The most efficient bicycle chain runs in a perfectly straight line, in fact, a drivetrain without gears (singlespeed) can operate with 97% efficiency. The result is that 97% of the power that you put into the pedals goes into driving your rear wheel. When we add derailleur gears to a bike, the chain has to bend in a number of ways as it...
Gearbox systems are becoming more and more popular on touring bikes. The most common form of gearbox is the internally geared rear hub, which has actually been available since the late-1800s. The earlier ones were a two-speed design, but these days we have the 14-speed Rohloff hub as our benchmark.
More recently you will find internal...
Bicycle Rolling Resistance is a website that conducts lab testing of bike tyres. They focus mostly on rolling resistance but also test the puncture resistance of the tread and sidewalls. We are fortunate enough to have data available for 19 different touring tyre models to examine.
Recommended reading: what is the most puncture...
A few months ago I spent a day testing different weights in my panniers to determine how those differences would affect my travelling speed. On one test run I decided to use front instead of rear panniers, and realised there was a speed difference. It worked out to be around five minutes on a hilly 100km ride, or the equivalent of...
