This is the first of six articles in which Paul de Vivie considers the ‘enemies’ of the cyclist.

The title line includes the expression: P(0.01+p)+0.003V2. ‘P’ is the all up weight of bicycle and rider, ‘p’ is the gradient and ‘V’ is the velocity. The first part of the formula represents something to do with rolling resistance and gravity, the second part of the formula is concerned with air resistance.

The particular ‘enemy’ that this article focusses on is ‘la trépidation’ - which I would translate as ‘juddering’. Something that was decidedly non-trivial on the largely unmetalled roads of the time.

(Source gallica.bnf.fr/ Bibliothèque nationale de France)

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• Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
• Country: France
• Date: March 1912
• Derailleur brands: de Vivie
• Derailleurs: none