Hmm, is biking vs. walking more efficient or less efficient on steep UPHILL?

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

Hmm, is biking vs. walking more efficient or less efficient on steep UPHILL? (I know bicycling wins absolutely on flats and downhill). I would guess, walking is more efficient? #energy #physics #BikeTooter

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

Aha!

Fonda, B. and Šarabon, N.:
BIOMECHANICS AND ENERGETICS OF UPHILL ... Kinesiology 44(2012) 1:5-17
5

BIOMECHANICS AND ENERGETICS
OF UPHILL CYCLING: A REVIEW

https://fileserver-az.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/52485950.pdf

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

Physics is involved!

#physics

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

Aha! Conclusion, effort is a lot less walking uphill than cycling uphill. (which answer my question).

Walking Vs Biking Uphill | Pedal Chile |

Road cycling: The "critical slope" or the incline where walking (or running) becomes more efficient than cycling is 13–15% (recreational cyclists) Mountain Biking: The “critical slope” is 8 - 11% before it becomes more efficient to walk then to continue pedaling.

Pedal Chile (pedalchile.com)

#BikeTooter #physics

[david_chisnall@infosec.exchange]

@ai6yr This is per unit time though. The normal rule for cycling is that you get more exercise per unit time and less per unit distance than walking. If you’re cycling uphill at twice the speed of a walking person, it will take less effort to reach the top than walking with those numbers.

I suspect this depends on the steepness of the hill. I used to live near one of the steepest hills in Swansea and I physically couldn’t cycle up it in a straight line. I managed it once zigzagging diagonally cross the road and was much slower than a person walking (every other time, I got off and pushed the bike). But almost all of my route home from the middle of town was uphill of various gradients and cycling back took about half as long as walking.