Originally Posted by San Rensho
Yes, to initiate a left turn, you point the leading edge of the front tire slightly to the right, till the bike leans to the left to the degree you want it to lean, then straighten the wheel (or just apply no input at all to the bars and the geometry of the bike does it automatically) to hold the lean angle.
Its hard to feel it on a bicycle, because its so subtle, and we've been riding for so long we don't even think about it, but get on a motorcycle going say 100 mph plus and the only way to get the thing to turn is to really muscle it into a countersteer. You really feel it on a motorcycle at speed because the gyro effect is great.
I do understand the theory behind countersteer with reference to a motorcycle. By steering to the right you move the point of contact with the road to the right, and the motorcycle falls to the left. Then the gyroscopic action of the spinning wheel takes over and turns the front wheel to the left. The countersteer is only a means to get the bike to fall to the left or right. My argument is that a simple shifting of the rider’s weight is all that is needed to get a bicycle to lean.
Every rider when taking a left turn will first swing slightly to the right then turn into the corner. You obviously don’t start the corner in the gutter, hugging the curb. But why complicate things with all this countersteer theory that applies to heavy motor cycles moving a far greater speeds. The way the bicycle handles is the responsibility of the designer and builder; all the rider should have to think about is getting the pedals to turn. At the end of a long ride or race and you are physically and mentally whipped; you can’t be thinking how will I get round this corner; a well designed bike will go where ever you point it. The bicycle is such a simple machine; you push one pedal down and the other one comes up; why make riding it so complicated?