It is certain that there are those who find bicycles mysterious. The first bicycle was invented over 200 years ago, and many of us have tried cycling since then. However, exactly how they work and how they balance is still an open field of research. And in fact, one of the explanations often made for the bike to stand upright is not true. Fortunately, Derek Muller’s Veritasium YouTube channel has a great explanation for this.
It is often thought that a bicycle stays upright thanks to the rotation of the wheels. This rotation creates a gyroscopic effect. Although bicycles are thought to stand upright in the same way that the top stands, this is not true. The researchers even made a bicycle without the gyroscopic effect, which showed that this is not true.
In the video posted by Muller, a special bike is used that locks its steering wheel and only allows one direction or completely blocks it from turning. And it seems that this particular system makes it impossible to stay on the bike for more than a few seconds. This is because the steering wheel has a very important place in balancing the bike. According to the video, drivers instinctively make small steering movements and body adjustments that keep the bike upright.
However, while it is important to control the center of mass of the rider-bike system, it is also stated that it is not necessary.
In the video, Muller also demonstrates that a rider isn’t actually necessary for a bike to stay afloat. As seen in the video, the bikes have internal mechanisms to steer themselves. The interactions between a bike’s steering and the way it moves keep the bike afloat.
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