Updated April 5th, 2024
  
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About the VÉLUS Laboratory

The VÉLUS Laboratory is a research laboratory that specializes in the study of road bicycle dynamic comfort, and in the measurement in the lab and in the field of loads applied to road bicycles.

Mission: To help cycling move forward through engineering research

Objectives

  • To develop knowledge and high-level expertise
  • To quantify cycling phenomena and perceptions
  • To foster knowledge transfer to cyclists and to bicycle manufacturers


Research topics

  • Road bicycle dynamic (vibratory) comfort
  • Cyclist's dynamic comfort perception (psychophysics)
  • Bicycle comfort metrics
  • In-situ measurement of power and energy transmitted to the cyclist
  • In-situ measurement of static and dynamic loads (force and couple)
  • Static and dynamic numerical simulations
Study at VÉLUS
 

Master's thesis, doctoral thesis and undergraduate research internship projects are available at any time. These projects cover a wide range of topics such as (non-exhaustive list):

  • bicycle load transducer development;
  • human perception and psychophysics;
  • experimental measurements and signal processing;
  • bicycle test bench development;
  • mechanical design and finite element analysis;
  • structural optimisation.
For more information on available projects, please e-mail Prof. Jean-Marc Drouet at: Jean-Marc.Drouet@USherbrooke.ca

Special projects and events
 
         

The Steel Bicycle Project

 

Bespoked

         
Team
 
 

Professor Jean-Marc Drouet, ing., Ph.D.

Director
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke
2500 boulevard de l'Université
Sherbrooke (QC) Canada J1K 2R1
Phone: +1 (819) 821-8000 ext. 61345

Jean-Marc.Drouet@USherbrooke.ca

The associates
 

Dr Derek Covill
Principal Lecturer
School of Computing,
Engineering and Mathematics
University of Brighton
Brighton, England

   

Dr Hachimi Fellouah, ing.
Professor and researcher
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke (QC) Canada

   

Dr Catherine Guastavino
Professor and researcher
School of Information Studies
McGill University
Montréal (QC) Canada

 

Dr Julien Lépine
Professor and researcher
Faculty of Business
Administration
Université Laval
Québec (QC) Canada

   

Dr Joachim Vanwalleghem
BikeLabs International
Ghent, Belgium

   

Alycia Soulas
Researcher
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke (QC) Canada

The students
 

Killian Tachon
2021-2022
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Florian Sorin
2022
Internship
ISMANS CESI
Le Mans (France)

   

Louise Pouilly
2023
Internship
École Centrale de Marseille
Marseille (France)

 

Jérôme Deshaies
2020
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Fabien Ruvira
2020
International student
Polytech Montpellier (France)

   

Alycia Soulas
2021-2022
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Audrey Salaün
2019
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Jean-Guy Le Gac de Lansalut
2019-2020
International student
INSA Lyon (France)

   

Vincent Tessier
2020
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Antoine Labrie
2018
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Antoine Vachon
2018-2019
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Florian Gibernon
2017-2018
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Nicolas Brissette
2017
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Gabriel Charland
2017
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Wendy Duarte
2017
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Stéphanie Tremblay
2017
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Éric Lamoureux
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Marianne Leroux
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Alexandre Coulombe
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Jesus David Savard
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Raphaël Soweif
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Olivier Duhamel
2016
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Mathieu Dorion<
2015
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Nicolas Girard
2015
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Philippe Allard
2015
Undergraduate research project
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Francis Marois
2013
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Éric Côté
2013
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Camille Brousseau
2013
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Julien Lépine
2012-2013
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Sébastien Perrier
2010-2013
Ph.D. student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Louis Formigal
2012
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Michael Charrette
2011-2012
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Julien Lépine
2010-2011
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Alexandre Papillon
2011
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Francis Brassard
2008-2010
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Simon Richard
2005-2010
Ph.D. student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Daniel Paré
2006-2009
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Patrick Barriault
2004-2008
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

David Bernard-Giguère
2008
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Daniel Paré
2004-2006
Master's student
Faculté des sciences de
l'activité physique
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Simon Richard
2003-2005
Master's student
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

David Gingras
2005
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

 

Jean-Sébastien Gosselin
2005
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

Mathieu Paquin
2004
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

   

François Bergeron
2003-2004
Internship
Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

Publications

NEW

On the effect of tyre and rim size on road bicycle dynamic comfort

Covill D, Drouet J-M
ISEA 2024 Conference, Loughborough England, 2024


NEW

A simplified road bicycle frame mechanical design tool

Drouet J-M, Covill D, Arregui Velázquez A
ISEA 2024 Conference, Loughborough England, 2024


NEW

The Bicycle Force Pedals Project: A Sports Engineering Case Study

Covill D, Drouet J-M, Burnie L
ISEA 2024 Conference, Loughborough England, 2024


NEW

A simplified steel bicycle tube selection tool

Covill D, Drouet J-M, Arregui Velázquez A
ISEA 2024 Conference, Loughborough England, 2024


