1 THE BICYCLE: A VEHICLE FOR TEACHING PHYSICS

"The beauty of the bicycle resides in its sincerity. It conceals nothing. All its workings are open and visible. " J. Bertaut (1936). And, these workings can be used to teach a wide range of physics concepts. During the past several years, a group of physics educators from six countries have collaborated on two aspects of physics education using the bicycle. The result was a set of interactive lessons centered on the scientific and cultural aspects of the bicycle. Recently, I have expanded on these materials in two ways. First, I have investigated the early 20th Century history of bicycle design as an example of how societal and technological issues interact. Second, I have begun exploring the use of portable computer data collection systems to add a sophisticated component to the teaching materials.