A Little Unsteady

[cyberknight]

dont go to the pub 1st

 

[iSee]

dont go to the pub 1st

🤣

 

[u_i]

Think about trolley wheels in a supermarket cart. For a wheel to line up with the direction of travel, the contact point with the ground must be allowed to lie behind the axis in vertical direction that the wheel can swivel about. The farther the contact pot from the axis, the easier it is for the wheel to align with the direction of travel. For a bicycle, the swivel axis is the steering axis. A folding bike must fold small, so all distances are shrunk, including that distance needed for stability, hence the typical squirrely behavior of folding bikes.

 

[iSee]

Think about trolley wheels in a supermarket cart. For a wheel to line up with the direction of travel, the contact point with the ground must be allowed to lie behind the axis in vertical direction that the wheel can swivel about. The farther the contact pot from the axis, the easier it is for the wheel to align with the direction of travel. For a bicycle, the swivel axis is the steering axis. A folding bike must fold small, so all distances are shrunk, including that distance needed for stability, hence the typical squirrely behavior of folding bikes.

Interesting analogy. Are you an engineer?

 

[midlife]

I think there is still debate about castor action

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/2877/balancing-act-why-dont-bikes-just-fall-over

 

[u_i]

Interesting analogy. Are you an engineer?

No, I teach, but may have engineering students in the class.

I think there is still debate about castor action

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/2877/balancing-act-why-dont-bikes-just-fall-over

Well, they did not negate the castor effect, but pointed that an alternative solution for achieving stability could be used, so far impractical. Specifically, they have shown that there may be a way to achieve stability by weighing the front of the bicycle, something that you may not want to do especially with a folder. Anything in that direction has not been employed in everyday practice even with full-size bicycles.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

dont go to the pub 1st

Of course not
the pub occurs half way - then you ride back



thought that was obvious

 

[a.twiddler]

There's a lot of lore about small wheels, instability or not but even when I had my first small wheeled folder (20") it didn't take long to get used to it.

I had a Dahon Vitesse HG7 at one time and it felt stable enough once you learned to look at a point ahead in the direction you were going rather than concentrating on the front wheel, something that you can apply to any bike. The main concern I had on the Vitesse was the handlebar height adjuster which had to be tightened more than you might expect after unfolding it to avoid it loosening while you were riding, or giving a rather flexy feel to the steering. Perhaps current Dahons use a different system -I hope so.

My Viking Safari and my Brompton both have one piece stems and neither have any problems with stability despite the Brompton having even tinier wheels. It didn't take long to get used to the Brompton, probably because I'd previously been used to 20" wheels.

The small wheel thing is something that is a problem only if you become fixated on it -it's just a bike after all, but has the advantage of fast manouevrability and acceleration, ease of getting on and off etc. but has a downside that you need to be more careful of road surface irregularities and pot holes. More plus points than minuses, I think, depending where you live. The more you ride, the more natural it will feel until it will be just another type of bicycle that you can ride, without having to think about it.

 

[12boy]

I once encountered a science exhibit which consisted of a bicycle wheel with i handles on the axles so it could be held upright as it would be on the bike. There was a motor with its own wheel that could be used spin the wheel with handles. When the wheel with handles got spinning fast it was very hard to get it to leave the plane it was in. The only problem I have with my Bromptons handling is its sensitivity to broken pavement, potholes, loose gravel etc. I don't ride it hands free, though.

 

[iSee]

There's a lot of lore about small wheels, instability or not but even when I had my first small wheeled folder (20") it didn't take long to get used to it.

I had a Dahon Vitesse HG7 at one time and it felt stable enough once you learned to look at a point ahead in the direction you were going rather than concentrating on the front wheel, something that you can apply to any bike. The main concern I had on the Vitesse was the handlebar height adjuster which had to be tightened more than you might expect after unfolding it to avoid it loosening while you were riding, or giving a rather flexy feel to the steering. Perhaps current Dahons use a different system -I hope so.

My Viking Safari and my Brompton both have one piece stems and neither have any problems with stability despite the Brompton having even tinier wheels. It didn't take long to get used to the Brompton, probably because I'd previously been used to 20" wheels.

The small wheel thing is something that is a problem only if you become fixated on it -it's just a bike after all, but has the advantage of fast manouevrability and acceleration, ease of getting on and off etc. but has a downside that you need to be more careful of road surface irregularities and pot holes. More plus points than minuses, I think, depending where you live. The more you ride, the more natural it will feel until it will be just another type of bicycle that you can ride, without having to think about it.

I appreciate your reply. The best thing I can do is keep riding, and hopefully, as you say, I will get used to it. Yes, you are right in saying that there are more pluses than minuses.

I'm reaching out to a very good mechanic about those wider tires. He will contact me today. I would like to change them out, but I need to find out if, what I was looking at, will fit.

 

[Kell]

When I first got my Brompton I was pretty much the same - especially as I was coming from something with MTB geometry.

I now find I almost have the opposite problem.

I'm so used to riding the Brompton that my road bike feels super stable and the MTB feels like trying to turn a super-tanker.

 

[simongt]

When folk enquire how my Brompton handles, I can only say 'Like a Brompton', as due to the wee wheels, shape, geometry etc., etc., they can't be compared with other bikes.

 

[mitchibob]

I find 4 pints a sensible limit... but sticking a load of beers in front-luggage instead and riding home earlier can help front stability ;-)

If there's a climb on the way home, fully earned the beer you carried too!

 

[rogerzilla]

I found it fun to weave in and out of the white lines in the middle of the road after 4 pints, so I avoid drinking that much now.

 

[iSee]

I found it fun to weave in and out of the white lines in the middle of the road after 4 pints, so I avoid drinking that much

I found it fun to weave in and out of the white lines in the middle of the road after 4 pints, so I avoid drinking that much now.

I found it fun to weave in and out of the white lines in the middle of the road after 4 pints, so I avoid drinking that much now.

I don't know what happened with my reply, but it might have something to do with the number of pints consumed. 😵