Difference between revisions of "Steering and Damping"

How does this translate to bikes? Well, to improve directional stability they introduce a larger steering angle, typically 24 degrees. Thus the wheel center is pushed out forward of the steering stem and the pivot point of the tire on the road is behind the steering axis, so imparting an amount of trail and stabilizing the steering, as to turn the wheel the tire must scrub on the road - hence it is often called the scrub radius. To reduce the trail to an optimum level the forks are offset forward of the steering stem pivot, by typically around 30mm. Ideal steering characteristics are reached by balancing the relationship between the steering angle and the scrub radius. Why not simply provide stable steering by using more trail? Because the increasing scrub radius leads to heavy steering.

How does this translate to bikes? Well, to improve directional stability they introduce a larger steering angle, typically 24 degrees. Thus the wheel center is pushed out forward of the steering stem and the pivot point of the tire on the road is behind the steering axis, so imparting an amount of trail and stabilizing the steering, as to turn the wheel the tire must scrub on the road - hence it is often called the scrub radius. To reduce the trail to an optimum level the forks are offset forward of the steering stem pivot, by typically around 30mm. Ideal steering characteristics are reached by balancing the relationship between the steering angle and the scrub radius. Why not simply provide stable steering by using more trail? Because the increasing scrub radius leads to heavy steering.

   

   

Only trouble is, he's using the back wheel.

Only trouble is, he's using the back wheel.