Hi David,
What are you trying to build? I am not trying to builds I am trying to understand what has been built to improve efficiency of mechanics by up to 40 times current speed. Helping mechanics earn a living wage.
Not a lot of CFD in the bike world. Do you know this as fact or a belief that you hold strongly?
And after over a hundred years of engineering, not a lot of need for FEA. In the 1880's to 1890's there was amazing engineering, some material sciences in the 1980's improved friction, ending of the cold war brought advanced materials in the 80's and 90's Sadly as a student of the root causes of problems I have found the engineering in most bicycle systems is lost and strong held beliefs are the replacement.
A couple of examples:
A chain has a pull strength of 2000 pounds before it stretches, If you wish to stretch a chain put a car on your back and stand on one pedal. What is the root of chain lengthening, What is the relationship between side to side flex of a chain and shifting quality? Do all new chains that measure the same length have the same side flex? Is there a relationship between chain length and flex.
A spoke is made of a magical metal that stretches once and then becomes a harder metal and never stretches again. A spoke can be tightened until it will pull the nipple through the rim because the rim is not as strong as pull force that can be applied by the spoke. So how do rims stretch spokes to become looser in tension during the first 30 days of riding?
Derailleur cables are anchored by a threaded fastener on one end and on the other end sits in a plastic seat in the shift lever. The derailleur cable has a pull strength of 500 pounds of pull before it will stretch, the plastic seat will fail before the cable will. How do cables stretch one time then never stretch again when pulled by a weaker plastic component?
Does a quick release lever change the adjustment of a hub? How do you isolate and test your theory? How do you adjust the hub precisely for a combination of a specific axle (mild steel, hardened steel, Titanium, Aluminum, ) and a specific Quick Release material (Steel, Aluminum, Titanium, with or with out plastic components )? How do you precisely adjust a hub for QR forces in less than 20 seconds? If engineering has been done, then it should be easy to answer all these question by looking in books, or on line, or from schools.
Which acts like a fluid on the bicycle? hydraulic brake fluid? a wheel rim? or a chain? A little hint, Brake fluid when contain in a system acts as a solid to transfer forces. Brake fluid outside of a system acts like a fluid.
If you would like to communicate on how CFD with FEA can change the world of cycling I would love to talk, If you believe engineers created cables that stretch once, spokes that stretch once, chains that stretch with human load of less than 2000 pounds, well I will not change your strong belief system.
Christopher Wallace
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