3 ms·

Well, really you _lean_ left more than you turn the handlebars...

by rocketbop 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
kevmo314 5y ago
It's not possible to lean without turning the handlebars. Counter steering initiates the lean.
- NikolaNovak 5y ago
  I was kind of with you, but then I remembered that as a kid I was fairly skilled at riding the bike without hands on handlebars, including gentle but initiated and controlled turns. I agree that lean is key but experimentally, hands on handlebar is not a prerequisite.
  - spatulon 5y ago
    My old cycle commute into Oxford took me along the riverside path following the River Thames. There are no particularly sharp turns, but it does meander, and you'd get pretty wet if you couldn't steer. I once managed to cycle an entire 2-mile section along that path without touching the handlebars, so it definitely seems like it's possible to initiate steers just by shifting your body weight.
  - jonsen 5y ago
    You cannot make an overall lean. You can't just shift the center of mass. What happens is that you angle your upper body relative to the bike. If your upper body leans left, the bike leans right. If a bike running hands free leans, the front wheel turns in the direction of the lean. There you automatically have the counter steering when biking hands free. And this is really hard on a heavy motorbike. The bike will not angle much.
    - NikolaNovak 5y ago
      Right. I feel we are in agreement. I was responding to notion that you must make physical input to handlebars via hands, and that is empirically untrue. All other discussion on how to initiate turn in principle remains valid.
  - kevmo314 5y ago
    As someone who can ride aggressively without handlebars, you counter steer even without touching the bars. https://youtu.be/9cNmUNHSBac https://youtu.be/9cNmUNHSBac
    - NikolaNovak 5y ago
      I agree. I was responding to notion that you need to touch handlebars with your hands to turn as opposed to manipulate lean / angle through other means. I fully agree counter steering is key.

Well, really you _lean_ left more than you turn the handlebars...

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

kevmo314 5y ago

It's not possible to lean without turning the handlebars. Counter steering initiates the lean.

NikolaNovak 5y ago
I was kind of with you, but then I remembered that as a kid I was fairly skilled at riding the bike without hands on handlebars, including gentle but initiated and controlled turns. I agree that lean is key but experimentally, hands on handlebar is not a prerequisite.
- spatulon 5y ago
  My old cycle commute into Oxford took me along the riverside path following the River Thames. There are no particularly sharp turns, but it does meander, and you'd get pretty wet if you couldn't steer. I once managed to cycle an entire 2-mile section along that path without touching the handlebars, so it definitely seems like it's possible to initiate steers just by shifting your body weight.
- jonsen 5y ago
  You cannot make an overall lean. You can't just shift the center of mass. What happens is that you angle your upper body relative to the bike. If your upper body leans left, the bike leans right. If a bike running hands free leans, the front wheel turns in the direction of the lean. There you automatically have the counter steering when biking hands free. And this is really hard on a heavy motorbike. The bike will not angle much.
  - NikolaNovak 5y ago
    Right. I feel we are in agreement. I was responding to notion that you must make physical input to handlebars via hands, and that is empirically untrue. All other discussion on how to initiate turn in principle remains valid.
- kevmo314 5y ago
  As someone who can ride aggressively without handlebars, you counter steer even without touching the bars. https://youtu.be/9cNmUNHSBac https://youtu.be/9cNmUNHSBac
  - NikolaNovak 5y ago
    I agree. I was responding to notion that you need to touch handlebars with your hands to turn as opposed to manipulate lean / angle through other means. I fully agree counter steering is key.