How the advances of data analysis have helped…and hindered the sport
Bike racers at every level of the sport are now breaking records in all disciplines whether the track, road or dirt. The evolution in speed is a result of data analysis and can be specifically linked to the powermeter, a device on a bicycle which measures the power output of a cyclist in watts.
Plus ça change, well actually…
Twenty years ago, most professional cyclists had a limited grasp of aerodynamics and efficiency. Few products, bikes or riders’ positions had been tested in a wind tunnel due to expense and access. Without being able to gauge an athlete’s energy expenditure in the wind tunnel, the results were confined to how aerodynamic the rider was in a static position. The efficiency of the cyclist in varied conditions was impossible to quantify.
Read the full feature at Canadian Cycling Magazine>>
