Even having looked at a bike, there are details I don’t understand, but I think not enough that I’d dispute your claim.
Derailleurs, and the transmission from the break levers to the break pads, seem kind of magical to me. I’m not sure if there’s a detail I’m missing, or if they just work far better than I would have expected. Especially derailleurs—pulling laterally on the chain, a tiny amount, makes it move from one gear to another, even if the gears are very different sizes? (I suddenly wonder if the slow mo guys have done an episode on derailleurs.)
I wouldn’t be able to tell you how stability works, either.
I reckon I understand a fixie with stabiliser wheels well enough, though.
Even having looked at a bike, there are details I don’t understand, but I think not enough that I’d dispute your claim.
Derailleurs, and the transmission from the break levers to the break pads, seem kind of magical to me. I’m not sure if there’s a detail I’m missing, or if they just work far better than I would have expected. Especially derailleurs—pulling laterally on the chain, a tiny amount, makes it move from one gear to another, even if the gears are very different sizes? (I suddenly wonder if the slow mo guys have done an episode on derailleurs.)
I wouldn’t be able to tell you how stability works, either.
I reckon I understand a fixie with stabiliser wheels well enough, though.
There are small grooves or bumps (depending on the design) on the sides of the gears that help lift the chain onto the next gear.