Customer Reviews

Bicycling Science, Second Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Disclosure: I am an interested party (contributor), so you may take my 'star' rating with a grain of salt. My main message is to make a point that I have also emailed to Amazon.

As of May 1, 2004 the other customer reviews posted for this title are somewhat misleading, because they refer only to the much older (second) edition. The third edition, published April 2004, is dramatically enlarged and updated -- a completely new book based on a tremendous amount of recent work. Dave Wilson and I have attempted to address all the issues to be seen in those reviews, plus many more, we hope successfully.

In this 5-year process every chapter was rewritten or even replaced outright. A great quantity of new material on history, physiology, speed calculations, aerodynamics, steering theory, human powered vehicles etc. is available nowhere else.

I encourage any scientifically curious cyclist, or bicycle industry engineer, to contribute a genuine review of the third edition, so potential readers can learn about this distinctly different book.

Reviewed by Dr. Andreas Fuchs, Berne, Switzerland, August 2004

Long-awaited for Bicycling Science 3 is finally here: 22 years after the second edition was originally published! A main question for the reviewer was therefore: Will the 3rd edition of Bicycling Science consider the key-developments that happened in this field during the full age of the desktop computer in a wisely weighted manner? This question is a fair one since Bicycling Science ranks among the most important books in the field of cycling!

The new, third edition of Bicycling Science (BS) contains main chapters about: History, human power generation, thermal effects on power production, power and speed, bicycle aerodynamics, rolling (tires and bearings), braking, steering and balancing, mechanics and mechanisms (power transmission), materials and stresses, unusual human-powered machines, and human-powered vehicles in the future.
Compared with BS2, BS3 has relatively more content in the chapters "human power generation" and "steering and balancing". BS3 discusses relevant results of work physiology in much more detail than BS2. Since bicycling science is a wide field it is a wise decision to involve co-authors; in the "steering and balancing"-chapter Jim Papadopolous vast experience with this main topic shines up and is, at least by the reviewer, very much appreciated!

After reading BS3, the question put up by the reviewer at the beginning of this review receives an overall positive answer: D.G. Wilson lists many new references; as a very serious observer of the field of bicycling science Wilson identified the important developments and discusses them accordingly. The main omission detected by the reviewer is the absence of the topic "suspension" high up in the hierarchy of the chapters of the book. Also, the hydraulic actuation of brakes would have deserved a more prominent position.
Apart from that, the book covers bicycling science as what it is today very well! BS, if it was an academic discipline, was defined by engineers and physicists; one focus that is therefore still missing too much is the one of human factors and ergonomics. By saying that the reviewer does not at all negatively criticize BS3... he just likes to point out a weakness in the bicycle research area for which neither D.G. Wilson nor J. Papadopoulous are responsible, of course!

Conclusion: The 3rd edition of Bicycling Science is a noble successor of BS2 and assures that The MTI Press's Bicycling Science remains in the top ranks in cycle literature!

The reviewer is physicist and is since many years actively involved in the study, development and promotion of modern forms of cycles. He could therefore be called "an expert" in the field of bicycling science. Main fields of interest are velomobiles, power-assist drives and human powered vehicles dynamics, especially aerodynamics.

Warning: I am an engineer with a Ph.D.. So I might enjoy some things that may other can't appreciate. Bicycling Science is for the bicyclist, or someone interested in human-powered vehicles (HPV), who has a background in science, engineering and/or mathematics. I absolutely love this book. There are few books that I've enjoyed more. The reasons why I don't give it five stars are below.

This book can help one separate reality from marketing hype. Does cutting down the weight of spokes really help much? How does crank length affect performance? What affect does cooling have on a cyclist? How much does the difference between cheap bearings and good bearings affect performance? How fast should you really pedal? Are aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber vastly superior to steel? How heavily is someone breathing when they begin breathing through their mouths? How efficient is a person on a bike (in energy per mass per person per speed) compared to a bus, moped, swimmer, horse or hopping bunny? How many wives can you trade your bike for in Nigeria? These questions, and many more, are answered in this book.

