I understand having two people in a bobsled but why four? Is the extra push that significant. Does it add any element of skill?
They appear to be running about 5mph faster at the speed trap near the bottom of the track. I would assume that the inertia caused by the greater mass would make steering trickier as well.
More variables, more variation…more interest.
Simple: you need one guy to be the brake man, you need one guy to steer, and you need two guys to yell “WHEEEEEEEEEEE!”
A crew is made up of a pilot, a brakeman, and two pushers.
Standup comedian joking about the 4 man bobsled:
"Okay, I get it–the front guy steers, the back guy brakes…but those other two?
Well–there’s one good thing they get to enjoy:
On the flight over to the Olympic site–it’s a 14 hour flight–they get to celebrate!
For the whole flight they’re partying and saying "Wow, isn’t this just GREAT?—Look at all this legroom !!!
I think it has more to do with extra weight = greater speed.
If you look at the origin of the sport, it was taking a toboggan sled and putting people on it. They started moving by bobbing - that is, swaying their bodies forward and back in unison. And then they leaned into the turns as part of the steering. (This is all from watching film shown on one segment.)
Nowadays, some extra push, more weight, faster times, plus makes steering different.
Bumped.
Sometimes all you need is one: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8e/75/3e/8e753eb1dc26fca3af090bcab8df2792--you-don-t-don-ts.jpg
Not a fan of Galileo, are you? :dubious:
(Yes, yes, I know it’s a zombie thread…)
Is it a hyperloop bobsled?
More weight behind the same frontal area will result in higher speed when air resistance starts having an effect.
Yes - and at speeds around 80 to 90 mph, air resistance has a huge effect.
All competitions impose a maximum total sled weight. Every competitive sled will be at that weight.