Originally Posted by
unterhausen
I poked around on that guy's site, and the reason he made those equations is that he is interested in designing recumbents. He says that diamond frame builders have good rules for designing their frames, but bent designers don't. One thing I've learned is that equations don't always help you with people's perceptions, although they can complete the puzzle.
Equations are good tools for engineers, if they're simple enough. Combined with an understanding of the human factors, they can improve the engineer's ability to design a well-liked bike that also handles well.
I wonder if he goes on to describe his various handling criteria in more descriptive terms, and if he has tried to use his methodology on an upright bike design. Seems to me he has the ability to fine-tune a design at teh outset, and this could possibly benefit the design of conventional bikes.