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Culture Documents
DOI: 10.3901/CJME.2011.**.***, available online at www.cjmenet.com; www.cjmenet.com.cn
Optimal Design of Bicycle Frame Parameters Considering Biomechanics
XIANG Zhongxia 1, *, XU Ruifen 1 , BU Yan 2 , and WU Xiaofan 1
1 School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
2 School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Abstract: With the development of technology and the change of market demands, the trend in middle and high grade bicycle
manufacturing is developed toward smallvolume, multispecies, and customeroriented production. Therefore, human element should
be fully considered in design so that the bicycle has the best cycling performance for the specific rider. Currently, customized design is
difficult to achieve since feature parameters of the rider are not included in the design. The design of bicycle frame is the most important
in bicycle design. The relative positions among the saddle, handlebar and central axis are defined as the bicycle threepivot, they are the
main parameters in bicycle frame design. In conventional bicycle design, frame parameters are merely relevant to bicycle types. On the
basis of the principles of biomechanics and ergonomics knowledge, this paper presents a design method for bicycle threepivot
considering feature parameters of the rider by dynamic simulation. Firstly, a dynamic model of riderbicycle system is built for a special
rider, and a serial of simulation experiments is designed by uniform test method. Then, a mathematical model is built between the
threepivot position and the square of lower limb muscle stress by using simulation and regression analysis of the riderbicycle system.
The optimal threepivot position parameters are obtained by setting the minimal of the square of the lower limb muscle stress as the
objective. Therefore, the optimal parameters are gained for the specific rider. Finally, various results are gained for different riders based
on the same design process. The function between feature parameters of the rider and the optimum threepivot position parameters is
built by regression. Bicycle design considering biomechanics can be divided into three main steps: calculating the threepivot position,
designing the geometrical structure of the bicycle frame and analyzing frame strength, and selecting appropriate parts and assembling
the bicycle. Bicycle design considering biomechanics changes the conventional bicycle design and realizes customized design by
considering human element in the design process.
Frame is the necessary part of bicycle. It takes standard of human dimensions of Chinese adults [7] , the
weight of the rider and connects the handlebar, the fork, rider model with a height of 1 600 mm is built by
and wheels. Therefore, the cycling performance is directly LifeMOD software. Then the threedimensional solid
determined by frame structure parameters, which are model of the bicycle is built by Pro/E software. Elastic
traditionally obtained by experience. It is reported that sleeve is used to connect human hand and the handle,
different bicycle types match with the different frame human hip and the saddle, human feet and the pedals. The
parameters [6] . However, because of difference in height, riderbicycle dynamic model is developed in ADAMS
weight, and limb length of different people, the designed software, in which the axis of bottom bracket is defined as
products may not always be suited to the human bodies. the local coordinate origin, as is shown in Fig. 2.
The relative positions among the saddle, handlebar,
and central axis are defined as the bicycle threepivot.
They are main parameters in bicycle frame design. On the
basis of the dynamic simulation, biomechanical principles,
and knowledge of ergonomics, the design method of C
threepivot position is discussed considering the feature A
parameters of the rider in this paper. The method provides
universal theoretical guidance for the customized design Y
of the bicycle.
In this paper, firstly the optimal frame parameters for O X
the specific rider are obtained based on biomechanics.
Secondly a serial of optimal frame parameters for Fig. 2. Dynamic model of riderbicycle coupled
different rider are obtained with the same method, and a
function between the height of rider and frame parameters
is set up by regression analysis. Then the relationship 2.2 Design theory of threepivot position
between frame parameters and bicycle design is described. The structure of human spine is shown in Fig. 3 and the
Finally the conclusion is given. lumbar curves in various postures are shown in Fig. 4 [8] .
