I just do not understand the term. I have seen it numerous times and read some explanations, but none were very explanatory. Please explain in simple language. Thanks.

It is related to the distance from the handlebars to the stear tube. Tiller means you swing the bars right to turn left. A mountain bike has zero tiller since the bars are directly over the stearing pivot. As you lay back the "ape hanger" handlebars on an old stingray, it starts getting more and more tiller. When you get to very long lwb recumbents like the tour easy, the tiller effect gets more significant.

https://www.easyracers.com/images/side.jpg

Some people are very sensitive, others seem to adapt with no trouble. If the bike design gets too long, most builders switch to remote linkages to eliminate the problem. The linear and longbikes do this.

https://www.linearrecumbent.com/linear_lwb.htm
https://www.longbikes.com/

Darren

If your handlebars were connected directly to your steerer tube, then the bars would pivot on the axis of the steerer tube as it turned back and forth. Most upright bikes have stems of 80-130cm offset, ahead of the stem. As the steering is turned, the handlebar describes a small arc, ahead of the steerer tube. The effect is small and it doesn't bother most DF riders. I call that 'reverse tiller.' Many recumbents have a stem that puts the handlebars behind the axis of the steerer tube. If the offset is small, then it's not noticed. But if the offset is large, then steering the bike from one side to the other causes the handlebars to describe a large arc instead of a simple pivot motion. At the far extremes of steering, the entire bars can end up way off to one side of the bike! When the effect becomes noticeable, it's referred to as 'tiller.'

Tiller isn't necessarily bad. For the praying hamster position, when the arms are hanging from the bars, the arms' weight tends to help center the steering, making it stable when riding in a straight line. Where it becomes a hassle is in slow-speed, tight turns, where it requires moving the hands through a larger distance in order to turn the bike.

When you get to very long lwb recumbents like the tour easy, the tiller effect gets more significant.


Tiller Effect is a phenomenon directly related to some but not all LWB design "Bents". It is caused by the relationship of the handlebars to the riders reach. The old style horizontial handlebars that was associated with Rans and Burley models where notorious for this problem. The Rans V-Squared (pre-2003), the Burley Limbo and Taiko. Rans alleviated most of the problem with the introduction of the new model handlebars and risers. Tiller Effect has the feeling of floating from side to side while steering which in turn could cause oversteering and in turn could cause an accident. A fellow reumbent rider was the proud owner of a V-Squared. It was his first recumbent but not the first one he had ridden. Tiller Effect got the best of him within a few days and he returned it to the LBS and traded the V Squared for a Rans Tailwind. I am the proud owner of both the TourEasy and Ti-Rush and I have never experienced tiller effect with these two (2) "Bents". I installed Kalloy adjustable stems on both "Bents" but prior to installation I rode the TE for a few months with the original handlebar configuration with no problem.

Carpe Diem