Designing a Bicycle Suspension System That Self-Adjusts for Motorcycle Design
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Engineering
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Motorcycles are one of the most popular types of transportation, particularly in areas such as Southeast Asia (Arunachalam et al., 2021). Riders of different sizes have variations in posture and ergonomics. Therefore, it is important that manufacturers consider ergonomics into the design of their motorcycles. One of the current issues with motorcycle design is that individuals who are shorter tend to have issues riding such vehicles, mainly in their ability to plant their feet on the ground. This is needed for stopping and hill starts. Research has focused a lot on the characteristics of people while riding, mainly their physical characteristics such as posture and joint angles. The issue is that there is a lack of exploration into potential solutions to the issue that shorter riders have. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design a suspension system that can adjust based on speed to assist riders of short stature. Such a concept was explored by Bissoondial (2024), who designed a custom bicycle frame for a child with achondroplasia. A mountain bicycle was used for the design. An air suspension system featuring a shock pump and an Arduino Uno microcontroller were added onto the bicycle, and was programmed to lower at a speed under 10 miles per hour and lower 6 centimeters. The prototype was tested on smooth roads with hard braking. Results did not satisfy the requirement, but the proof of concept displayed itself as being a potentially viable design for improving ergonomics.
Recommended Citation
Alvarado Cruz, Diego, "Designing a Bicycle Suspension System That Self-Adjusts for Motorcycle Design" (2026). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 62.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2026/all/62
Location
Furman Hall 201
Start Date
3-28-2026 9:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
Designing a Bicycle Suspension System That Self-Adjusts for Motorcycle Design
Furman Hall 201
Motorcycles are one of the most popular types of transportation, particularly in areas such as Southeast Asia (Arunachalam et al., 2021). Riders of different sizes have variations in posture and ergonomics. Therefore, it is important that manufacturers consider ergonomics into the design of their motorcycles. One of the current issues with motorcycle design is that individuals who are shorter tend to have issues riding such vehicles, mainly in their ability to plant their feet on the ground. This is needed for stopping and hill starts. Research has focused a lot on the characteristics of people while riding, mainly their physical characteristics such as posture and joint angles. The issue is that there is a lack of exploration into potential solutions to the issue that shorter riders have. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design a suspension system that can adjust based on speed to assist riders of short stature. Such a concept was explored by Bissoondial (2024), who designed a custom bicycle frame for a child with achondroplasia. A mountain bicycle was used for the design. An air suspension system featuring a shock pump and an Arduino Uno microcontroller were added onto the bicycle, and was programmed to lower at a speed under 10 miles per hour and lower 6 centimeters. The prototype was tested on smooth roads with hard braking. Results did not satisfy the requirement, but the proof of concept displayed itself as being a potentially viable design for improving ergonomics.
