B. INFLUENCE OF GENDER, DROP HANDLEBAR HEIGHT AND HANDGRIP POSITION ON DYNAMIC MOTION DURING CYCLING

B. INFLUENCE OF GENDER, DROP HANDLEBAR HEIGHT AND HANDGRIP POSITION ON DYNAMIC MOTION DURING CYCLING
WHY It has been challenging to select an appropriate saddles for female cyclists during our bikefit process. We would like to understand how differently men and women move on their bicycle when they change their handlebar and grip position.
DESCRIPTION As part of a collaboration with NTU SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING, we worked with two of their students on these topics as part of their final year dissertation. Each student conducted a study with 10 subjects, utilizing gebioMized saddle and grip pressure mats to analyse and validate their topic of research.
OUTCOME We found that sitbone width has very little influence on comfort of female cyclist and it cannot be the sole determinant of how to choose an appropriate saddle. It is also important to know which part of the saddle a cyclist sits on and how rotated is the pelvis (anteriorly) when the subject is holding on to the desired part of the bars, through dynamic analysis.
The difference between the anatomy of a female and male pelvis and saddle choice highly affects the pressure on the various contact points on the bike, in particular, how much they tend to load their hands (in different grip positions). Factors such as flexibility and profile of cyclists (competitive vs leisure) have to be considered as well.
WHY To design and construct a modular frame fixture for framebuilders that is affordable and functions well. Fixtures in the market can be really expensive.
DESCRIPTION 9 teams of 3 students compete to conceptualise the best bicycle frame fixture
design, sponsored and supported by LOUE BICYCLES. Refer to attached winning group work for work flow and presentation.
OUTCOME A modular, affordable and functional frame fixture design was chosen as the winning group among other good designs.
WHY No commercially available affordable solution to convert a TT di2 shifters for flat bar application.
DESCRIPTION Our client was looking to set up his road bike on a flat bar with di2. We could not find a solution at that time and only K-Edge made a flat bar electronic control, which was quite costly and not readily
available. We decided to use a Shimano DI2 TT shifters, made a pair of custom brackets and created a solution for our client.
OUTCOME After using computer-aided 3D analysis and testing, 10 pieces of Di2 flat bar shifter mount was fabricated out of CNC-ed 6061 Aluminium, black anodized.