ABSTRACT
Since cycles are ridden on roads, there are legal restrictions and tighter definitions within national regulations. The present-day configuration of everyday cycles has been determined by history, cycle-racing officials and the bicycle sector. Cycling sports secured the survival of bicycle manufacturers after the Franco-Prussian war, when France was in crisis, and British enthusiasts kept their high-wheeler manufacturers going. The bicycle market is generally a buyers’ market like those of most other consumer products. According to a theoretical model, placing two firm wheels in line instead of side by side, reduces rolling resistance to 89% on a hard sandy road. Tricycles are heavier than bicycles and have about 10% more rolling resistance plus more rotational inertia due to the third wheel. This is the penalty paid for stability. Motor scooters present a model for more convenience. Their platform makes mounting easier than on a swinging pedal crank, and operators can offer a lift to any passenger.
