Fresh work on the mathematics of bicycles in motion

Post by draven » Thu, Jul 21, 2016, 8:32 AM UTC

sliverstorm wrote: post #45

artimaeis wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never noticed this on bicycles, but I also haven't ridden anything but a stationary in 5+ years now! But this is very noticeable in motorcycles. Most riders don't really think about the torque they're applying to the handlebars, but when you lean into a turn you're definitely applying that torque to the handlebars. You're kind of putting the side of the wheel to the ground in the process, and the only way to put…

I don't know why it's so much more important in motorcycles- even riders who have ridden bikes for many years like myself benefit from pointed instruction in "press right to go right". Perhaps because the rake is so much greater, it's not a natural, immediate carryover from bicycles. Or perhaps because the motorcycle is much heavier, handlebar input becomes all the more important, relative to a bicycle you can steer…

Post by etib » Thu, Jul 21, 2016, 9:22 AM UTC

sevenless wrote: post #8

It might help if they program humanoid robots to ride bikes. The problem seems to be hard to analyze because there's a person on the bike, and the way the person moves with the bike is hard to track.

Post by HCIdivision17 » Thu, Jul 21, 2016, 5:25 PM UTC

sohkamyung wrote: post #81

HCIdivision17 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just want to note that this also happens on motorcycles. On a cold winter day my bike dumped me off as I lost traction at a stop light. It started to fall over, bumped its saddle bags, and before the tilt sensor could stall the engine it righted itself in second gear and idled its way through the intersection... with me literally running after it. It hit a curb and eventually stalled upright. Second most embarassin…

Dare I ask what was the most embarrassing thing the bike did to you?...};-)

Post by upofadown » Thu, Jul 21, 2016, 11:37 PM UTC

stouset wrote: post #91

upofadown wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to countersteer to turn on a bike. When you are riding straight you are using a combination of balance and handlebar position to adjust the angle of the bike so it is directly between you and the ground. If you fail to do this you fall over. So to turn without countersteer just stop doing anything and start to fall over. When you reach your desired angle of bank then turn the handlebars in the directio…

Sorry, but this is flat-out incorrect. Countersteer is the only way to turn a bicycle at speed. If you lean, you are simply inducing the bike to countersteer for you. The fact that you are not conscious of this act does not change the fact that it is happening regardless of your awareness. More to the point, you cannot turn a bicycle at speed to the right by turning the handlebars to the right. The bicycle will go le…

Post by icc97 » Fri, Jul 22, 2016, 7:22 PM UTC

handedness wrote: post #66

icc97 wrote: post #48

If nothing else I find it quite fascinating how some bikes are easier to ride without holding the handle bars than others. I can balance much better on my 1998 Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike (comfortable for minutes without hands) than I can on my 1998 Cannondale R900 racing bike (max 5 seconds without hand). But for my colleague - he finds it much easier to balance his racing bike. As the article suggest - th…

I would guess the frame geometry on your Stumpjumper is likely much more relaxed (specifically the head tube angle) than the Cannondale's.