Lateral Force Components on Pedals measured by a Cycle Ergometer with Three Axial Load Cells

This paper is focused on the measurements and analysis of the three components of the force on pedals in bicycling through a special cycle-ergometer prototype [4]. This machine allows to study the kinematics and dynamics of the bycicle-riders by quantitative measurements. The pedals are equipped with a three-axial load cells measuring the pedalling force in three orthogonal directions, and with two encoders measuring the angular positions of foots. A third encoder is mounted on the central movement, for the measurement of the crank rotation angle. The ergometer, developed for cycling sport performances and for clinical analysis, allows to measure the lateral components on the pedals, perpendicular to the para-sagittal plane. Notwithstanding the literature usually neglects the lateral components in non pathological subjects, they represent meaningful informations in rehabilitation treatment of pathological subjects. Moreover the biomechanical analysis of pedalling through three-axial force measurements allows to improve efficiency during cycling sports.