Student Project

Science on the Trails: Testing Tyre Pressure & Immune Response 🚴‍♂️🔬

What’s the link between tyre pressure and immune response to vibration?

Final-year BSc Sports & Exercise student Anna Flynn is taking her research out of the lab and onto the trails at Glentress—with the guidance of Dr. Lesley Ingram-Sills and support from MTB Consultant Louis Moore.

Together, Anna and Louis aren’t just analysing the science—they’re feeling it first hand as the test riders for the study!

Testing in Real Trail Conditions – Mud, Sweat & Science!

The day kicks off in the portable lab, where the team conducts:
✅ Pre-ride health checks – blood pressure & samples
✅ Bike sensor setup – tracking real-time vibration data
✅ Tyre pressure variations – testing different setups

Then, it’s out into the muddy, wet, and wild Glentress trails.

📸 Behind-the-scenes the lab work begins, with expert insights into how adjustments to bike setup could impact not just performance, but rider recovery and resilience.

Want to Be Part of Research Like This?

If you’re passionate about sports science, human performance, or action sports research, this is the kind of hands-on learning you can experience. Anna is currently studying a BSc in Sports & Exercise, blending classroom theory with real-world applications in performance science.

Thinking about your next step in 2026? Whether you’re into sports, physiology, or elite athlete research, this could be the perfect path for you!

💡 Find out more about our courses and how you can turn your passion into a career!

#MTBScience #SportsResearch #GlentressTesting #RealWorldLearning 🚵‍♀️🔬

Collaboration Driving Innovation in MTB Science

This project is a leading example fostering collaboration between students, academics, and industry experts. By providing access to real-world, on-trail testing conditions, Mountain Bike Centre Scotland ensures that research like Anna Flynn’s can go beyond theoretical studies and deliver practical, data-driven insights that benefit both athletes and the wider MTB community.

Edinburgh Napier University is offering students the opportunity to apply scientific principles in real environments. With the expert support of MTB Consultant Louis Moore, whose ongoing work on vibration effects on MTB components brings cutting-edge industry knowledge into the project.

At the heart of it all is Dr. Lesley Ingram-Sills, the lead academic and MTB specialist at Edinburgh Napier and MTBCS. Her extensive expertise in sports science, mountain bike research, and performance analysis ensures that projects like this are both scientifically rigorous and highly applicable to the sport.

A Model for Future Sports Science Research

Edinburgh Napier and MTBCS are creating unique, hands-on learning experiences for students while contributing valuable research to the MTB industry.

For students interested in sports performance, exercise science, or outdoor action sports research, this project is proof that the right course and the right partnerships can open incredible opportunities. Could you be the next student to take your research to the trails?