Drouet J-M, Covill D, Leroux M, Richard S
Sports Engineering, Volume 25, 2022

Full text available from Springer


Jeker D, Gosselin J, Drouet J-M, Goulet E
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Volume 3, 2021

Full text available from Frontiers


On the Effectiveness of Suspension Stems in Reducing the Vibration Transmitted to a Cyclist’s Hands in Road Cycling

Drouet J-M, Covill D, Labrie A
ISEA 2020 Conference, Tokyo Japan / Online, 2020

Full text available from MDPI


The Steel Bicycle Project: Bringing Together Tube Manufacturers, Frame Builders, and Engineers through Sports Engineering

Covill D, Drouet J-M, Arregui Velázquez A
ISEA 2020 Conference, Tokyo Japan / Online, 2020

Full text available from MDPI


Development of Customised Wheelchair Racing Gloves Using Digital Fabrication Techniques

Covill D, King R, Townsend J, Brickley G, Drouet J-M
ISEA 2020 Conference, Tokyo Japan / Online, 2020

Full text available from MDPI


Perceptual Thresholds for Vibration Transmitted to Road Cyclists

Ayachi F S, Drouet J-M, Champoux Y, Guastavino C
Human Factors, 2018

Full text available from SAGE


On the Exposure of Hands to Vibration in Road Cycling: An Assessment of the Effect of Gloves and Handlebar Tape

Drouet J-M, Covill D, Duarte W
ISEA 2018 Conference, Brisbane Queensland Australia, 2018

Full text available from MDPI


On the Effects of Tube Butting on the Structural Performance of Steel Bicycle Frames

Covill D, Drouet J-M
ISEA 2018 Conference, Brisbane Queensland Australia, 2018

Full text available from MDPI


The influence of a human hand-arm system on the vibrational dynamic behaviour of a compliant mechanical structure

Perrier S, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Journal of Vibration and Control, Volume 23, Issue 2, Pages 329–342, 2017

Full text available from SAGE


An Assessment of Bicycle Frame Behaviour under Various Load Conditions Using Numerical Simulations

Covill D, Allard P, Drouet J-M, Emerson N
Procedia Engineering, Volume 147, The Engineering of Sport 11, Pages 665-670, 2016

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Perceptual Thresholds for Shock-Type Excitation of the Front Wheel of a Road Bicycle at the Cyclist’s Hands
** Best Paper Award **

Drouet J-M, Guastavino C, Girard N
Procedia Engineering, Volume 147, The Engineering of Sport 11, Pages 724–729, 2016

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Test Protocol for In-Situ Bicycle Wheel Dynamic Comfort Comparison

Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Procedia Engineering, Volume 147, The Engineering of Sport 11, Pages 568–572, 2016

Full text available from ScienceDirect


The relative contribution of road bicycle components on vibration induced to the cyclist

Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Sports Engineering, Volume 18, Issue 2, Pages 79-91, 2015

Full text available from Springer


Using an Alternative Forced-choice Method to Study Shock Perception at Cyclists’ Hands: The Effect of Tyre Pressure

Richard S, Champoux Y, Lépine J, Drouet J-M
Procedia Engineering, Volume 112, 7th Asia-Pacific Congress on Sports Technology, Pages 361–366, 2015

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Dynamic Calibration of an Instrumented Bike Brake Hood in Measuring Power Absorbed by the Hands

Champoux Y, Vanwallenghem J, Drouet J-M
Procedia Engineering, Volume 112, 7th Asia-Pacific Congress on Sports Technology, Pages 225-230, 2015

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Using Power as a Metric to Quantify Vibration Transmitted to the Cyclist

Pelland-Leblanc J-P, Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Procedia Engineering, Volume 72, The Engineering of Sport 10, Pages 392-397, 2014

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Designing a Strain Gauge Transducer for Dynamic Load Measurement in Cycling Using Numerical Simulation

Drouet J-M, Champoux Y
Procedia Engineering, Volume 72, The Engineering of Sport 10, Pages 304-309, 2014

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Road Bike Comfort: On the Measurement of Vibrations Induced to Cyclist

Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Sports Engineering, Volume 17, Issue 2, Pages 113-122, 2014

Full text available from Springer


A Laboratory Excitation Technique to Test Road Bike Vibration Transmission

Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Experimental Techniques, 2013

Full text available from Wiley


Development of a three-load component instrumented stem for road cycling

Drouet J-M, Champoux Y
Procedia Engineering, Volume 34, The Engineering of Sport 9, Pages 502-507, 2012

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Dynamic behaviour and measurement accuracy of a bicycle brake hood force transducer

Caya A, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
Procedia Engineering, Volume 34, The Engineering of Sport 9, Pages 526-531, 2012

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Technique to Measure the Dynamic Behavior of Road Bike Wheels

Lépine J, Champoux Y, Drouet J-M
SEM IMAC XXX Conference, Jacksonville FL USA, 2012



A novel dynamometric hubset design to measure wheel loads in road cycling

Drouet J-M, Champoux Y
Procedia Engineering, Volume 2, The Engineering of Sport 8, Pages 2925-2930, 2010