The style is very much that of an academic journal, and the book is a survey of the literature in the field. References abound. The authors do their best to combine the results from different sources into a coherent reference. If this style is familiar to you, then you will not feel out of place with this book.

Chapters in the book include those on human power generation, cyclist cooling, wind resistance, the wheel, mechanical friction, braking, balancing and steering, materials and stress, and future developments. I particularly like the chapter on stability, an apparently controversial topic. The chapter presents a plausible theory supported by experiment, and provides a simple equation to calculate a stability factor for a bike design. The book concludes with an interesting chapter on what advances can be made to bicycles and to the infrastructure to make biking more viable as a form of transportation.

I mainly did not give Bicycling Science five stars because it is getting out of date. I'm sure that much additional research has been performed since the 1982 copyright date, and many advances have been made in the last 20 years, particularly those as a result of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA). The materials section could add data for some of the newer materials used for bikes such as Reynolds 853 steel and some new titanium alloys. Also, the authors tried to present data from different sources on common graphs, and in some cases, I am still puzzled at how to interpret some of the plots. I also felt that sometimes I had a bunch of data dumped in my lap with no conclusions being drawn. For example, after reading the chapter on human power generation, I wasn't sure if one should always attempt to pedal at 90-100 RPM, or should reduce cadence for the required endurance.

My complaints are few and minor, however, and I highly recommend this book to the cyclist, or cycling aficionado, who relishes the math and physics.

The only book that I've heard of that seems to be similar is High-Tech Cycling by Edmund Burke. However, I've not seen it, and reviews of it seem few and far between.

Prof. Wilson is well-respected in the engineering community, and this book is the best we have on the topic. Alas, even though Americans can land a man on the moon, we don't currently have a comprehensive, accurate computer simulation of the bicycle, rider, terrain, and atmospheric condition suitable for design optimization. Bicycle science is still very empirical! Contrast this with automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, watercraft engineering, and rail travel engineering (although to be fair, there is no Defense Department money for bicycle advancements). As a systems and mechanical engineer in industry (but not the bicycle industry) I've written numerous computer simulations for all kinds of machines and processes; my engineering doctoral dissertation was on the detailed computer simulation of a modified gas turbine engine (published as Theory and Design of the New Rational Combustion Engine)--so it rather amazes me that we don't have something comparable for bicycle design. Prof. Wilson candidly states on p. 365 that "...expert application of engineering methods has played very little part in bicycle design." and on p. 282 contributing author Papadopoulos states that "...most [dynamic] analyses are incorrect, either because of faulty methods or because of errors in algebra" (and this at a time when theoretical physicists are promolgating theories to the thirteenth decimal place).

The authors present some of the simple equations, but don't number them, and there are some symbol mistakes (e.g., on p. 242 an equation is missing a couple of divisor signs and lacks a negative sign at the beginning). Symbols are defined at the end of the book, rather than at the beginning or end of each chapter. For most scientists and engineers, there are far too many words, and far too few equations in this book (but that's more the fault of the low level of development of this discipline, 120 years after the Starley safety bicycles were introduced).

End-of-chapter references and notes are excellent, as are the diagrams and figures (except that Fig. 11.30 is apparently mis-labeled). There is a history timeline at the back of the book, but it stops at 1934. Useful Web-site addresses are given. However, no comparative design information is given for tire tread, frame structure, handlebar type, and suspension layout. What's better: a seat suspension post or rear wheel suspension?--Not answered. Saddle height is discussed, but not reach to the handlebars. The chapter on Materials and Stresses discusses only unsprung bicycles. Wilson states correctly (on p. 381) that "triangulation" prevents frame collapse (unlike quadrilateral designs) and many new mountain bikes feature such a design (just look at Specialized's current catalog).

Highlights of the book include the discussion of many alternative styles of human-powered vehicles, including recumbent bikes (Wilson's preferred design), aircraft, and watercraft. I especially like the idea of rail bicycles--this has got to be the most efficient form of transportation (with the possible exception of the Lewis-Adkins Regenerative Spiral-Drive Train, which is not discussed).

