Aerodynamics

http://www.trainright.com/uploads/galleries/windtunneldelay032.jpg

Aerodynamics you ask? Yep that's exactly what I mean. How does it relate to cycling? Here's how:

Nowadays racing bicycles are built for speed. Before it used to be just about the rider, now its still about the biker but with the added advantage of an aerodynamically designed bike.

The bike is put through a wind tunnel (Yes I said a wind tunnel, like the ones used with cars and air crafts) and the rider is positioned on the bike to test what can be improved in the design of the bike as well as with the position of the rider all in order to make him go faster (were talking seconds here). For example, the crouching position vs. the upright position. For Lance Armstrong's ride in the Tour De France they took every component on bicycle into consideration and every position of Lance, taking into consideration such minute details as to how much time an extended finger would cost him during his time trial stages. His clothing was specially made to improve air flow and the entire shape of the bicycle frame was aerodynamically designed.

But without getting too carried away lets apply this to commuting. Bicycle commuters can face every weather condition imaginable with wind being one of the most important of them. Headwinds cause us to fight to pedal at our normal speed (Which, in most cases, is practically impossible), side winds can blow us off course if we're not prepared, and tail winds can give us an extra burst of speed which helps us go faster with less effort. Tailwinds are a pretty exhilarating experience while headwinds and side winds are pretty demoralizing.

Aerodynamic positions help commuters most in situations where there are heavy headwinds. It helps greatly to know how to crouch properly while maintaining a decent speed. The positioning is like an aeroplane cutting through the air compared to a sail catching the air. Standing on the pedals and stomping doesn't help much either and in fact causes us commuters to waste energy (though it could help in some circumstances).

Why would someone go through all this pain on a bicycle you ask? Well for one thing it's better than driving and you don't get that feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world. So to put this in a nutshell, we go with the wind which ever direction it tries to take us. Head winds give us more stamina while tail and side winds help us learn bike control. Either way its all good because we get fitter and fitter with every ride.

To put it in a nutshell, for the commuter its not about the bike, but the engine...

Brainssss

http://www.physik.uni-frankfurt.de

Intelligence and bicycles mix. Unfortunately so does SUVs and stupidity. What a wonderful world we live in!


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Icy cold weather brrrr!

Pic from www.Ummah.netToday was as cold as it gets in my area. Which means in the lower 30s. At least it felt warmer after my boogers froze and my arms and legs went numb =0) (I was kidding about the booger part). My coworkers were making a big deal out of the cold as usual, making shivering gestures and dressing like Eskimos.

A lot of drivers looked at me as if I was crazy biking in this weather. Christmas is coming which means more holidays, but even more important is that Hajj is coming up hehe. While everyone sings Christmas carols, the hajjis are praying to God thanking him that they had an opportunity to do Hajj and fulfill what God has commanded of us.

Life is good...


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The Immense Joys of Riding in the Rain

Think of the last time you've driven a car or ridden in a car in the rain. I can bet you that it was a miserable experience. First you got to run out to the car from your house in the rain and see how fast you can get to the car without getting wet. Then once you get in and start driving, you have to try to look through the windshield and try your best to scan traffic conditions. And of course through out the drive you are miserably cold with the heater on, and wishing the rain would stop. Then once you reach your destination (with a sigh of relief) you'll rush in and start your day at work, with an occasional peek outside the window to check whether its still raining outside. In fact the whole atmosphere inside the office is one of gloom. How depressing!

Now that you've had the experience of going through this misery, you probably imagine biking to work to be 10 times worse. Actually it's nothing like it! It's really very pleasurable. let me describe the process.

Every morning when it's raining, I come out of the house with my bike. Then I fill my lungs with fresh air that the rain has cleared and then start my ride. I find it easiest to get into a zen like mood in rainy day especially. The swish as cars come racing by through the rain, the wet buzzing my own tires make and the constant drops of rain that falls one me. Note: I'm in full rain gear so I don't get wet. Sometimes I might stick out my tongue as I'm riding to catch a few drops and it's nice to breathe cool rainy air for a change.

Dealing with cars also gets easier. Since rain is a pretty unusual situation, they give me more room, and they don't lay on their horn as much. They don't splash me because the roads are pretty good in my area and puddles are scarce. One thing I have to do is to keep a grimace through out my commute (although I sometimes allow a grin to peek through now and then) or drivers might splash me to wipe that grin off my face (most drivers like everyone else to share in their misery).

I once read somewhere that once a road biker was doing a pleasure ride in heavy rain and a Lexus pulled up next to him. The driver of the Lexus said: "Hey, mebbe if you worked harder you could afford one of these" and tapped the dashboard of his Lexus. The road cyclist grinned at him and retorted: " well mebbe if you worked harder and rode a bike, you could own one of these," at this point he pulled out his keys which had a key of a BMW attached to it, "and look good"! At this point he rode off into the sunset...

When a cyclist reaches work, he is usually more active than the rest of his coworkers and walks around with a grin on his face. Most of my coworkers comment on my bike and how brave I am etc. but little do they know how much enjoyment I get out of it.

The main difference is that in a car, you try not to get wet, and you have to hurry to the car and back in order to avoid it. Then you get the problem of looking at the world through a glass and it's all grey out there. Plus your senses are all cut off from the rest of the world which leads to misery. As for a cyclist, he expects to get wet, and enjoys it immensely when he does. He is much more alive and aware of his surroundings thus does not feel cut off touch from the world and he isn't as miserable.

Ahhh it's great being a cyclist...


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Pictures Galore (Not really)

Saw this while I biked to work. I just had to take Pics.









Click on the Pic for a super big picture (56k users beware!)

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Something to Laugh (or cry) about

I have this at work pinned to the wall of my cubicle:

'They call me The Lone Cyclist...'

Ok so I'm a commuter. A bicycle commuter. They (who ever they are) call me The Lone Cyclist. I don't go on group rides, I don't bike for the heck of it or because I have to and I definitely don't bike because I'm poor. I bike because I can.


Oh and welcome to my Blog...


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