Questions you'd like answering, regardless of how trivial they may seem

[Gwylan]

Maybe they mean options like the difference between sh!t and crap.😉

Those are just synonyms

 

[Gwylan]

Probably because people get on from the left??

Another conspiracy against the left handed.

 

[Jenkins]

Are all drive chains on the RHS? Why is this?

Felt built some track bikes for the US team for the 2016 Olympics with LHS drive trains

 

[Alex321]

Are all drive chains on the RHS? Why is this?

Generally, yes. There was a variation in the last Olympics, where some of the Japanese track bikes tried it the other way around, I think because of the aerodynamics when all turns are to the left.

But apart from that, I have never seen a normal bike with drive train on the left.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Are all drive chains on the RHS? Why is this?

Convention and also means you don’t have Confusion between LH and RH drivetrain components.

 

[raleighnut]

Generally, yes. There was a variation in the last Olympics, where some of the Japanese track bikes tried it the other way around, I think because of the aerodynamics when all turns are to the left.

But apart from that, I have never seen a normal bike with drive train on the left.

Yep it was aerodynamics.

 

[grldtnr]

Only if you ride /drive on the left, I think it's because screw threads are predominantly right handed,, therefore a clockwise rotation will keep things tight, that's why we have left and right threaded pedals, so that they do not inadvertently come undone, also why fixed gear cogs have a left handed lock ring , when applying backwards pressure,this ensures the gear cog does not become loose, more than a major inconvenience should that happen, same applies to bottom bracket threads,the rotational forces can undo right handed clockwise threads.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Only if you ride /drive on the left, I think it's because screw threads are predominantly right handed,, therefore a clockwise rotation will keep things tight, that's why we have left and right threaded pedals, so that they do not inadvertently come undone, also why fixed gear cogs have a left handed lock ring , when applying backwards pressure,this ensures the gear cog does not become loose, more than a major inconvenience should that happen, same applies to bottom bracket threads,the rotational forces can undo right handed clockwise threads.

I used to live next door to a bloke who was an engineer in the local counsel roads department
he said that they used to have a problem with people stealing stuff out the the emergency boxes that they had by the roadside - they contained lights and stuff for use if there was a crash - especially near the roundabouts on the A55 in North Wales

They had a meeting to brainstorm how to make them more secure
They needed ot be easy for anyone who worked there to open but not so easy that anyone could do it
because sometime peopel like him might be called out to a problem direct from home
The obvious solution was a special key but that had been tried before and people just lost the key or couldn;t find it in an emergency

The solution they came up with was a simple cross head screw head on the lock
most people would be able to find a key for that - any cross head screwdriver would do
but the screw had a left handed thread
that stopped the thefts - but they did find a lot of VERY tight locks!!

which shows how fixed in people's mind right handed screw threads are

 

[pjd57]

Getting on from the left is definitely taught on Bike- ability courses as its the safer side when driving on the left .
I'm assuming that in countries that drive on the right , getting on from that side is deemed safer

 

[grldtnr]

Getting on from the left is definitely taught on Bike- ability courses as its the safer side when driving on the left .
I'm assuming that in countries that drive on the right , getting on from that side is deemed safer

Indeed I think it's so, I can't be certain but here in the UK the side stand for motorcycles is generally on the left, because that's the safe side from traffic, but that isn't the reason why the chain is on the Right, that's because of rotational forces, ' Rightly tightly , loosely Lefty' go's the popular meme, pedals are LH & RH threads and always 'do-up', tighten , to the front of the bike

 

[DaveReading]

that isn't the reason why the chain is on the Right, that's because of rotational forces,

Can you explain why that is ?

 

[Alex321]

Getting on from the left is definitely taught on Bike- ability courses as its the safer side when driving on the left .
I'm assuming that in countries that drive on the right , getting on from that side is deemed safer

You might assume that, but I'm not convinced. You rarely see professionals remounting from the right after a bike or wheel change. And the majority of them will from right hand traffic countries.

In addition to keeping you clear of the drivetrain, most people who are right handed (the majority of te population) also have a stronger right leg, and that is what you want for the initial pedal stroke as you start.

 

[Alex321]

Can you explain why that is ?

It means the sprockets can be mounted with "normal" threading, while if they were on the left they would have to be reverse threaded - one side pedals have to be reverse threaded anyhow, no matter which side the drivetrain is on, it is only the sprocket set that it really makes a difference for.

 

[grldtnr]

It's physics, I'll do my best to explain, a clockwise rotating force as seen from a human perspective ,that is a travelling to the right, has a counter rotating drag force, which means that a RH threads will be worked loose, to counteract that some inspired person thought why not do it up with a LH thread.
So a LH thread will tighten if used as a bearing, which of course is counter intuitive to a right minded thinking person.theconly other way would be a interference fit, or put a lock ring with an opposite thread to it, which is kind of what happens.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

also have a stronger right leg, and that is what you want for the initial pedal stroke as you start.

I must be exceptional as I find both my legs are strong enough for the initial pedal stroke.