Bicycling Science, Second Edition

Bicycling Science, Second Edition Review

As Miss Jean Brodie said, "For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like." She meant it as an insult, but I don't. Bicycling Science is nerd heaven, full of physics, engineering, molecular biology, aerodynamics and all kinds of other scientific manna. If you have an appetite for charts, graphs, and research studies, then this book will delight you with its explanations of why bikes work so well with the human body.

It's not casual reading by any means. I'd prefer the same information presented in slightly less academic tones, but that doesn't mean it isn't accurate or interesting. So I dip into my copy for short bursts. For me, it's not a cover-to-cover read, but it's been on my bedside table for months because I pick it up regularly.

Bicycling Science may well be more technical info than a casual fan can absorb. However, it's a great reference that will demystify your bike -- if that's the sort of thing you like.

Bicycling Science, Second Edition Overview

The second edition of Bicycling Science includes new information on recent achievements and experiements in human-powered transportation, from the "ultimate human-powered vehicle" (UHPV), in which supine riders can achieve speeds well over 60 mph, to human-powered aircraft, boats, and rail transportation. New chapters cover the history of bicycle and human-power technology and science and the speed-power relationships of various modes and vehicles, including performance predictions for the UHPV and the "commuter human-powered vehicle." The chapters on braking, steering, friction, air drag, rider cooling, and transmissions and gearing have all been enlarged and updated. James McCullagh, editor of Bicycling Magazine, has written a foreword for this edition, which also includes many new illustrations.

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