chris crash we should be able to because the stopping power is just less then double.
Where do you get that from? On a bike, maximum deceleration is determined by the angle between the centre of mass and the front axle. Once your deceleration reaches a certain fraction of g, you'll get a net moment the wrong way around the front wheel and over you go.
On a car, the centre of mass is lower and further back, so they can fit much stronger brakes without worrying about the thing flipping over forwards under braking. The limiting factors then are traction and the strength of the brakes themselves. Well, they have a more rubber on the road (though I don't know if that makes as much difference as you might think - it's probably more to do with the texture of the rubber) and you can bet the calipers on car disc brake can squeeze a lot harder than you can with your little lever!
Where do you get that from? On a bike, maximum deceleration is determined by the angle between the centre of mass and the front axle. Once your deceleration reaches a certain fraction of g, you'll get a net moment the wrong way around the front wheel and over you go.
On a car, the centre of mass is lower and further back, so they can fit much stronger brakes without worrying about the thing flipping over forwards under braking. The limiting factors then are traction and the strength of the brakes themselves. Well, they have a more rubber on the road (though I don't know if that makes as much difference as you might think - it's probably more to do with the texture of the rubber) and you can bet the calipers on car disc brake can squeeze a lot harder than you can with your little lever!