Introduction

MUOV, a pioneering indoor cycling brand, has embarked on an innovative project to develop smart bikes that replicate the outdoor cycling experience. The objective was to create a multi-body dynamics simulation for their advanced indoor smart bike, focusing on simulating rider dynamics and optimising the bike’s tilting and steering mechanisms to enhance user experience, ergonomics, and safety.

Problem Statement

The primary engineering challenge was simulating a Hybrid 3 crash test dummy riding the bike out of the saddle, which involved accurately modelling the bike’s tilting and steering dynamics for rider stability and movement realism. The challenges included tuning the dummy’s joints for realistic pedalling and assessing the structural strength of the bike under dynamic loads to ensure durability and rider safety.

Methodology

The project utilised Altair Motionsolve to create a detailed multi-body dynamics simulation. The simulation involved an inverse dynamics method to generate realistic leg motions, with the Hybrid 3 dummy positioned for optimal posture through comprehensive research. Real-world accelerometer data was integrated to validate and refine the bike’s dynamics, ensuring that the simulation mirrored real-world cycling experiences.

Design and Development

The team focused on a rider-centric design, iterating the simulation design based on feedback and incorporating precise dynamic simulations through Altair Motionsolve. Key decisions revolved around mirroring human physiology in the dummy’s design, which was integral to developing the tilting and steering mechanisms that closely replicate outdoor cycling.

Testing and Optimisation

The MUOV Bike underwent rigorous testing, including stress analysis on the bike frame under dynamic conditions. The team’s optimisation strategies involved adjusting resistance torque parameters for smoother pedal transitions and enhancing dummy motion inputs for natural pedalling. The project aligned simulation outcomes with MUOV’s real-world test data for validation.

Results and Impact

The simulation successfully replicated complex cycling dynamics and provided vital insights into structural loads and rider dynamics. These insights were crucial for making design improvements. The project provided MUOV with the data needed to enhance the bike’s safety and performance, ensuring that the user experience was akin to outdoor cycling.

Conclusion

The multi-body dynamics simulation developed for MUOV’s bike addressed significant engineering challenges, offering a robust tool for refining the product before its market launch. This project positioned MUOV’s bike at the forefront of the indoor cycling industry by closely simulating outdoor cycling dynamics indoors.