As a makeup for class 5, I was instructed to watch a 45 minute lecture on the physics behind a bicycle. Concerning the physics aspect of the lecture, the instructor mentioned that in order to turn a certain direction, a person must first steer in the opposite direction in order to cause the bike to lean into the intended direction. Although this is taught in motorcycling class, this action is learned subconsciously for biker. This explains why when you end up biking very close to a rail or sidewalk, it becomes very difficult to steer away form it because you;re unable to steer into it first. The instructor also went over how angular momentum is what keeps a wheel or hoop balanced when rolling, which also plays a role in the gyroscopic effects of a wheel remaining vertically upright when spinning. However, the angular momentum and gyroscopic effects are almost negligible to to how light the wheels are in comparison to the rider. Next, he mentions that the faster a rider is biking, only small adjustments are needed to turn due to the proportions of force, velocity, and the radius of the turn. This explains why balancing on a bike is much easier at greater speeds, and why you have to turn the wheel much more at lower speeds. The instructor also mentions that the trail is one of the most important features of a bicycle, which concerns the torque of the front wheel, explaining why a bicycles front wheel turns into the direction that the bike in leaning towards. These trails vary depending on the type of bike/bike riding. Lastly, he addresses the importance of a helmet when biking by showing that it increases the amount of time that it takes for you head to stop. The instructor was very effective in his speech which could be seen through his knowledge in biking and physics, clear organization and formulation of words and concepts, body language/hand gestures, and the use of real life examples as physical demonstrations.