Full text available from ScienceDirect


Changes of Pedaling Technique and Muscle Coordination during an Exhaustive Exercise

Dorel S, Drouet J-M, Couturier A, Champoux Y, Hug F
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Volume 41, Issue 6, Pages 1277-1286, 2009

Full text available here


A user-friendly calibration system for bicycle ergometers, home trainers and bicycle power monitoring devices

Drouet J-M, Champoux Y, Bergeron F
Sports Engineering, Volume 11, Pages 15-22, 2008

Full text available from Springer


Interindividual variability of electromyographic patterns and pedal force profiles in trained cyclists

Hug F, Drouet J-M, Champoux Y, Couturier A, Dorel S
European Journal of Applied Physiology, Volume 104, Issue 4, Pages 667–678, 2008

Full text available from Springer


Bicycle Structural Dynamics

Champoux Y, Richard S, Drouet J-M
Sound & Vibration, 2007

Full text available here


Partners

The VÉLUS Laboratory has conducted several research projects in collaboration with the following partners:

      
      
      

Gallery

Souvenir of the ISEA 2020 Conference - isea2020.org



Vibration transmission test for a Picolo wooden bicycle on the VÉLUS Laboratory treadmill - Sila Cycles



Olivier Duhamel testing a tuned mass damper (TMD) system installed on a road bicycle fork (at the VÉLUS Laboratory).



Intrumented road bicycle prepared for TREK by VÉLUS - www.trekbikes.com



Dr Andrés Arregui Velázquez (left) and Dr Derek Covill hard at work planning their presentation to launch The Steel Bicycle Project (TSBP) during the Bespoked show.
[ May 4th, 2019 - Bristol, England ]



Dr Derek Covill and Dr Jean-Marc Drouet planning upcoming research activities.
[ April 1st, 2018 - Cleveland, Queensland, Australia ]



From left to right: Dr Jean-Marc Drouet, Dr Derek Covill, Dr Tom Allen at the ISEA 2018 Conference banquet.
[ March 28th, 2018 - The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia ]



Dr Jean-Marc Drouet presenting at the ISEA 2018 Conference.
[ March 28th, 2018 - Brisbane, Australia ]



Dr Derek Covill at the ISEA 2018 Conference.
[ March 27th, 2018 - Brisbane, Australia ]



Dr Julien Lépine (left) and Dr Jean-Marc Drouet in the VÉLUS Laboratory.
[ July 18th, 2016 - Sherbrooke (Québec), Canada ]



At the ISEA 2016 Conference banquet. From left to right: Dr Kenta Moriyasu (Manager, Footwear Function Development Team – ASICS), Kenichi Haran (General Manager, Footwear Function Research Department – ASICS), Dr Sekiya Koike (Professor, University of Tsukuba, Japan), Mr Sebastian Prenger (Federal Institute of Sports Science, Germany), Dr Jean-Marc Drouet, Dr Derek Covill.
[ July 14th, 2016 - Delft, The Netherlands ]



At the ISEA 2016 Conference banquet, Dr Jean-Marc Drouet and Dr David James discussing sports engineering.
[ July 14th, 2016 - Delft, The Netherlands ]



Award winners at the ISEA 2016 Conference. From left to right: Dr Jean-Marc Drouet (Best Paper Award), Dr Monique Berger, Karen van Stein Callenfels (Best Poster Award) and Dr Heike Brock (Best Student Paper Award).
[ July 14th, 2016 - TU Delft, The Netherlands ]



Members of IBERG relaxing on the margins of the ISEA 2016 Conference. From left to right: Dr Derek Covill, Dr Jean-Marc Drouet, Dr Joachim Vanwalleghem.
[ July 12th, 2016 - Delft, The Netherlands ]



Dr Derek Covill in action at the ISEA 2016 Conference.
[ July 12th, 2016 - TU Delft, The Netherlands ]



In the field testing with Jean-Philippe Pelland-Leblanc on the bike and Dr Julien Lépine.
[ Fall 2013 - Université de Sherbrooke ]



Jean-Philippe Pelland-Leblanc (left) and Dr Julien Lépine in action.
[ September 18th, 2013 - Parc National du Mont-Orford, Québec ]



Dr Julien Lépine checking the wiring of the acquisition system carried in a backpack by Jean-Philippe Pelland-Leblanc.
[ September 18th, 2013 - Parc National du Mont-Orford, Québec ]



Jean-Philippe Pelland-Leblanc peparing bikes for on-road measurement campaign.
[ September 18th, 2013 - Parc National du Mont-Orford, Québec ]



Jean-Philippe Pelland-Leblanc (left) testing in the lab with Dr Sébastien Perrier (middle) and Dr Julien Lépine.
[ Summer 2013 - VÉLUS Laboratory ]



Do not distrub - from left to right: Dr Sébastien Perrier, Camille Brousseau, Dr Joachim Vanwalleghem and Dr Julien Lépine.
[ March 8th, 2013 - Université de Sherbrooke ]