Originally Posted by
wphamilton
You are offering only two choices: counter-steering, or locked handlebars. This is an error in, I guess, your assumptions.
Turning left without counter-steering, you are free to turn your handlebars left. You can turn them right as well, for purposes of stability, but that's not counter-steering. Counter-steering (in bicycles) is initiating the lean left by turning the bars right.
You're misunderstanding me. I am saying there is literally no way to control the lean on a bicycle other than countersteering. You seem to believe otherwise, but I assure you this is incorrect. You say "counter-steering... is initiating the lean left by turning the bars right." Yes, but the dynamics of what is going on in initiating a lean is not different from any other aspect of bike control. Saying counter-steering is initiating the lean but not maintaining stability in the lean is just nonsense. The dynamics of what is happening are exactly the same. Which is why I think the example of initiating the lean by simply shifting weight is non-responsive. Sure, you can initiate a lean that way. But I promise you, on the road, you aren't doing it. It's much slower and less precise than using the handlebars, and you're using steering to maintain balance while leaned over just as much as when riding upright.