Bicycle – Bartosz Ciechanowski
ciechanow.ski
Interactive article explaining the physics of a bicycle.

There is something delightful about riding a bicycle. Once mastered, the simple action of pedaling to move forward and turning the handlebars to steer makes bike riding an effortless activity.

  • Madison_rogue@kbin.social
    8·
    1 year ago

    This has been very helpful reminding me that I need to get my bicycle fixed. It’s been almost a year since I wrecked it and broke my arm.

    • shroomaroomboom@kbin.social
      1·
      1 year ago

      I wrecked my bike almost a decade ago. Not the first time, but the most violent wreck I’ve ever experienced.

      Got thrown into traffic, broke some ribs, messed up my shoulder, and cracked my helmet almost in two.

      After healing tried riding my bike again. Absolutely did not expect PTSD, but could not otherwise explain how wholly unconfident I felt while trying to ride a bike, even til this day.

    • Rodsterlings_cig@kbin.social
      2·
      1 year ago

      “Science unable to explain how a bike in motion stays upright”

      /s But once watched a video with a similar title that demonstrated not a single effect (caster, gyroscopic, etc.) is solely responsible for bikes staying upright and you can design bikes without each effect and they still work in principle.

      So just slightly less complicated than rockets.

    • swope@kbin.social
      2·
      1 year ago

      The physiological and mental effects of bicycles are a whole other blog post / thesis!

  • I_Miss_Daniel@kbin.social
    5·
    1 year ago

    I agree. On the flat you can ride for miles and hardly get tired.

    Once you add hills to the equation though, that’s where an e-bike restores the enjoyment for me after moving from the outback plains to the mountains.

    • newredditwhodis@kbin.social
      2·
      1 year ago

      Yeah I agree. First one I read and still my favourite is the mechanical watch breakdown article. The explanations aren’t too heavy and the demonstrations/interactions are so clean. Bartosz’s site just has really nice design all over.

  • magnetosphere@kbin.social
    3·
    1 year ago

    Very true, especially when you’re a kid.

    I couldn’t articulate it when I first learned to ride without training wheels, but it was my first major taste of freedom. It also helped that I was soon one of the fastest in my neighborhood.

    • knoland@kbin.social
      6·
      1 year ago

      Hills are fun. Through nothing more than your own manual effort you’re able to swiftly scale mountains and are rewarded with stunning vistas (and a fun decent).

    • geoffervescent@kbin.social
      3·
      1 year ago

      hmmm. Well, whatever distances or gradient you’re used to traveling by foot, a bicycle is quite effortless in comparison.

      • happyborg@fosstodon.org
        1·
        1 year ago

        @geoffervescent @ernest ah, so he said “effortless in comparison to…” I must have missed that. 🤷‍♂️

        It was a joke folks, but an accurate one and people replying to pretend otherwise need to consider why they’re doing that IMO.

    • ampersandrew@kbin.social
      2·
      1 year ago

      Good gearing takes care of most hills, and new electric bikes handle tougher hills than that, or get you where you’re going without getting sweaty, but a regular bike will usually suffice.

      • happyborg@fosstodon.org
        2·
        1 year ago

        @ampersandrew @ernest you speak as if you think I’ve never ridden a bike.

        No gearing makes riding up hills “effortless” and sure if you’re being pushed up by a motor that’s fine, but that’s not really a bike, it’s a motorbike.

  • pshyco_sain
    1·
    1 year ago

    There are multiple reasons why I think basic riding and how to fix/maintain a bike should be taught in schools.

    The dead simple machines make it easy to actually see and understand what’s going on. It’s a good starting point for people to actually be able to fix their stuff later on.

    Then you also have a lot of really easy examples of how simple mechanic and physics topics that everyone should be familiar with.

    You can even start going into it for a lot of muscles since we use a lot of them for balance.

    Then probably the most important, riding bikes is fun and an activity that children will at least likely want to do. If you can get the parents to do it with them even better.