College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 3
College of Engineering
Department - Author 3
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 3
BS in Mechanical Engineering
College - Author 4
College of Engineering
Department - Author 4
Mechanical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 4
BS in Mechanical Engineering
Date
6-2021
Primary Advisor
Andrew Kean, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
Fork flop can play an important role in the performance of a mountain bike. This phenomenon of fork flop is known as the tendency that the front wheel of a bike wants to flop over to one side when moving slowly. The fork flop experienced on a bicycle changes with the geometry of the bike, but our team sought to change the fork flop experienced through an adjustable internal spring design that attaches to the bicycle instead. From our research, we decided to utilize torsion springs as the method for mitigating fork flop. We also decided to use load cells and a DAQ to compile and compare the data of our test bicycles. After creating a prototype, we compared the moments experienced on a bicycle with an extremely slack head angle to that of a bicycle with a steep head angle. The bicycle with a slack head angle had our prototype placed on it to provide the fork flop mitigation. Our results show that the bicycle with the slack head angle experienced less moments with our design placed on it, putting it on a comparable level to that of a bicycle with a steep head angle. These results suggest that our internal spring design can mitigate the fork flop experienced on a bicycle without changing the bicycle’s geometry. Our prototype gives an important conclusion that bicycle riders can change the performance of their bicycle without the need for a complete overhaul of their bike.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/mesp/583