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Through numerical simulations of a cyclist+bicycle system, a performance comparison was carried out between a traction drive continuously variable transmission (TD-CVT) and a traditional transmission (step-variable transmission) for bicycles. The objective was verifying the performance of both of them when the cycling frequency was kept invariable. For that, the principles of a TD-CVT were initially described. After that, the human characteristics of producing power in different intervals of time were considered. Then, the cycling frequencies which are most commonly used in biomechanical tests related to cycling were analyzed. Finally, the cyclist-bicycle system was modeled through Lagrance's movement equations. During the simulations, the cycling frequency values and the description of the transmissions used in a certain course were stored in order to be compared.

This work is concerned about the conception of computer programs to aid the process of mechanical design. Today it urges the development of systems that works further than the traditional areas dedicated by CAD systems (Computer Aided Design) that are the area of draft. CAD systems must aid in the conceptual phase of design. This paper presents the development of a software system as a solution to this problem in design field. It was developed in visual object oriented language, and it was split into 3 modules with tasks of: design process management, requirements determination and conception development.