Given sufficient forward speed, a bicycle pushed sideways, will not fall over. Scientists have been trying to find a conclusive explanation for this remarkable characteristic for over a century. This week, researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft, The Netherlands) have thrown new light on the question in a publication in Science .
Staying stable
Rotating wheels
Predicting
Experiment
Giving up
Steering
Bicycle manufacturers
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Title: A Bicycle Can Be Self-Stable Without Gyroscopic or Caster Effects.
Authors: J.D.G. Kooijman; A. L. Schwab (TU Delft), J.P. Meijaard (University of Twente), J.M. Papadopoulos (University of Wisconsin–Stout), A. Ruina (Cornell University)
Website Science publication, with extensive background material, photos and video:
http://bicycle.tudelft.nl/stablebicycle/ Website Bicycle Dynamics research, for more information on the background of this research:
http://bicycle.tudelft.nl/schwab/Bicycle/index.htm
Science