Effect of body posture on comfort during cycling

Alejandra P. Polanco, Daniel R. Suárez, Luis E. Muñoz

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of body posture on comfort during road cycling by implementing procedures that require only basic instrumentation. Static comfort and dynamic comfort were studied through experimental and computational approaches, respectively. For the experimental approach, subjective rating scales and an objective index proposed by the authors were used to assess static comfort. For the computational approach, a lumped-mass model with four degrees of freedom was implemented to compute the vertical acceleration of the bicycle and cyclist. The vertical acceleration was used to evaluate dynamic comfort according to ISO 2631. Body posture was determined from the handlebar-hands contact point and quantified in terms of the location of its center of mass and the location of the handshandlebar contact point. Five postures were considered in the study. For static comfort, correlation indexes of 0.941 and -0.913 were found between the cyclist's center of mass location and the hands and buttocks static comfort, respectively. For dynamic comfort, a correlation index of -0.992 was found between dynamic comfort and the hands-handlebar contact point location. The results suggest correlations between the body posture and static and dynamic comfort.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication19th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle Technologies; 14th International Conference on Design Education; 10th Frontiers in Biomedical Devices
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791858158
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017
EventASME 2017 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2017 - Cleveland, United States
Duration: 06 Aug 201709 Aug 2017

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
Volume3

Conference

ConferenceASME 2017 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2017
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCleveland
Period06/08/1709/08/17

Keywords

  • Body posture
  • Comfort Threshold Time
  • Cycling
  • Dynamic comfort
  • Static comfort

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effect of body posture on comfort during cycling'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this