In Fig. 4, curve B shows the natural bending state of the
2 Frame Parameters for the Specific Rider human spine when the human body is in lateral recumbent
posture; curve C shows the sitting posture at which the
The relative positions among the saddle, handle and human spine is the closest to its natural bending state; the
pedal have much effect on the riding posture which is other curves indicate the situation that the pressure on the
essential to riding comfort. Since the handle is intervertebral discs is not normally distributed. Therefore,
symmetrical to the main frame and the pedal moves the body is the most comfortable when the back muscles
circularly around the axis, the threepivot is defined are in a relaxation state, when the spine is natural and the
according to the relative positions among saddle A, human body is at the sitting posture during cycling.
bottom bracket B, and the midpoint of handlebar C, as
shown in Fig. 1. The relative position between the handle
and the saddle affects the torso posture of the rider, which
Cervical vertebra
determines the bending state of the spine. The relative
position between pedals and the saddle affects the lower
posture which determines the leg muscle tension during
cycling. Thoracic vertebra
C
A
Lumbar
Sacrum
B Coccyx
Fig.1. Threepivot position of the bicycle According to the theory of ergonomics, the most
comfortable cycling posture occurs when the angle
2.1 Riderbicycle system model between upper arm and upper thoracic is 50º [8] . Hence
The riderbicycle system model is needed to find the the optimal distance between saddle and handlebar, and
optimal positions for the threepivot. According to the the angle that is between the horizontal and the line
CHINESE JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ·3·
connecting handle and saddle (marked as a in Fig. 5) short head, long head of biceps femoris, quadriceps
can be obtained thereby. For riders with a height of 1 600 muscle group, gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis anterior
mm, a = 10.2° . muscle, the psoas muscle, great adductor, and
semitendinosus muscle. The physiological crosssectional
C B
C area of the muscle can be obtained by LifeMOD
software [10] .
A
D A For the same rider, different threepoint positions
will yield different J values. The threepoint position
BNormal state
D
E corresponding to the minimal J value is the optimal
position for the rider.
G
E
F 2.3 Riderbicycle system simulation
In order to obtain the optimal threepoint position,
F minimization of the square of the lower muscle stress is
set as the design objective, and the horizontal and vertical
G coordinates of saddle are the design variables. According
to experience, the angle between the pipe tube and the
ground ranges from 68° to 73° [11] . In this paper, the angle
ranges from 65° to 75°. According to the established rider
Fig. 4. Lumbar curves in various postures
model, it is assumed that the rider’s leg should be in the
biggest stretch state when the pedal moves to the lowest
position, and the leg is in the horizontal state when the
pedal moves to the highest position. Therefore, the
extreme riding position can be defined based on the above
analysis. For riders with a height of 1 600 mm, the range
of design variable can be obtained as the coordinate of
point A as shown in Fig. 2, which is
126 mm £ x A £ 230 mm and 443 mm £ y A £ 526 mm .
On the basis of the riderbicycle system model, the root
mean square (RMS) of the major lower limb muscle
tension can be gained by simulation as the crank rotates
one circle. The sum of square of the muscle stress can
then be obtained by dividing the RMS of the lower
muscle tension by the muscle physiological crosssection
area. In order to reduce the number of tests, simulation
experiment is designed by uniform test method based on
Fig. 5. upper posture of the human body 11 levels of two factors [12] , as shown in Table 1.
The regression equation is significant by F test.
Take minimization of J as the objective function, the 4 Relationship between Frame Parameters
optimal design parameters are obtained based on the solve and Bicycle Design
function in Excel after Eq. (2) is optimized. The
horizontal coordinate is 184 mm and the vertical
On the basis of the above design process, it can be
coordinate is 490 mm. Then the resulted J can be obtained seen that different persons may have different optimal
by Eq. (2) as 0.005 736 (N • mm –2 ) 2 .
threepoint position. Hence this design method reflects the
According to the optimized parameters of the saddle
feature of customization, which is the future development
position, the horizontal coordinate of handlebar is –381
direction for the bicycle. From the design point of view,
mm and the vertical coordinate is 591 mm. Therefore, the
the strength of the bicycle is important for riding security.
optimized threepivot position can be obtained as suited to
The prerequisite for the strength design is to identify
the specific rider. magnitude, direction, and acting point of the force on the
frame. The acting point of the force can be found once the
3 Frame Parameters for Different Rider position of the threepivot is determined.
On the basis of riding comfort requirements, the design
According to the aforementioned threepivot design
process of the bicycle can be carried out by the following
process, the optimal threepivot position can be calculated
steps.
for any particular rider. In order to find the relationship (1) Identify the optimal threepivot position according
between the height of the rider and threepoint position,
to specific human body parameters and design the frame
the simulation experiments are carried out on a group of
structure. Three different frame structures are shown in
cyclists whose heights range from 1 600 mm to 1 950 mm
Fig. 6. The method to determine the threepivot position is
referring to the data provided by Ref. [7]. According to
the same.
the sample space requirements of regression analysis [13] ,
simulation tests are carried out. The optimal threepivot
positions for different rider heights are obtained as shown
in Table 2.
