Originally Posted by
Schwinnsta
...The force is a torque force which applied at the same distance from the steering axis. Changing the point of the force does not matter. The moment stays the same. The only change being made is the length of the axis has changed. The distance that handgrip moves will be slightly larger to the small addtional length in stearing axis. So negligable. Pythagoris need not apply, not hiring. So explain what I am missing?
No. The grips -- the place where your hands apply a torque or turning force -- are farther from the steering axis with an extender than without an extender. That's the point of the extender in the first place, to extend the reach or where the grips lie. There would be no point to an extender than didn't actually extend the reach or position of the grips. Consequently, the moment-arm is longer with an extender, and therefore the force required is smaller. Just like the pushing a door at the edge farther from the hinge requires less force to rotate it than pushing in the middle closer to the hinge. Just like a smaller cog feels heavier or more difficult to pedal than a big innermost cog. Just like turning a nut feels easier with a long wrench than with a shorter wrench. The moment-arms are different in all cases.