Bicycling for Ladies / The Common Sense of Bicycling; with Hints as to the Art of Wheeling—Advice to Beginners—Dress—Care of the Bicycle—Mechanics—Training—Exercise, etc., etc.

by Maria E. Ward

CHAPTER XVIII.
Mechanics of Bicycling.

All applied mechanical power is the application of lever movement (and lever movement is but the effect of applied power), either simple, compound, or complex.

In the bicycle propelled by human power, we have a series of lever movements, initiated and executed by the highest and most effective mechanism known—the human body, applied human power. There is the seat of power, the point of application, and the object. The bicycle or object is so constructed that it continues the application of power applied.

The lever is described as “a bar or other rigid instrument having a fixed point for the exercise of power and the application of power to the object to be moved.” The series of lever movements in the human body is the most wonderful known.

There are three varieties of levers, of three different degrees of efficiency, known as levers of the first, second, and third classes, or orders, of levers.

In the lever of the first class, the fulcrum is between the weight and the power:PFW.

In the lever of the second class the fulcrum is opposite to the power: PW F.

In the lever of the third class the fulcrum is opposite to the weight: PW F.

These different powers of levers are used in combination, and produce a great variety of power effects and applications.

Other factors to note are: