Mechanical analysis and modeling of the efficiency of a road bicycle's power transmission system

Abstract

An analytical model for a bicycle's chain drive efficiency considering only frictional losses was analysed and implemented in the Julia programming language, resulting in the creation of the package BicycleEfficiency.jl. This model was reviewed and contrasted with experimental data, and was extended in order to increase its accuracy. This work presents a novel approach to frictional losses by including an expression that allows the calculation of chain tension as a function of operating conditions and by taking into account the effects of chain tensioners.