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Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!mason
From: mason@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Mason)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: A question of balance - (nf)
Message-ID: <1444@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-May-83 13:03:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.1444
Posted: Mon May 30 13:03:08 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 30-May-83 13:28:59 EDT
References: <586@ucbcad.UUCP>
Organization: CSRG, University of Toronto
Lines: 16

I'm no physicist, BUT...someone suggested that someone else had
tested the idea of gyroscopic effects helping cyclists by building
a bicycle with "wheels geared to have the opposite angular momentum..."
  SO WHAT? adding more spinning wheels seems to me to increase the gyro
effect.
  I was going to stay out of this discussion, but the above rankled too
much...(almost like bubbles making ice float)...so now that I've started...
  I think that there is a substantial assistance provided by the gyro effect
a) if you take a dismounted, spinning bicycle wheel and attempt to turn it
   there is a substantial resistance.
b) when people are learning to ride they typically move VERY slowly, and
   are constantly making extreme corrective motions that would easily over-
   whelm the gyro.  If you send even a novice fast down a hill, they will
   usually stay upright until they panic or slow down.
c) all of which is not to say that I think balance is un-important.
....flames, etc welcome..../Dave (...decvax!utzoo!utcsrgv!mason)