Bikes in space? No!

[Cudzoziemiec]

According to Cornell, you can't steer a bicycle without gravity. You just lean and nothing happens.

Read.
Read cleverly.
And watch:
http://youtu.be/rNQdSfgJDNM

I don't quite get this bit though:

Trying to turn right causes an ever-growing lean to the left. The rider doesn’t want to fall and steers back to straight ahead to regain balance. You can balance but not steer, or steer and lose balance.[in zero gravity][/url]
Surely in real zero gravity you couldn't fall, because there would be no gravity to cause you to fall? And there'd also be no up and down, so you wouldn't even be leaning. You'd just go in a straight line for ever.

[mrcharly-YHT]

gyro effect of turning the front wheel.

A tricyclist would probably manage ok.

[T42]

Gyro effect is negligible, falling is what does it all.

No point in zero-G bike anyway: no friction with road (what road?) so no grip.

[Euan Uzami]

According to Cornell, you can't steer a bicycle without gravity. You just lean and nothing happens.

Read.
Read cleverly.
And watch:
url=http://youtu.be/rNQdSfgJDNM

Well if there wasnt' ANY gravity you wouldn't even be able to go in a straight line as there'd be no friction between the back wheel and the ground, so you'd just wheelspin. Or float off. I could've told him that for nowt, didn't need to do a fancy scientific study on gyroscopic effect

[Kim]

I think the "zero gravity" thing is misleading, though I see what they're trying to say.

The real lesson is that there's a halfway point between a tricycle and a bicycle which is inherently unsteerable (or at least, the further you turn from the original line, the closer your head gets to the floor).

[fuzzy]

I think the "zero gravity" thing is misleading, though I see what they're trying to say.

The real lesson is that there's a halfway point between a tricycle and a bicycle which is inherently unsteerable (or at least, the further you turn from the original line, the closer your head gets to the floor).

isn't that a back flip?

[Cudzoziemiec]

They've overcome the lack of friction and they do specifically mention zero gravity.

To demonstrate the concept, they built a hybrid vehicle they call a “bricycle” – a cross between a bicycle and a tricycle – that demonstrates what it would be like to ride a bike in zero-G. (Assume you have magnetic wheels to keep you on the floor.)