A Testing Method for the Prediction of Comfort of City Bicycles

An experimental/numerical method for predicting bicycle comfort from laboratory tests is presented. The frequency response functions of the seat post and of the handlebar stem are measured by means of impulsive excitation applied on vibrating tables placed under the front and rear wheel. The interference between front and rear excitation, which occurs on the road, is taken into account by numerically calculating the correlated frequency response function. Numerical calculations based on the concept of vehicle mission make it possible to manage the dependence of acceleration on forward speed and to calculate acceleration indexes. Results obtained with 2 bicycles and 3 levels of inflation pressure show the validity of the method.