Sunday, October 2, 2011

Bike Stability


Why is it harder to stay upright on a bike that is stationary compared to one that is moving? At first glance it would seem that moving would cause a lot of asymmetry about the center line, and it probably does. However, moving also introduces angular momentum / torque, which is in a direction parallel to the ground, adding stability. You could think of it as a top precessing.

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