The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of bicycle ergometer pedal-arm length on heart rate and air intake. Nine students attending the University of North Dakota participated as subjects in the study. The subjects pedaled a bicycle ergometer for six minutes on three test days. The variable criterion for the three tests was the pedal-arm length which was altered to predetermined lengths of 15, 17 and 19 centimeters. Heart rate response and air intake volume were recorded and compiled at each minute of the six minute tests.
The raw data were statistically analyzed by two way analysis of variance and a Variance Ratio or F-test to determine significance at the 0.05 level. A means table for heart rate and air intake was established to determine possible trends and to aid in interpreting the results.
Based on the results of this study, it seems apparent that pedal-arm length effects heart rate and air intake during portions of the work output
