The Bicycle

Which Forces Affect a Cyclist in a Bend?

A cyclist cycling through a bend is affected by the force of gravity and the Bahnkraft. Both forces together result in centripetal force. If the bend is not sloped, the static friction between the tires and the street makes cornering possible. However, if the weather is bad and the street is wet or icy, the static friction might be too small to drive through the bend safely. As a result, you are affected by inertia and skid off the bend.

Which Forces Occur During Cycling?

When you set off and accelerate, it is your muscle-power that drives the bicycle. As you cycle along, friction forces hinder the motion. The friction forces are smaller if your bike is oiled properly, has thin tyres, is light and is (together with you) streamlined. If you don’t want to lose speed, you have to compensate for this loss by pedalling. A part of the force of gravity becomes apparent as the downhill slope force during downhill cycling. It increases with the increasing inclination of the street. When cycling uphill, the same force is in effect, but unfortunately, it is not in an accelerating but a decelerating way.