All-in-all this book is a good read, but if you're a bicycle engineer, the book won't help you much. A Google search on the Web finds only one link for "Bicycle Computer Simulation"--to a Taiwanese paper "The Construction of a Bicycle Computer Simulation Model for Riding Comfort"--let's hope that the fourth edition of Bicycling Science will be much more comprehensive and much more computer-oriented.

What can I say? This book is so packed with useful theoretical, historical and design-related information that I barely know where to begin. As one of the authors mentioned in his note below, the third edition of this book has been substantially revised and updated, and is hands-down THE best resource I have ever come across for the science behind bicycle design and operation.

The chapter on human power is especially enlightening, but, honestly, every fact, formula and suggestion in this book is enlightening. The authors should be commended for bringing such a useful book into existence; it is a great gift any time someone accepts the burden to gather, distill and distribute the kind of valuable technical information that is contained between the covers of this book. Bravo.

This book is a must read for anyone that fancies themself a scientist and is interested in the subject of bicycling.

However, it is a bit dry and boring for others. As an engineer I found it interesting and informative.

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.

This book has unusual provenance. According to its author it originated in the work of a colleague, Frank R. Whitt. Wilson claims that Whitt abandoned the manuscript and charged him to see it through to publication. The first edition was credited to Whitt and Wilson, so we must accept Wilson's word for this.

This edition, the third, was, again according to Wilson, originally to have been produced with another author, Jim Papadopoulos, who allegedly withdrew by reason of other interests. He has been recognized, however, for "contributions." (See the review above by Papadopoulos for further information.)

I find these representations about Whitt and Papadopoulos troubling. I have read an authoritative technical article on the subject of steering, handling, stability of bicycles by Papadopoulos; his work is the best part of the third edition of Bicycling Science.

More troubling is appellation of the word "science:" Wilson is an engineer; I am a physicist; I see little that is scientific. It is a review or a tutorial, recapitulation of the work of others, with extensive bibliographic references. Such is ethically permissible, so long as the originators of the content are acknowledged, and Wilson cannot be faulted on that score.

But there is a plethora of inadequacies and outright mistakes too. For example, Wilson deals with frames as if they were triangulated trusses with pinned joints, when in fact they are exactly the opposite, rigid frames, with maximal forces at the joints. Butted tubing and lugs recognize this by placing most material at the joints; greater cross-sections there compensate for larger forces and so keep stresses within elastic limits. This is why carbon-fiber frames also have bulky joints; design and size of joints is indicative of the properties of frame materials. Almost everything in this chapter is misleading or wrong, typical of nearly the entire book.

I suspect that most of what is right in "Bicycling Science" is the work of Whitt and Papadopoulos. In short, "Bicycling Science," with David Gordon Wilson as author, is tendentious, sophistic, superficial, spurious, ephemeral. It contains precious little engineering and no useful science.

Do not buy it. Buy "Bicycle Design" by Mike Burrows instead; it contains ten times the useful information in one-third the pages without errors. Burrows has designed and built ingenious bicycles that actually work, many of which have been proven competitively, technically, commercially, so he knows what is right and what is wrong, what works and what does not.

Also the title is ungrammatical: "Science" does not engage in "Bicycling." Sloppy usage. Typical and indicative.

Every ten years or so, I'll come across a nonfiction book that is not only highly informative and well written, but presented in an enjoyable manner. Bicycling Science, 3rd edition, is that book for this decade. I originally purchased the book for the physics, specifically the stability discussions, but I absolutely love the physiology section where it seems that a well rounded and up to date review of the research literature has been included. It has truly made me a better cyclist. Thanks to the authors for writing the book and taking the time to update it 20 years after the previous edition.

... you should definitely read this book. I read the second and the third edition. Both have some very interesting information about bicycling. Sometimes the content is very technical and if you want to understand everything in detail it helps to have some kind of technical background. But even if you skip the "very" technical parts both, second and third edition, are great books.