Using IMUs to monitor body kinematicswhile cyclingin different in-field conditions

Wearable sensors and system scan profitably be used in bicycle riding to help evaluating the performance and provide trainers and athletes with indications about the strategy used to execute the gesture. In this paper a set of commercial Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) was used to assess body segment accelerations while pedalling outdoor in different conditions, obtained combining tracks with different slopes and different positions on the saddle. Results show an evident variation on data recorded by the IMUs placed in the upper body segments, as a function of both slope and saddle position, that can be interpreted as a different inertial contribution of the trunk to the gesture. This information can be used to both evaluate different strategies and monitor the evolution of a functional recovery while using cycling in rehabilitation contexts.