Biomechanics applied to cycling or Bike Fitting
Summary
Introduction
Biomechanics
Object of study of biomechanics
Scientific Discipline or Science
- Scientific method
- Applied science
Definition of Biomechanics
Biomechanics applied to cycling and bike fitting
Introduction
In the last decade in the cycling world a figure of technician called “biomechanical of cycling” or “bike fitter” has become more and more established.
Statements such as, “… you should do a ‘bike fitting’ for you bicyle”, “my bike fitter say that …”, they are more and more widespread. We believe it is right to clarify what is bike fitting and who it is and what the “biomechanical” does in cycling.
Our intent is to grow a discipline and to defend cyclists from too many improvisations and sometimes even from the intellectual dishonesty of many bike fitter technicians.
We therefore consider it right, both for cyclists wishing to make use of a bike fitting service and for those who intend to approach this discipline by making it their business, to do some clarity.
For this purpose we will try to give a brief but complete answer to 5 questions:
- What is biomechanics and bike fitting?
- Who is the biomechanical of cycling or bike fitting?
- How do I become a Bike Fitter Technician?
- How do you activate a professional bike fitting service center for cycling?
- Role and development of the technician and the bike fitting center in the cycling world?
Biomechanics and bike fitting
In this first article we will try to understand what biomechanics is and what are the areas of application in cycling with bike fitting concepts.
“Biomechanics” is a discipline that is a subject of study and teaching. On what is the object of study of the “biomechanical” discipline and if it can be called “scientific discipline” and therefore science we have to make some considerations.
Object of study of biomechanics
Biomechanics from the Greek βίος, bìos = “life” or anything related to life, and mechanike = “mechanics” or, in physics, everything concerning the movement of bodies can be defined as the discipline that studies the physical interaction between living entities and the physical environment.
Specifically for human activities, the main areas of study of biomechanics are the social and working ergonomics, the medical and rehabilitative field and the sports field. In the specific field of sports, biomechanics applied to cycling deals with the study of the interaction between the body of the cyclist and the bicycle.
Scientific Discipline or Science
By science or scientific discipline we mean a set of knowledge obtained through an organized research activity carried out through a rigorous procedure called scientific method, having as a purpose the description those knowledge, through objective evidence of reality and predictive and repeatable models of events or phenomena also through the enunciation of theories and laws that attest to their repeatability.
The teaching of science and scientific research or the application of the scientific method to a discipline are practiced in universities, institutes, research institutions and companies. It is therefore possible to affirm that there are both academic structures, but also people and organizations not included in the academic world that are dedicated to research and observation: the basis of scientific research must be the use of the scientific method.
- Scientific method
The key elements of the scientific method are:
- the experimental observation of a natural or artificial event,
- the formulation of a general hypothesis under which this event occurs,
- the model or an abstraction useful for making predictions on the occurrence of a phenomenon
- Experimental testing or verification of the hypothesis and model performed in nature or in the laboratory
- a theory, is a hypothesis verified, or the explanation of a phenomenon that has such solid experimental bases that it can be assimilated to a fact
- a law is a theory that has absolute value in its field of application.
• Applied science
The applied sciences are all those scientific disciplines that make the results of research carried out with scientific method in the development of products and services usable. Among the first applied sciences are applied mathematics and applied physics.
The applied sciences are the main instrument of technological fields, which combine different scientific methods for the study and development of production processes. For example, engineering, uses applied mathematics and applied physics to produce artifacts; medicine, using chemistry and biology to recognize and treat diseases, other examples are architecture, electrotechnics, aeronautics, hydraulics, construction science, etc. .
Biomechanics derives mainly from mechanical science disciplines, from anatomy and from physiology, and can be considered an applied science.
Definition of Biomechanics
Biomechanics can be defined as the scientific discipline applied to the study of the physical interaction between living entities and the physical environment.
Specifically for human activities, the main areas of application of biomechanics are:
- the ergonomic social and work environment;
- medical and rehabilitation field;
- the sports field.
In the specific field of sports, biomechanics applied to cycling are counted.
Biomechanics applied to cycling and bike fitting
Therefore, the biomechanics applied to cycling and bike fitting is that part of the biomechanical scientific discipline applied to the study of human interaction (cyclist) with the mechanical element , the bicycle.
The aim of biomechanics applied to cycling is to improve the cyclist’s interaction with the bicycle, with the aim of ensuring the comfort of the position (posture) and the efficiency (of pedaling).
In fact the practical purpose of biomechanics applied to cycling is to create products and services derived from scientific research that are valid for achieving the comfort (posture) and the efficiency (pedaling).
Any person, titled or not titled by a degree course, who wishes to deal professionally and, above all, scientifically with the biomechanical study, in particular that of applied biomechanics in cycling or bike fitting, can not fail to respect the aforementioned references.
The biomechanics applied to cycling have as subjects the following entities:
- the biomechanical technician of cycling or bike fitter
At the moment he is a person, titled or not titled by a degree course, who deals professionally with the study of biomechanics and in particular of biomechanics applied to cycling in respect of the scientific method.
- biomechanical cycling services
- biomechanical cycling tools
- biomechanical products
- professional biomechanical consulting centers for cycling
- research and development centers in the field of biomechanics applied to cycling
In the next articles we will go to deepen the knowledge of the single entities that make up the biomechanics applied to cycling.