(2) Determine magnitude and direction of the force [6] Bicycle Association. New bike design and test patterns of analytical
acting on the threepivot. Perform strength analysis and techniques and processing and assembly of new technology
standards to safeguard practical handbook[M]. Beijing: Press of
structure improvement on the bicycle, including the frame China Scientific and Technical Culture, 2005. (in Chinese)
and the fork. [7] GB/T 100001988 Human dimensions of Chinese adults[S]. Beijing:
(3) Design the whole bicycle, including wheels, saddle, Press of China Standard. (in Chinese)
handlebars, pedals, and all the other parts. [8] DING Yulan. Ergonomics[M]. Beijing: Beijing Institute of
Fig. 6 shows the design process for bicycle A, B and C Technology Press,2000. (in Chinese)
[9] CROWNISHIELD R D, BRAND R A. A physiologically based
with different frame structures. The position of the
criterion of muscle force prediction in locomotion[J]. Journal of
threepivot is optimized in the design. Biomechanics, 1981, 14(11): 793–801.
[10] LifeMOD Manual[M]. San Clemente: Biomechanics Research
5 Conclusions Group, Inc, 2005.
[11] YANG Qi. Simulation of bicycle innovative design and
(1) The threepivot position design of bicycle based on implementation[D]. Dalian: Dalian University of Technology, 2000.
(in Chinese)
biomechanics is important to improve riding comfort. [12] LI Yunyan, HU Chuanrong. Experimental Design and Data
Different human body parameters may result in different Processing[M]. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press, 2005.
optimal threepivot position. [13] HE Xiaoqun, LIU Wenqing. Application Regression Analysis[M].
(2) Prediction equation between the height of the rider Beijing: Press of Renmin University of China, 2001. (in Chinese)
and the optimal threepoint position can be obtained based
on a large number of experiments and regression analysis. Biographical notes
The design method provides some theoretical guidance XIANG Zhongxia, born in 1964, is an associate professor in
School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China. She
for the customization design of the bicycle.
received her PhD degree from Tianjin Universtiy, China, in 2008.
(3) The first step of bicycle design considering Her research interests include mechanical kinetics, mechanical
biomechanics is to calculate the threepivot position design and theory.
according to the height of the rider and prediction Tel: +862227401009; Email: xiangzhx@tju.edu.cn
equation. The second step is to design the structure of the
bicycle frame. Then choose the all parts of bicycle such as XU Ruifen, born in 1984, is a master candidate in School of
Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China. Her research
wheel, saddle, handlebar, and assemble them. interest includes mechanical design and theory.
Tel: +862227401009; Email: xuruifen1984@163.com
References
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saddle[J]. Journal of Engineering Graphics, 2005, 26(3): 106–119. Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of
(in Chinese) Technology, China. She received her PhD degree from Tianjin
[2] KUANG Hongmei, YANG Suixian. Bicycleriding posture analysis Universtiy, China, in 2009. Her research interest is mechanical
and design improvement[J]. Machinery, 2007, 34(3): 8–11. (in kinetics.
Chinese) Tel: +8613660309586; Email: by0617@163.com
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cycling: Effect of slope, posture, hand grip position and constrained WU Xiaofan, born in 1983, female, is a master candidate in
bicycle lateral sways[J]. Journal of Electromyography and School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China. Her
Kinesiology, 2008, 18(1): 116–127. research interest includes mechanical design and product
[4] WILSON C, BUSH T R. Interface force on the seat during a cycling modeling design.
activity[J]. Clinical Biomechanics, 2007(22): 1 017–1 023. Tel: +862227401009; Email: wxf_37@163.com
[5] BAUM F G, LI E P. Lower extremity muscle activities during
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