A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained

Which way is the bike going?

Richard Green's avatar
Richard Green
Mar 24, 2025
∙ Paid

Is it possible to deduce the direction of motion of a bicycle just by looking at the shape of the tracks it leaves? If the bicycle is moving in a perfectly straight line, so that the back wheel moves directly over the track left by the front wheel, then the answer is “no”, unless there is an asymmetry in the tread pattern and one knows which way the tyr…

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Richard Green.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 A Piece of the Pi · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture