The effect of rear wheel hub design and chain alignment on cycling economy

Cycling economy has been defined as the oxygen consumption for a given submaximal work-rate during cycling (Hagberg et al., 1978). This physiological measure is useful during Ôsteady stateÕ exercise in which the oxygen consumed is directly related to the energy expended, and has been used extensively in research on cycling. At a given sub-maximal work-rate, an individual with a lower oxygen consumption is regarded as being more economical. This is more important in longer duration exercise, such as endurance cycling, where success largely depends upon both the aerobic capacity of the individual and the economy of the performance.