Originally Posted by jur
Good job on the experiments.
On the angular momentum of a hoop or any other rotating rigid body, if a torque is applied at a non-zero angle to the angular momentum, the effect is to impart an additional angular momentum to the rotating body, and precession will take place to align the original angular momentum with the applied angular momentum. This is analogous to translational momentum; if you push a body it will go in the direction of the push.
Thanks...I understand what you're saying, that the lateral torque applied by the ground to one side of the wheel causes the wheel to turn towards that side, although I'm having a hard time visualizing it. I need to find a way in the crude experimental model of me riding a bike in different conditions, to separate that effect from the gravitational effect that occurs when you tip a stationary bike and the wheel turns. Perhaps for my next experiment I'll have to ride the bike slowly across a steep slope and see if gravity makes it want to turn downhill. Then if I ride across the slope really fast, and the bike turns
uphill, I'll believe in the torque model.
Robert