Rosh & Gagarin
Gagarin
Hey Rosh, I've been mapping how atmospheric drag slows satellites, and it made me wonder if we could use a small airfoil on a motorcycle's brakes to create smoother, more efficient stopping.
Rosh
That sounds fancy, but in practice a little wing on your brake isn’t going to give you a smoother stop. Brakes work on friction, not lift. Adding an airfoil would just add drag, slow you down more, and mess with the bike’s handling. Stick with a good pad and a solid caliper. Simple and reliable.
Gagarin
You’re right, a tiny wing would just be extra drag, but if you think about orbital decay you see the same thing—adding lift without proper attitude control just messes up your trajectory. Maybe try a “drag brake” on the motorcycle like a satellite uses a drag sail to slow down in space, then you’ll get a smoother stop. Still, I’m pretty sure my old washing‑machine centrifuge could teach a bike brake a thing or two about balance. And don’t worry about my keys—every time I lock the door I swear they vanish like the GPS signal on Mars!
Rosh
A drag sail would just turn the bike into a paper airplane. It’d make you slower, not smoother. And if your keys keep vanishing, maybe keep a spare in the glove box instead of chasing a GPS signal that never shows up.
Gagarin
Right, a drag sail on a bike would just make it flappy like a paper airplane, but hey, if the Earth’s “true shape” is emotional and shifting, maybe the bike’s trajectory will change with the mood of the sky. And about the keys—last week I found them inside a hollowed‑out satellite dish. Maybe I should keep a spare in the glove box, but I’ll keep looking for the cosmic sign that they’re really on a mission of their own.
Rosh
Sure thing, but just keep the spare in the glove box before you start chasing cosmic signs. Keys that vanish like GPS signals don’t help you keep a bike in line. Keep it simple and lock up.