Bicycle Austin forum

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,455

Website

Charges of a racer using a motor disproved by incredible analysis

When a racer had a burst of acceleration in a race, charges were made that he was using an electric motor.  So a mechanical engineer did this incredible analysis which concludes that the acceleration was certainly humanly possible.  What's interesting to me is not the accusation, but the analysis.  It's so incredibly detailed it has to be seen to be believed:

  http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010/06 … ttack.html

dougmc

Administrator

Registered: 2008-06-01

Posts: 623

Re: Charges of a racer using a motor disproved by incredible analysis

Considering that the motor in question can only put out about 100 watts and these pro racers can sprint at over 1000 watts -- yes, the motor would be an advantage, but it would only make them a bit faster.  So the motor won't make him seem superhuman anyways -- just slightly faster.

So really, this analysis doesn't *prove* that he wasn't using a motor -- it just shows that what he did is possible (even commonly done) without a motor.

And really, the analysis isn't that incredible -- people do this all the time.  There's even software out there to automate much of the process ...

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,455

Website

Re: Charges of a racer using a motor disproved by incredible analysis

Okay, I was clumsy in the topic heading, but I got it right in the body of the post.  And what's incredible to me is that someone would take the time to analyze this incident so thoroughly, using lots of charts, graphs, and formulas.