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A bicycle fairing also called recumbent fairing is a full or partial covering for a bicycle to reduce aerodynamic drag or to protect the rider from the elements. [1] It is more common to see recumbent bicycles with partial or full fairing. A bicycle with a full fairing is a regular bicycle fitted with an extra component, as opposed to a velomobile, which is a permanently enclosed bicycle.
Fairings are available for the front and rear of the vehicle. Some riders also use a "bodysock," a fabric (usually lycra) covering which connects the front fairing and the rear fairing, enclosing the rider for even less drag. Socks can also be run from a front fairing to an "A" shaped framework on the back of the seat. Or a "tailsock" can run from the back of the seat to the "A" shaped framework. A tailsock using lycra fabric and small aluminium tubes adds very little weight. Front and rear fairings have been shown to be beneficial for long wheelbase bikes, but front fairings are less beneficial for short wheelbase bikes. Front fairings and bodysocks have the advantage of blocking wind and rain on cool days, and a bodysock can help block the sun on bright days.
Empirical results indicate that a faired tailbox can increase speed on a low short wheelbase bike by around 5-10%, but this has not been validated formally. The design of the fairing is important: a long, sealed fairing gives best compensation for the added weight; for road riding a tailbox may well not repay the weight penalty. The most exotic machines have lightweight full-body fairings, tested in wind tunnels, but these are not practical for street use. Indeed, the riders of many of these bikes must be taped in, and the bike launched by handlers on the outside.
A velomobile has a fully enclosed body, is usually a three-wheeled design, and protects the rider in all weather.
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
A tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement, not the number of riders. Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the mid 1880s. Tandems can reach higher speeds than the same riders on single bicycles, and tandem bicycle racing exists. As with bicycles for single riders, there are many variations that have been developed over the years.
A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons: the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests entirely on a small portion of the sitting bones, the feet, and the hands.
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle.
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles: a main triangle and a paired rear triangle. This is known as the diamond frame. Frames are required to be strong, stiff and light, which they do by combining different materials and shapes.
A velomobile ; velomobiel, velo, or bicycle car is a human-powered vehicle (HPV) enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and/or protection from weather and collisions. Velomobiles are similar to recumbent bicycles, pedal go-karts and tricycles, but with a full fairing and are not to be confused with purpose-built mobiles for racing or speed records fully faired vehicles with two wheels, generally called streamliners. Streamliners have set many speed and distance records.
A cargo bike is a human powered vehicle designed and constructed specifically for transporting loads. Cargo bike designs include a cargo area consisting of an open or enclosed box, a flat platform, or a wire basket, usually mounted over one or both wheels, low behind the front wheel, or between parallel wheels at either the front or rear of the vehicle. The frame, drivetrain and wheels must be constructed to handle loads larger than those on an ordinary bicycle.
A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase, frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity, heavy duty wheels, and multiple mounting points.
A utility bicycle,city bicycle, urban bicycle, European city bike (ECB), Dutch bike, classic bike or simply city-bike, is a bicycle designed for frequent very short, very slow rides through very flat urban areas. It is a form of utility bicycle commonly seen around the world, built to facilitate everyday short-distance riding in normal clothes in cold-to-mild weather conditions. It is therefore a bicycle designed for very short-range practical transportation, as opposed to those primarily for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, racing bicycles, and mountain bicycles. Utility bicycles are the most common form globally, and comprise the vast majority found in the developing world. City bikes may be individually owned or operated as part of a public bike sharing scheme.
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
This is a glossary of terms and jargon used in cycling, mountain biking, and cycle sport.
Cycling shorts are short, skin-tight garments designed to improve comfort and efficiency while cycling.
Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics falls under a branch of physics known as classical mechanics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking, accelerating, suspension activation, and vibration. The study of these motions began in the late 19th century and continues today.
Bicycle performance is measurable performance such as energy efficiency that affect how effective a bicycle is. Bicycles are extraordinarily efficient machines; in terms of the amount of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance, cycling is calculated to be the most efficient self-powered means of transportation.
A handcycle is a type of human-powered land vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. Most handcycles are tricycle in form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front wheel. Despite usually having three wheels, they are also known as handbikes.
Bicycle suspension is the system, or systems, used to suspend the rider and bicycle in order to insulate them from the roughness of the terrain. Bicycle suspension is used primarily on mountain bikes, but is also common on hybrid bicycles.
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of a motorcycle, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, to deflect wind and reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine components in the case of an accident. A motorcycle windshield will usually be integrated into the design of the fairing.
Lightning is a brand of recumbent bicycles produced by Lightning Cycle Dynamics based in Lompoc, California, United States. In 1979 the first Lightning recumbent was built by three students from Northrop Institute of Technology - Tim Brummer, Don Guichard and Chris Dreike. In 1981 Brummer won the Abbott prize in a Lightning recumbent for the first human-powered vehicle to break the then-common speed limit of 55 mph. A four-man team set the fastest time for the 1989 Race Across America, a record that still stands. They have also won the STP Challenge, among other achievements. Today Lightning Cycle Dynamics produces recumbent bicycles and carbon cranks. Many of the bikes are made in the U.S.
In competitive cycling, the kit is the standard equipment and attire worn specifically by athletes participating in the sport. The outfits differ from the clothes worn in other forms of cycling, such as commuting and recreational cycling. Competitive kit uses technical and performance materials and features to improve efficiency and comfort. The UCI specify the kit and the design the riders use.
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