It's Speed "101" after all! But the Prof hasn't prepared his notes, and so class is out for the day! You're on your own. You may explore some notes under "Essays," "Articles," or "Projects," and perhaps some of the old reports under "News" for starters.
Here we'll explore many "speed" related concepts - from the simple to the highly technical. The core "model" is simply the bicycle (or a car/plain/boat) and it's motion. Eventually I'll have a detailed "curricula" with plenty of exercises, experiments, and field projects! More to come later.
If you're a school teacher (more like, "if I were your student," naturally...!), you'll find there will be plenty of memorable exercises relating to our perpetual activity of "getting from A to B" and all that implies. Sound understanding here can be broadly applied. For those that want to know how to make a faster bike - there will eventually be plenty of technical details not commonly covered in "bike tech" resources.
(presented in both "simple" and "detailed" manners... Here's an incomplete, unsorted list of topics - to be later presented one-by-one in useful detail):
The "Human Engine" - muscles, "fuel," "timing," cooling, sweat, tears, pain, focus, growth, ventilation, hydrating/water, energy-systems, VO2 max, fatigue, anaerobic/aerobic, efficiency, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, drugs...
Energy, power, force, flow, velocity, acceleration, time, mass, kinematics...
Strength, stress, shear, deflection, stiffness, failure, fatigue, toughness, impact
Geometry, structure, stress flow
Design - CAD, CAM, CAE, programming software - C/C++, Fortran, modeling and simulation
Math - geometry, algebra,
calculus (you brain actually "uses" it all the time automatically! - give it a
"written" language and you can extend it beyond...)
Measurement and testing, evaluating
Metals, plastics, fibers, rubbers, glues, fasteners
Fabrication - plugs, molds, vacuum-bagging, purchasing, assembly, sanding, grinding, filing, fitting, sculpting
Machining, CNC, mills, lathes, cutting tools
Aerodynamics, wings, bodies, flow regimes, lift, drag, CFD - wheel drag, body drag, lifting, vortices, turbulence, boundary layers, body suits, laminar flow
Atmosphere, gases, air, altitude, elevation, pressure, density, temperature, humidity, clouds, wind, sailing
Vision, control, vibrations, rolling, tires
Gears, chains, belts, power-transfer/coupling
Electronics, sensors, circuits, generators, motors, engines, timing, GPS, satellites, radio waves, relativity!
Safety, regulations, rules, governing bodies.
... (and much more... - tell me what interests you most!)