy go? Is it really lost or can
the frame push back in such a way that the energy is routed into
the drive train? What is work energy? First, it is critical to
get a firm understanding of what work energy is. Work energy is
defined as a force times the movement in the direction of the
force and at the point of the applied force (W=Fd). A cyclist
going down a hill loses potential energy proportional to the
elevation change, not the distance traveled along the slope. The
work done on the