Measurement method for stiffness of full suspension mountain bike frames
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Examensarbete för masterexamen
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Model builders
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Abstract
The interest in mountain bike riding has grown significantly in the last decade. One reason is
improved bike technology. Bikes are being developed faster and quality is raising. Bike
manufacturers need to look for new methods to keep up with the rapid development. This
project was carried out in collaboration with the German bike manufacturer Canyon Bicycles.
Canyon needed a new method for measuring frame stiffness of mountain bikes. Frame stiffness
has an impact on the riding experience. Canyon believed that the existing methods for
measuring frame stiffness did not correlate with the riding experience of the bikes, especially
regarding so-called full suspension mountain bikes. The aim with the project was to examine
the perception of frame stiffness and develop a new measurement method in which the
measured values would correlate with the riding experience.
The subjective perception of the frame stiffness was examined in a survey study that indicated
that the frame stiffness had a varying degree of impact on different riders. The riding situations
in which most people seemed to be affected by the frame stiffness was when cornering or riding
through rough terrain. Those two situations were broken down and quantified into the forces
causing the noticeable frame deflection. The most critical load case was estimated to be lateral
force on the rear wheel. The deflection caused by angled as well as horizontal lateral forces
towards the rear wheel were examined through experimental testing. Eight different frames
were tested, and the result were compared with a subjective stiffness reference that was created
as part of the survey study.
A test with a force of 450 newtons fully horizontal towards the rear wheel gave the best
correspondence with the riding perceptions of the frame stiffness. More research is needed to
confirm the findings and to get a better understanding of the perception of mountain bike frame
stiffness
Description
Keywords
full-suspension mountain bike, riding experience, feeling of stiffness, test method