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The only problem is that Keith Code, at least as quoted here, is not exactly correct about this.
In order to steer a bike it must lean. The countersteer is merely the most efficient way to initiate lean.
The sequence of events works something like this for most bikes:
- Countersteer rake and trail combine to steer the bike out from underneath its center of mass (gyroscopic effect has litte to do with this phase)
- As the bike leans a gravitational torque causes the "roll motion" of the bike to accelerate since the bike has a pretty large moment of inertia about it's roll axis the change in angular momentum causes the front wheel to precess in the direction of the intended turn
- this precession causes the front wheel to swing back in the direction of the intented turn and stops the roll of the bike towards the ground.
- the turn is executed.
There are numerous factors that muddy up this general scenario but that's the gist of it. I would note that there is a fair amount of argument even among physicists about the finer points of this, but not about the basics.
Even Tony Foale agrees that this is basically correct which is why I imagine that his seminars recently with Keith must have been interesting.
-sbp
In order to steer a bike it must lean. The countersteer is merely the most efficient way to initiate lean.
The sequence of events works something like this for most bikes:
- Countersteer rake and trail combine to steer the bike out from underneath its center of mass (gyroscopic effect has litte to do with this phase)
- As the bike leans a gravitational torque causes the "roll motion" of the bike to accelerate since the bike has a pretty large moment of inertia about it's roll axis the change in angular momentum causes the front wheel to precess in the direction of the intended turn
- this precession causes the front wheel to swing back in the direction of the intented turn and stops the roll of the bike towards the ground.
- the turn is executed.
There are numerous factors that muddy up this general scenario but that's the gist of it. I would note that there is a fair amount of argument even among physicists about the finer points of this, but not about the basics.
Even Tony Foale agrees that this is basically correct which is why I imagine that his seminars recently with Keith must have been interesting.
-sbp