Urban Cycling Institute’s Post

Our newest peer-reviewed journal paper: "CFD analysis of chest fairings in time trial cycling": https://lnkd.in/ecy7qv_f To the best of our knowledge, the first published systematic study on chest fairings in cycling. Chest fairings are not new but have been used rather intensively in triathlon in the past year and - either intentionally or not intentionally - also in time trials in road cycling, in the past, especially also the last year and this year. Famous examples (see photo below): Jonas Vingegaard in the 2023 Tour de France and Remco Evenepoel in the 2023 Glasgow UCI Road World Championships. Not forbidden at this moment by the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) because it is allowed to place radio communication devices at the chest of the rider. Not allowed is adding volume, such as by plastic wrappings around these devices. Either intentionally or unintentionally applied, the obstable at the chest can act as a fairing and significantly reduce the aerodynamic resistance of the rider. We write "can", because it can also have a negative impact on the aerodynamic resistance, as shown in our study. This project was a voluntary project executed without external or in cash funding, by a group of individuals/organisations from academia and industry with a keen interest in fluid mechanics and cycling. The work is the result of a collaboration of our research team with our partner Ansys. Many thanks to Dr. Fabio Malizia for having contributed to this study by generating high-quality grids. Many thanks to Thijs van Druenen for having provided the wind tunnel measurement in validation study part I. Many thanks to Thierry Marchal, Richard Tinsdeall, John Stokes and Patrick Sharkey of Ansys International & Ansys UK for the software license support & hardware support. This paper was published Open Access in the peer-reviewed Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics of publisher Elsevier / Elsevier for Engineering R&D ). We thank the anonymous reviewers for the valuable comments that have improved this manuscript. Heriot-Watt University KU Leuven #cycling #aerodynamics #chestfairing #racing #cfd #windtunnel #aerospace #aerospaceengineering #sports #sportsengineering #research #publication #university #ansys #heriotwattuniversity #kuleuven

📣 I'm pleased to announce the publication of our peer-reviewed paper entitled "Development of a Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bench for Validation of an Anti-lock Braking System on an E-Bike" co-authored with Nicolas Ramosaj and Christian Fusco following the Bicycle and Motorcycle Dynamics conference held at Delft University of Technology in October 2023. 🚲 Safe cycling is first and foremost a question of infrastructure 🚧 and behavior 👀, but technology 👨🔧 can also contribute, if deployed wisely. In our article, we look at how ABS can make bicycle braking safer. ⚙ More specifically, we propose a so-called hardware-in-the-loop approach to interface a real ABS with a virtual bike, and thus validate the correct operation of the ABS in a safe and reproducible way before embarking on road tests. ✔To prove that our virtual bike behaves realistically, we compared it with measurements made on the road with an instrumented bike. We also made specific measurements to characterize certain components, such as the telescopic fork or the radial behavior of the tire. Open access paper available here: https://lnkd.in/eHx_SP7A

Get to know me better! Here are some fun facts you might not have known about me: ○ I have two dogs named Goose and Rooster ○ I love all things fitness including running marathons and mountain biking ○ I have dual degrees in biomedical and mechanical engineering

How can cities foster synergies between cycling and public transport to improve job accessibility?🚲 🚎 New Delft University of Technology (#DCEnetwork) study introduces a method to identify most relevant locations cycle-and-ride infrastructure from an accessibility perspective. Interactive Data Story 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYaDYaHT Research article 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTF2SuKJ

Should cyclists squat? Should I rebase a feature branch? Should I use GPT-4 to evaluate my LLM application? These seemingly disparate questions plague me and all return an 'it depends' response. Just like optimizing your winter base training, evaluating LLM applications requires a nuanced approach tailored to the unique context. Away from the world of faux-pro cycling, I have found it straightforward to divide the process of evaluating LLM applications into two parts: 🔍 In Part 1, we explore this landscape with stakeholders and map out where the application should go and the different contexts it will encounter. I wrote this post on the practical considerations of LLM evaluation: https://lnkd.in/exC8SZTq 🛠️ Part 2 is the hands-on phase. Here, we delve into the technicalities of implementing evaluation protocols - ensuring that our LLM application is ready for relevant contexts. This may involve other LLMs or metrics. Check out this post on the technical implementation: https://lnkd.in/eE9VidgE 📚 If you are eager to explore the intricate world of open-source LLMs, I am assembling a course that covers various topics. Enrol in this Open Source LLMs Course. https://lnkd.in/eDYqnYGt

Did you know the snowboard was invented by an engineer? 🤯 That's right, engineers have a way of turning everything into a work of art, even winter sports! ❄️🛹   With a few engineering twists and turns, the humble snowboard has transformed into a marvel of geometry, chemistry, and biomechanics. It's like a playground of physics and innovation! 🔍🔬   Even skiers have hopped on the engineering bandwagon, borrowing some snowboard innovations to make their turns smoother and more effortless. Who knew engineers could make skiing cooler, right? ⛷️🧐   Just like how engineers made snowboarding and skiing cooler, we're making hiring easier and more efficient! If you're ready to engineer some awesomeness, give us a shout! 📩   #EngineerRecruitment #SnowboardScience #SkiingInnovation 🌟🔧🏂

Join us this Wednesday, March 27th to learn about simulation's role in elite cycling. We will be joined by Ansys' Thierry Marchal and Professor Bert Blocken as they explore cycling aerodynamics, fluid dynamics of drafting techniques, the future of sports science and much more. Register here: https://lnkd.in/d7_zmeK3 *Simulation credit Professor Bert Blocken #simulation #Ansys #ansysfluent #cycling #engineering #simulationsoftware

Build and navigate your robot down a vertical ski course! Looking added fun? Try live-programming, where students build their program piece by piece, press play, and then code the next section of the course. Go here to get started: https://lnkd.in/eNXH-irD #robotskiing #STEM #STEMActivityoftheMonth

Have you learned how to ride a bike? Are you able to recall how many times you fell? Are you able to recall the time when you rode it without falling? After so many falls, it may be hard for you to remember when you finally mastered the art of riding. Before you can become an expert, you must practice, fall, practice, and fall repeatedly. Take advantage of the learning process in order to master that skill you've been working on.

🏎️ J&P are proud to sponsor Eltham College’s team at The Lenovo F1 in Schools 2024 UK National Finals. This amazing competition, the official education challenge of Formula 1, aims to inspire students by encouraging them to build and race their own miniature F1 car. Eltham College’s squad of six, aptly named Aeroswift Racing, achieved the 3rd place out of 34 teams at the regional competition — they will now compete in the National Finals on 13th and 14th March, in Rotherham. 🔧 📐 In the tournament, students work together in groups of 3-6, creating their own version of an F1 team. Assigning roles and responsibilities, each individual takes ownership of a specific area, such as designing the car, manufacturing it, testing it, branding it, or even becoming the Team Principal and ensuring they project manage everything. Once they have developed their car and project work, they are able to compete and race against other teams. 🥽 A challenge rooted in STEM, but encompassing so much more, F1 in Schools provides students with an insight into an array of careers and subject areas — from marketing and sponsorship to financial management, alongside teaching technical skills such as how to use CAD (computer aided design) software and CNC (computer numerical controlled) machines. #InspiringStudents #STEMEducation #StudentInnovation #EducationalCompetition #ukeducation #F1inSchools #STEMChallenge