All conventional bi-cycles have 2 breaks; rear and front. You control the former with your left hand and the latter with your right. All riders know the hazards of using the front breaks ineptly. What exactly happens is while the cycle is in motion, the cycle has a linear momentum in the direction of motion. The cycle would continue to move straight until its motion is inhibited by some external retarding force. If one applies the front breaks abruptly then front wheel of the cycle would be brought to rest. But the whole object (cycle) has a linear momentum. As in a cycle, the axis of rotation of the front wheel rarely in the same horizontal line as the centre of mass of the cycle (plus the rider), the linear momentum possessed by the cycle provides the necessary torque to lift the hind wheel of the cycle above the ground. If the weight of the cycle and the rider compensates the resulting torque the cycle remains affixed to the ground. However if the cycle has a very high linear momentum then the cycle would rotate, projecting the rider off his seat.
I hardly knew about this governing rotational dynamics while I was in the sixth standard, though had an idea of the consequences. I had always been a curious child and sought amusement in fiddling with all sorts of things-gadgets, cycle, skates etc. I had a sturdy cycle, the reason I annotate it as sturdy is because it sustained so many mutilations: courtesy - my reckless driving. Oh yes I was talking about the front breaks, I was almost lost in thoughts of my cycle. Well I was long curious about the seriousness of the consequences of applying front breaks to a racing cycle. I always wanted to witness the scene but I never got a chance to be a spectator of such an incident.
One evening I was alone on our playground riding cycle. I was really bored and wanted something exciting. There was no one around. I waited long for my friends. It seemed as though all my friends were secretly having a party time. I got tired of the ennui. As it is rightly said ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop’. Just then I got a divine inspiration to experience for myself the consequences of the above mentioned dynamics. I stretched myself a bit, rode the cycle up an incline near one end of the ground. I was determined to do it. I took position, with my left leg on the ground and my right leg on the right pedal. My hands had a tenacious hold on the handles. The cycle was leaning towards the left. I took a deep breath and forced my right leg on the pedal. Soon the leaning cycle gained speed and assumed an erect posture. I pedaled down the incline with great vigor. I wanted to take an optimum advantage of the decline. My legs pushed the pedals hard, soon the cycle gained a decent speed and now I was on the flat ground. I was unstoppable, I had made up my mind, and I kept accelerating on the vacant mud ground. My speed increased exponentially and I was about to reach the other end of the ground. I could feel the air brushing my face and hair. My fingers, of the right hand, took a subtle grip of the front break. I made a few quick calculations and waited for the right moment. I was speeding towards my calculated point of action. I tightened my grip on the break, I was determined to do it.
I pulled the break as hard as I could. The front tyre all of a sudden stopped its rotational motion and skid on the loose muddy ground. My linear momentum was definitely a lot greater than the effective weight of my cycle and me. I was thrown off the comfortable seat in air. The hind part of the cycle seemed to make an angle more than forty-five with the horizontal. I felt a strong push in the forward direction. Upon the release of the break the cycle seemed to drive itself some distance. Due to the absence of a deft rider like me, the cycle fell flat on the ground. I had been thrown in the air quite a distance and fell prostrate on the ground. Luckily my forearms guarded my face and I just suffered few contusions near my elbow and knee. Neither did I bleed nor did I tear my clothes. I quickly stood up and reached my cycle to find it “hale and hearty”, and that is the reason I annotated my cycle with the epithet-sturdy. I had done something exciting and was really enjoying the “fall” until I felt the pain of the bruises. It was now that I realized I did something really inane. I picked up my cycle and pulled it over to the parking area and locked it. By then I had a few friends come, to play cricket.
In short, it was an adventurous evening and I had learnt something; not “physics” but a lesson that do not put yourself in danger of this kind, the next time. :)
I hardly knew about this governing rotational dynamics while I was in the sixth standard, though had an idea of the consequences. I had always been a curious child and sought amusement in fiddling with all sorts of things-gadgets, cycle, skates etc. I had a sturdy cycle, the reason I annotate it as sturdy is because it sustained so many mutilations: courtesy - my reckless driving. Oh yes I was talking about the front breaks, I was almost lost in thoughts of my cycle. Well I was long curious about the seriousness of the consequences of applying front breaks to a racing cycle. I always wanted to witness the scene but I never got a chance to be a spectator of such an incident.
One evening I was alone on our playground riding cycle. I was really bored and wanted something exciting. There was no one around. I waited long for my friends. It seemed as though all my friends were secretly having a party time. I got tired of the ennui. As it is rightly said ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop’. Just then I got a divine inspiration to experience for myself the consequences of the above mentioned dynamics. I stretched myself a bit, rode the cycle up an incline near one end of the ground. I was determined to do it. I took position, with my left leg on the ground and my right leg on the right pedal. My hands had a tenacious hold on the handles. The cycle was leaning towards the left. I took a deep breath and forced my right leg on the pedal. Soon the leaning cycle gained speed and assumed an erect posture. I pedaled down the incline with great vigor. I wanted to take an optimum advantage of the decline. My legs pushed the pedals hard, soon the cycle gained a decent speed and now I was on the flat ground. I was unstoppable, I had made up my mind, and I kept accelerating on the vacant mud ground. My speed increased exponentially and I was about to reach the other end of the ground. I could feel the air brushing my face and hair. My fingers, of the right hand, took a subtle grip of the front break. I made a few quick calculations and waited for the right moment. I was speeding towards my calculated point of action. I tightened my grip on the break, I was determined to do it.
I pulled the break as hard as I could. The front tyre all of a sudden stopped its rotational motion and skid on the loose muddy ground. My linear momentum was definitely a lot greater than the effective weight of my cycle and me. I was thrown off the comfortable seat in air. The hind part of the cycle seemed to make an angle more than forty-five with the horizontal. I felt a strong push in the forward direction. Upon the release of the break the cycle seemed to drive itself some distance. Due to the absence of a deft rider like me, the cycle fell flat on the ground. I had been thrown in the air quite a distance and fell prostrate on the ground. Luckily my forearms guarded my face and I just suffered few contusions near my elbow and knee. Neither did I bleed nor did I tear my clothes. I quickly stood up and reached my cycle to find it “hale and hearty”, and that is the reason I annotated my cycle with the epithet-sturdy. I had done something exciting and was really enjoying the “fall” until I felt the pain of the bruises. It was now that I realized I did something really inane. I picked up my cycle and pulled it over to the parking area and locked it. By then I had a few friends come, to play cricket.
In short, it was an adventurous evening and I had learnt something; not “physics” but a lesson that do not put yourself in danger of this kind, the next time. :)
2 comments:
btw who r u?
well as i said i actually wanted to fall off....didnt want to try a stoppie :)
Post a Comment