How bikes work

[weeksy]

two wheeled vehicles steer like a car until a certain speed is reached then it goes the opposite way. prodrive did some work to show this years ago.

it might be possible to ride a bike not understanding what 'countersteering' is, but it is completely impossible to ride a bike without doing it. Literally, as the video above proves. you might not think you are doing it, but you are.

I've not watched the video, but doesn't that depend how you interpret the phrase ? Surely if you pull on the bar (riding 1 handed) then that's sort of countersteering, but you're not pushing the inside bar, you''re pulling the outside one ?

[Skub]

Keith Code invented counter steering,don't you lot know nuttin'?

[slowsider]

Keith Code invented counter steering,don't you lot know nuttin'?

And it only cost him about a dollar's worth of attention

[Skub]

Keith Code invented counter steering,don't you lot know nuttin'?

And it only cost him about a dollar's worth of attention

The trouble is I only started with fifty cents.

[Count Steer]

two wheeled vehicles steer like a car until a certain speed is reached then it goes the opposite way. prodrive did some work to show this years ago.

it might be possible to ride a bike not understanding what 'countersteering' is, but it is completely impossible to ride a bike without doing it. Literally, as the video above proves. you might not think you are doing it, but you are.

I've not watched the video, but doesn't that depend how you interpret the phrase ? Surely if you pull on the bar (riding 1 handed) then that's sort of countersteering, but you're not pushing the inside bar, you''re pulling the outside one ?

The push/pull thing is a bit of a sideshow really, you could ziptie a steering wheel to the bars and turn it whichever way and get the effect - unless you have Yorick's bike.
The gentle 'push' initiates the lean at which point the geometry turns the wheel in the direction of the turn. I managed to do it in a 10yd space at the side of our old house on my 1987 vintage MTB but I don't think that bikes have changed that much.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Ooh, from about 0.1mph. (It works on a bicycle as long as it's moving forwards).

What about backwards?

I saw the 2 year old baby D doing it on her little balance bike (push bike without pedals) at not much more than walking pace. For some reason best known to herself she used to like riding with just the heels of her hands resting on the bars and her fingers in fists, but she could still balance and steer just fine.

I tried riding a pushbike backwards once.

It didn't end well.

It's possible but difficult, but it's over 40 years since I did it.

[millemille]

two wheeled vehicles steer like a car until a certain speed is reached then it goes the opposite way. prodrive did some work to show this years ago.

it might be possible to ride a bike not understanding what 'countersteering' is, but it is completely impossible to ride a bike without doing it. Literally, as the video above proves. you might not think you are doing it, but you are.

I've not watched the video, but doesn't that depend how you interpret the phrase ? Surely if you pull on the bar (riding 1 handed) then that's sort of countersteering, but you're not pushing the inside bar, you''re pulling the outside one ?

How you initiate the counter steer - pushing inside bar or pulling outside bar - is irrelevant, it's all counter steering.

Counter steering refers to the fact that the front wheel's steering axis is rotated in the opposite direction to the desired trajectory of the bike, "counter" and "steering", to initiate the change in trajectory.

[porter_jamie]

at very slow speed you steer a bike like a car. i cannot find the video but there was a guy who was the chassis dyanmics guy from prodrive and he made a 2 wheeled vehicle with a steering wheel and the computers sorted out the steering for you. it knew when to steer the 'right' way and the 'wrong'. pretty mental.

[Dodgy69]

at very slow speed you steer a bike like a car. i cannot find the video but there was a guy who was the chassis dyanmics guy from prodrive and he made a 2 wheeled vehicle with a steering wheel and the computers sorted out the steering for you. it knew when to steer the 'right' way and the 'wrong'. pretty mental.

The topple over point.

[slowsider]

Keith Code invented counter steering,don't you lot know nuttin'?

And it only cost him about a dollar's worth of attention

The trouble is I only started with fifty cents.

Yeah, but... squirrel !

[Yorick]

at very slow speed you steer a bike like a car. i cannot find the video but there was a guy who was the chassis dyanmics guy from prodrive and he made a 2 wheeled vehicle with a steering wheel and the computers sorted out the steering for you. it knew when to steer the 'right' way and the 'wrong'. pretty mental.

A quick Google shows it to start at about 20MPH.

[Count Steer]

at very slow speed you steer a bike like a car. i cannot find the video but there was a guy who was the chassis dyanmics guy from prodrive and he made a 2 wheeled vehicle with a steering wheel and the computers sorted out the steering for you. it knew when to steer the 'right' way and the 'wrong'. pretty mental.

I looked for it but no success. There is a school of thought that it only works above a certain speed ie 20mph. Others say:

At low speeds countersteering is equally necessary, but the countersteering is then so subtle that it is hidden by the continuous corrections that are made in balancing the bike, often falling below a just noticeable difference or threshold of perception of the rider. Countersteering at low speed may be further concealed by the ensuing much larger steering angle possible in the direction of the turn.

I know I've done it at walking pace but hey ho the speed where it becomes 'real' is a bit 'how many angels can dance on a pin head'. At least we've reached a stage where most accept it exists and that it initiates the turn.

[Yorick]

Ooh. Look. The bike goes exactly where he points it.

[Count Steer]

Ooh. Look. The bike goes exactly where he points it.....after he's initiated the turn by countersteering.

[Horse]

two wheeled vehicles steer like a car until a certain speed is reached then it goes the opposite way. prodrive did some work to show this years ago.

i

Not according to the experts above

Try them, let us know how you get on. Get Penny to video it

[Demannu]

Keith Lemon invented counter steering,don't you lot know nuttin'?

Ftfy

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Try counter steering at 170 mph, things will get interesting

[Yorick]

Try counter steering at 170 mph, things will get interesting

I've had to swerve round a few slower riders at that speed

[Rockburner]

I've not watched the video, but doesn't that depend how you interpret the phrase ? Surely if you pull on the bar (riding 1 handed) then that's sort of countersteering, but you're not pushing the inside bar, you''re pulling the outside one ?

That's 'contra-steering', totally different thing.

[Mr. Dazzle]

And not to be confused with "counter seering" either. Delicious results though.