Originally Posted by
wphamilton
We need to make a distinction between regular steering and counter-steering. The mechanism is similar, if not identical, but the dynamics are not. The context and results are opposite. To be explicit:
Regular steering: moves the bike underneath your center of gravity.
Counter steering: moves the bike away from your center of gravity.
Regular steering, as defined above, contributes to the bike's self-stability properties and is how you maintain your balance while riding. Counter-steering, as defined above, does not contribute to self-stability and unbalances you rather than restoring balance. I assure you, you can ride down the road without ever utilizing counter-steering to maintain balance.
All true, and yet misses the key point that it is impossible to initiate a turn without counter steering.
So all steering is still about keeping the wheel track in line with the center of forces. The only difference is that we intentionally destabilize the bike momentarily to initiate a turn the same way we plant a foot to the side to do so when running.
The debate here isn't about what counter steering is, it's about whether it's something different or a normal part of steering a bicycle to change direction. You can ride a bike all day without counter steering, if you're willing to go wherever the bike takes you, but you have to counter steer to be in charge.