ELI5, How am I able to go farther and faster on my bicycle than by walking, considering I have to move the mass of the bike, as well as the loss of energy to friction from the gears and wheels?
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The gears of the bicycle give you a mechanical advantage. A baseball bat gives you a longer lever (and a faster moving mass) to hit the ball with instead of just swinging your hand assuming your hand was tough enough to swat a 90 mph pitch. The crank that the pedal is on is a lever on the front chain ring. The front to rear gear ratio gives each push of your leg an extra advantage compared to using that push for just walking.
The bicycle rider does have increased resistance from gearing losses and higher aerodynamic drag, but the pedestrian also has losses in moving the body mass slightly up and down with each step. But with good well inflated tires, the rolling resistance of a bicycle is low.
The bicycle is considered one of, if not the most efficient forms of personal transportation in terms of energy consumed per unit of distance transported.
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