Every morning, in front of the door of the house, you find yourself having to travel five kilometers to reach the work. No machine available, no bus in sight. There are two options: one hour of walking or 15 minutes by bicycle, almost without sweating. The choice is simple: you go up riding.
You are not the only one. It is estimated that more than a billion bicycles circulate in the world. And it is no coincidence: the Bicycle is one of the most efficient means of transport ever designedcapable of bringing us further and faster with a minimum energy expenditure than walking or running.
But what makes cycling so surprisingly efficient from an energy point of view? The answer must be sought in the biomechanicsor in the way our body interacts with this machine as simple as it is perfect.
The magic of simplicity
At the base, the bicycle is a brilliant invention in its essentiality: two wheels, pedals connected to a chain that moves the rear wheel, and a system of changes that allows us to adapt the effort to the conditions of the route. But this simplicity hides aExtraordinarily compatible engineering with our physiology.
During walking or running, each step is a small controlled “collapse” forward: we lift and move our legs in large arches, fighting against gravity. This involves considerable energy consumption, only to swing the limbs. Just think of how tiring it can be, even just, swing your arms for an hour in a row.
On bicycle, however, the legs make a Much more contained circular movement. It is not necessary to constantly raise all the weight of the lower limbs: just rotate thighs and calves in a compact pedaling cycle. Energy saving is evident from the first meters.
But the truth biomechanical advantage It is in the way the bicycle transform muscle energy into movement. Each step on foot produces a small impact with soil, a sort of mini-cultural: that noise we feel under the shoes and those vibrations that cross the body are wasted energydissipated in the form of heat and sound.
Walking or running also involves another inefficiency: every time the foot touches the ground in front of the body, it creates one force contrarylike a braking, which slows down the movement. The muscles must therefore commit twice: first to overcome this resistance, then to accelerate again.
There wheelamong the most revolutionary invention in human history, elegantly solves this problem. Instead of impacting with soil, the wheel rolls: the contact point “kisses” the asphalt gently and detaches gently, without energy dispersion.
In addition, the rotary movement avoids the “Stop and Go” sequence typical of walking. The energy of the pedaling comes transmitted directly to the forward movementin a fluid and continuous way.
But there is more: pedaling allows the muscles to work in theirs optimal efficiency interval. The muscles, in fact, when they contract too quickly, become less strong and more expensive from an energy point of view. This is why a sprint is much more tiring than a walk.
Here the bike relationships. By changing gears, we can maintain speed by increasing the resistance, but avoiding the muscles work too quickly. In this way they remain in their “sweet point”ensuring maximum surrender with minimal effort.
According to data, pedaling can be at least four times more efficient what to walk and eight times more efficient than the race.
When walking is more effective
However, the bicycle is not always the best solution. On I was very steep slopesabove 15% of slope (i.e. 1.5 meters in altitude every 10 meters), the circular mechanism of the ride cannot generate sufficient strength to raise body and bikes. In these situations, push the legs straight – as on the path or climb – becomes more efficient.
On the contrary, in descentthe bicycle shows its most advantageous side: as the slope is accentuated, pedaling becomes less and less necessary, until it no longer requested energy. Walking downhill, however, is more tiring than it seems: over 10% slope, each step creates abrupt impacts and joint stress, with consequent waste of energy.
The numbers speak clearly: the Bicycle reduces the three main energy waste Physical activity – movement of the limbs, impact on soil and inefficient muscle contraction – making it an incredibly performing tool.
The next time I easily overtake the pedestrians during the morning journey, take a moment to appreciate the biomechanical refinement of the vehicle you are using. It is not just a two -wheeled object, but a perfect extension of our body, designed for optimize every gram of muscle energy.
