[python] riding attempts [was: VOILA: next Python finished]

Made the first attempts to ride the python.

What shall I say?
If i hadnd?t seen a video where someone perfectly rides a python, i woudn?t believe its rideable at all.
What i have done today was "walking on my hands while sitting on a lowrider recumbent". Needed a lane of 6m (minimum) for that. The first 800 m i touched the ground about 1000 times with my hands.
An elderly woman told me that she does /not/ like that bike. "Dat fing isch ävver /nitt/ jooot, dat Fahrrad", just for those who can understand german with a strong cologne-accent. We arranged to meet again in her street when i have learned to ride the bike. 
(Hmm, I need a new route to the supermarket for the next time)
Then returned to the workshop for fitting the left pedal, both wheels and the seat again. I thought a kind of steering damper would make it easyer, so i squeezed a short peace of washingmachine-hose between the SBB and the steering fork. Its properly damping, but its not helpful.
Next turn: Nearly 2000 m of "handwalk while sitting on a lowrider recumbent". But only ~1998 touches to the ground. Now i know pythons have a intense instinct of escape. Escape off the street, into the fields. I managed to ride about 25m without touching the ground with my hands, but still useing the complete lane of 6m.
Tomorrow morning i have to check if its necessary to visit a doctor with my sprained thumb. 

*@Jürgen*

Congrats Stephan - you made a beauty!

Thank you, i?ll tell her.

Glad that you finally could get the 40x10 material for the
front frame. And you did very well in placing the front brake
below the tubing and not above like I did by mistake in my
first tries.
I read really every text I could get, and sometimes i was able to remember it ... ;-) 
You documented the SBB lock mechanism pretty good on your site.
The whole building process is greatly documented. If you have some
problems with the english language: Leo is your friend:
http://dict.leo.org/

I have problems with the english language although i use Leo ...

The knobby wheels look fine, but you might prefer slicks in the
near future for faster and smoother riding.
I just used them because i had that MTB-Wheels laying around. "Next time better"-list allready has that point.
You can see it on the attached Picture or visit my project pages: http://www.schoeling.net/python.html
Already linked. 
Thanks.

@Juergen: If you'd like to put this python to your project-survey,
i'd suggest to wait till the last work is done. Also I didn't do the
terminal measurements of all the Frame -Geometry related things ;-) I
hope to find time next week.


Hard to wait, but I'll have to be patient.

Sorry, you have to be further on ...

PS: Und nächsten Frühling ein großes Python Treffen in Germersheim ...

Wenn ich bis dahin gelernt habe zu fahren  ...

*@ Olaf*
Olaf Johansson wrote:
Sehr schön, Stephan! The matchbox idea is clever. If I were you I would weld triangular reinforcement plates where the pivot fork meet the middle frame in order to reduce flex. 
Thank you.
The rear part seems to flex a bit, the middle part seems to be strong enough, but i will keep an eye on that. 

*@ Rhisiart
*Siwmae Rhisiard, and thank you too.
Yes, i?m proud of the Z-shaped frame a bit, i like it very much. But its only the essence of many construction details i have seen on photos in the web. I picked out my favorite things and tried to transform them in my construction. Time will show if it was not only nice to see, but solid and practically to use ... My english isn?t as good as it seems to be. It takes very long time to write an english text for me, because i have to check every word and sentence. I?m shure i do not find all mistakes. 
PS: I walked the coastal path in summer 1981, i loved it !

*@Mark*
Mark Garvey wrote:
eich Verschtian Mu ein Bission doietch (German and I cant SPELL either! I can SPEAK a little bit, but write it? HAH! and I repeat HAH!
For me it?s easyer to write than to speak. You will keep smiling the rest of the day after you heared my pronunciation. 
And i have to look up many words.
In any case, yes! the new Python is LOVELY! and your English is damned near FLAWLESS. I wish I could speak English as well as you write it! 
Thank you, Mark. And I am shure, you will be understanded talking german !
*
@Jim*
Jim Sparks wrote:

You guys do not know how fortunate you are to live in a country where you
can find the materials you want.  I had to fabricate my 10x40 out of flat
stock by bending 2 L shaped pieces and welding them together.
Wow. Thats really hard. Ever though to use round tubes (hope you can get them easier) ? 
But dont worry, you have much more sunny weather for nice rides, i think.

I do like the shape of your frame but I think that some angled braces are
needed to relieve some of the stresses.
Yes, as i described to Olaf, the rear part seems to be a little problem. I?m shure the front is ok and the middle part maybe too, because the fork for the SBB has very thick material. 
 Where did you get the seat.. I like it.
The seat is manufactured by novosport (www.novosport.de , english, french , netherlands). It is the model made of fiberglass with spine groove. I bought it used at a local recumbent dealer (www.low-rider.de). 

Best regards,
Stephan

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