Surface characteristics and vibrations induced by tarmac, gravel and cobblestones in cycling

The project aims to understand what kind of vibrations road bikes are exposed to on tarmac, gravel and cobblestones. Therefore, accelerations transmitted to the bike will be analyzed. Surface-induced vibrations in cycling are linked to discomfort, pain and even traumatisms (Schwellnus & Derman, 2005). Also, findings for the effects on muscular activity and cardiopulmonary response (Vielllehner & Potthast, 2020 & 2021) suggest the additional loading due to vibration eventually compromises performance in cycling. Therefore, there is a great interest in reducing the vibra-tion exposure of the musculoskeletal system through technology. However, the vibrations that impact the bike on surfaces like tarmac, gravel or cobblestones are only partially described (Viellehner & Potthast, 2019) and data on the occurring frequencies and accelerations are largely missing. A better understanding of the vibrations that occur and how they are modulated by surface conditions con-tributes to defining the required technical specifications for gravel and road bikes.