Do scientists know how bicycles work?

Yes, science can’t. That is to say, scientists haven’t. This is because they are hanging on to the Whipple model that precludes the self balancing steering moment. They are looking for a moment about the steering axis that causes the bike to steer in the direction it is falling.

How does a bicycle wheel work?

Photo: Like a car wheel, a bicycle wheel is a speed multiplier. The pedals and gears turn the axle at the center. The axle turns only a short distance, but the leverage of the wheel means the outer rim turns much further in the same time. That’s how a wheel helps you go faster.

How do you explain a bicycle to a child?

How does a bicycle stay upright?

What we do know about how conventional bikes stay upright on their own is this: when a moving bike starts leaning to one side, it also automatically steers towards that side a little bit. The result is that the wheels come back underneath the center of mass, keeping the bike balanced.

Why do bikes not fall over?

When the bike is stationery, you can balance the centre of gravity of your bike on its wheels with the help of your legs. This can’t be done on moving bike. But still your bike do not fall because it’s Centre of gravity is balanced on its wheels due to the phenomenon called gyroscopic stability.

How are spokes attached?

Starting at the hub in the center of the wheel, spokes radiate outward to the rim, where they attach to nipples, which are like little nuts that screw onto the spoke ends. … If your bike has a loose spoke or two, you should tighten it just until it’s snug and plan to have the wheel trued soon.

How do bikes turn?

Bicycles turn energy created by our bodies into kinetic energy. … A bicycle can convert up to 90 percent of a person’s energy and movement into kinetic energy. This energy is then used to move the bike. The rider’s balance and momentum help keep the bike stable while traveling along a path.

Why does a rotating wheel not fall?

The reason the bike wheel does not fall flat when it is spinning is because, like all moving objects, it has momentum. To distinguish the momentum due to the spinning of an object, it is called angular momentum – a concept students first encounter in senior physics.

Why do bike tires have spokes?

Spokes are the connecting rods between the bicycle hub and the rim. Their main purpose is to transfer the loads between the hub and the rim, which are caused by the weight of the rider and the bike.

What are the thin rods in a bicycle wheel called?

Spokes. The rim is connected to the hub by a number of spokes, which are rods.

Why do spokes not buckle?

While it’s easy to believe a bicycle spoke would simply collapse under the weight of bike and rider, he goes on to explain that the tension created in a spoke during the wheel building process (called ‘pre-tension’) is what allows the lower spokes to bear the load without buckling, as they would if there was no pre- …

Can you mix spokes on a bicycle wheel?

The other 8 spokes on that flange are up to you – if they aren’t gouged, they should be fine. I don’t think there’s too much problem mixing gauges within a wheel, especially if you’re doing all spokes in a cycle (all the drive-side, heads-in, for example.

What is a sprocket on a bicycle?

A sprocket, sprocket-wheel or chainwheel is a profiled wheel with teeth that mesh with a chain, track or other perforated or indented material. The name ‘sprocket’ applies generally to any wheel upon which radial projections engage a chain passing over it.

Why do cyclists have a solid back wheel?

Disc wheels are solid or covered wheels designed to improve airflow around the rear end of the bike and reduce drag. They became popular in the early ’80s when Francesco Moser broke the cycling world hour record on the track riding front and rear discs.

Can you mix spoke types?

So yeah it’s definitely 100% possible.

What’s the difference between a sprocket and a gear?

In general, a gear is a toothed wheel designed to mesh with other gears and transmit movement to them, which in turn can cause movement elsewhere. A sprocket, conversely, is a toothed wheel designed to engage and directly move a flexible indented or perforated item, like a chain or belt.

What is the difference between a cog and a sprocket?

In the strict sense, a “cog” is a tooth on a wheel. A cogwheel is any wheel with teeth. A gear is a cogwheel used mesh with another cogwheel. And a sprocket is a cogwheel that links to another cogwheel by means of a chain.

What pitch is a bicycle chain?

All modern bicycle chains are made to the “one-half inch pitch” standard, meaning from rivet to rivet is nominally 0.5 inches.

What is bevel gear used for?

Bevel gears are used to connect shafts whose axes lie at an angle to each other, although in most applications the shafts are at right angles. The tooth profile is basically the same as used for spur gears except that the tooth gets progressively smaller as it approaches the apex of the projected cone.

What is an idler gear?

Definition of idler gear

1 : a gear placed between a driving and a driven gear to transfer motion without change of direction or gear ratio. 2 : a gear for support or guidance instead of power transmission.

How many types of sprockets are there?

There are four main types of sprockets as established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI): Type A sprockets, which are only the plate with no added thickness or hubs. Type B sprockets, which have a hub on one side. Type C sprockets, which have hubs of equal thickness on both sides of the plate.