![]() (By comparison, a motorcycle typically weighs much more than its rider, thus the rider’s actions have a much smaller influence on the location of the center of mass.) By moving forward, a rider can place more weight over the front wheel, creating the extra friction and traction between it and the road that makes high-speed cornering possible. ![]() Have you ever seen a cyclist get low and forward while diving into a turn? Or have you seen a mountain biker shift her weight backward when descending a steep pitch? How the rider is positioned on the bicycle is the dominant factor in determining the center of mass of the bicycle-rider system. One investigation that works well in high school and college physics courses is investigating weight distribution of a rider on a bicycle. From the forces you exert on the pedals to your energy output while climbing a steep road, there are hundreds of avenues for physics exploration. A bicycle is practically a rolling physics lab.
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