IT’S not just living things that evolve. Bicycles do too. In a study of
bicycles from the 19th century, Alberto Minetti and his colleagues at Manchester
Metropolitan University found that as new models were introduced, riders could
reach higher speeds for the same effort (Biological Sciences B, vol
268, p 1351). The team calculated the metabolic cost of pedalling the bikes by
monitoring the oxygen uptake of cyclists as they rode. Even early models such as
the 1817 Hobby Horse required less energy than walking or running because they
provided partial support for the rider’s weight, freeing up more…
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
2
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
3
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
4
Fossil fruits show flowering plants flourished in time of dinosaurs
5
Read an extract from Slow Gods by Claire North
6
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far 鈥 plus 6 other great reads
7
How some people's brains make an extraordinary recovery from stroke
8
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
9
You should turn off fans when it's too hot 鈥 but how hot is too hot?
10
I have a 100 per cent chance of getting cancer due to a rare gene



