3 ms·
This is largely a myth. A rotating bicycle wheel does generate a small amount of gyroscopic effect, but it is too small in comparison to the weight of bike & ri
by exidy 5y ago
This is largely a myth. A rotating bicycle wheel does generate a small amount of gyroscopic effect, but it is too small in comparison to the weight of bike & rider to make much difference. People have built bicycles with counter-rotating front wheels[1] to prove it.
Smaller bikes may feel less stable, however I suspect this is simply because smaller wheels will be affected by smaller road imperfections that a larger wheel would simply roll over.
[1] https://theconversation.com/how-does-a-bike-stay-upright-surprisingly-its-all-in-the-mind-59829 https://theconversation.com/how-does-a-bike-stay-upright-sur...
- anonymousiam 5y agoI wonder why there are so many conflicting opinions on this. It may be that those trying to discredit the benefit of gyroscopic stability are looking at the first order effect of the gyro/wheels on keeping the bike upright, when in fact it is the force from the front wheel on the handlebars/steering, and the man-in-the-loop. https://ezramagazine.cornell.edu/summer11/researchspotlight.html https://ezramagazine.cornell.edu/summer11/researchspotlight....