Curt Austin is the creator of this site. He is an avid cyclist, both road and MTB (Moab!). And a former manager and engineer at a major aircraft engine manufacturer. He holds a PhD in Metallurgy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has been granted 17 patents.
An old interest in photography came back with a vengence when he started taking photos at bicycle races. Several of his photos have appeared in VeloNews. He broadened his photography skills, and is now a full-time photographer in New York, Austin Image Photography.
He first posted some spreadsheets that could calculate a cyclist's speed by entering power and the other factors required. He later prepared calculators, much as you see here now, using a very early version of the Java language. These were available at a funky personal account website address for ten years.
In March, 2008 - towards the end of a long, cold, dark and snowy winter in the Adirondack Mountains - he converted the old Java calculators to JavaScript, registered bikecalculator.com, and started this slick version. He created a matching iPhone App in 2010, and updated the site in 2012 with a calculator that better matched the iOS version. In 2023 the Bike Calculator Pro iOS app was released and followed by an Android version.
The footers at the bottom of each page are two very important things in cycling. Ever try to patch a tire in the rain? Do you have only old, half-rotted tubes in your seat bag? That explains the second one. As for the first, follow the rules. Treat drivers with respect, even when they make mistakes. He doesn't want to be mowed down by a driver still mad at you!
He hopes visitors will help defray the expenses of this site by checking out the Amazon products he's identified. He also hopes you'll help improve the site with suggestions and feedback.
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