How did the primary engineering challenge shift when moving from steam power to the gasoline engine in the Reitwagen era?
Answer
From miniaturization and weight management to control, balance, and steering stability
The text outlines a significant conceptual shift in engineering priorities between the two power eras. For the earlier steam cycles, the difficulty lay in making the technology compact and light enough to be practical, focusing heavily on miniaturization and weight management. Once the efficient, lightweight four-stroke gasoline engine was introduced in the Reitwagen, the focus immediately pivoted to the dynamic challenges: ensuring the rider could effectively control, balance, and stop a self-propelled two-wheeled vehicle, necessitating new solutions for steering stability and braking linkages.
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