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What keeps a bicycle upright?

What keeps a bicycle upright?

Science

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For those still interested:
How to track stand



Proof that the wheels do not have to be rolling (and therefore that gyroscopic effects are not essential to staying up). Being able to twist the handlebar and exert force against the twisted fork is.

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Originally posted by moonbus
Proof that the wheels do not have to be rolling (and therefore that gyroscopic effects are not essential to staying up). Being able to twist the handlebar and exert force against the twisted fork is.
Interesting. It would appear those bikes have the pedals locked.

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I can only wheelie for a few seconds, but I can ride facing backwards (sitting on the handlebars).

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Originally posted by twhitehead
Interesting. It would appear those bikes have the pedals locked.

I can only wheelie for a few seconds, but I can ride facing backwards (sitting on the handlebars).
Track riders are typically clamped into their pedals (with cleated shoes).

Backwards -- now that's a good trick!

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Originally posted by moonbus
Track riders are typically clamped into their pedals (with cleated shoes).
I was referring to the fact that they can peddle backwards. That is not normally possible on most bikes because of the free wheel. A monocycle has no free wheel so you can stand on the spot with a single wheel. Also circus bikes have no free wheel so they can ride them like monocycles.

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Originally posted by twhitehead
I was referring to the fact that they can peddle backwards. That is not normally possible on most bikes because of the free wheel. A monocycle has no free wheel so you can stand on the spot with a single wheel. Also circus bikes have no free wheel so they can ride them like monocycles.
Oh, that. No free wheel at the rear, fixed gear. Pedal backwards, go backwards. Track bikes also have no brakes.

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Also fun is to swap hands. If you are careful, you can ride like that, but if you start to fall there is a danger of a reflex action that goes the wrong way.

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Regarding the gyroscopic effect, riding a scooter with tiny little wheels (a few inches) is easy and comes naturally if you have ridden a bike.

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Yes, and children learn to cycle easily if they start on a modern draisine with wheels and steering, so they learn to balance, but without pedals. Something like the early 19th c. velocipedes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_bicycle