On the physics of riderless bicycles.

[sara]

And in case the embed doesn't come through properly, because they don't always: Science Friday with Ira Flatow, on the physics of riderless bicycles and their tendency to self-right.

My theory is that it doesn't fall over because it's a Bianchi, and therefore reasonably well-designed, but this may just be my experiences with Tippy the Wonder Bike talking (Tippy was a really substandard Specialized that threw me more often than any bike I've ever been up on, including the little red Schwinn I learned to ride two-wheeled without training wheels. Tippy has since been broken down for parts, which is no less than she deserved. Tippy convinced me that some frames are just evil much less well-balanced than others, in ways which will not be evident to the rider until she has no skin left on her damn knees.)

Comments

[ell]

OK that is very very cool!

And I agree about the Bianchi, mine was beautiful and steady and stable, but I had to give her up when my stable got too big for my tiny apartment when I got a new ...you guessed it...Specialized. But this Specialized is an absolute joy to ride. She's easily the best hill-climbing bike I've ever owned. I think it's because I'm short and she's carbon so her tubes don't have to be straight. This means they can do things with the geometry that aren't possible with steel or aluminum and ultimately it means i have a stable and responsive road bike that fits me and the bottom bracket isn't miles too high. The worst stability bike I have is a trek touring bike that doesn't steady out until there's 30 pounds of stuff in the front panniers. and yes, this was the bike I chose to keep when I sold the bianchi. If you look at the 2 side by side, they have almost the exact same geometry. But one is stable and the other is Tippy's cousin.

[sara]

Hunh -- is it a Trek 520?

That's what I have, and I've heard people make that complaint -- that they're a lot better loaded -- but mine's always been really stable for me (I have yet to come off it, actually!)

But then, anything I'm up on has to be able to haul groceries as well as go out on the road with me, so carbon's not really an option.