Lillian+Hutalski


 * Why do bikes fall over when you don't pedal? ** Lillian Hutalski

Bikes fall over when you don’t pedal them because the wheels aren’t moving. Pedaling the bike helps keep your balance due to angular momentum. Angular momentum is proportional to the momentum of inertia and it depends on how the mass is distributed relative to the axis of motion, not just the mass of a spinning object. The faster the wheels are moving the easier it is to keep your balance.

Without pedaling a bike it would fall over. Even a unicycle is easier to balance when pedaling.

Interesting Fact: The faster the bike goes the easier it is to stay balanced.

Works Cited: 1. www.highlightskids.com/science/sciencequestions/h1sciQnotpedaling.asp