I was practising clockwise turns for a few days now so the next thing would be
really tight turns to do a figure eight inside the limited space of the
backyard.
After a few laps in and out of the driveway with wide turns I tried it and
finally it worked one or two times.
As this worked I got the hang of it and tried to get the right turns as tight
as the left turns and it worked.
It was like a rollercoaster ride - leaning into the turn till the pedals nearly
touched the ground.
At one point I did about three or four very, very tight turns - unfortunately
without the camera rolling but it really felt good.
The key was to twist my upper body as you do in the leading action when dancing
argentine tango (it’s called dissociation).
With my left shoulder leaning far backwards and my hip twisted to the right I
was finally being able to do really, really tight turns and even keep pedalling
at the same time.
So I set up the camera and tried to capture a few good turns (ok - as soon as
there is someone watching I always get tangled up, but there is a good part in
the middle of it).
This is it: https://flic.kr/p/25o1FkY
Next things on my list:
- Learning to use the handlebars without crashing at medium and low speeds
- Going for more speed and straight (need more space for this - so I’ll have to
move to a bigger parking lot…)
Cheers,
Christian
Am 23.03.2018 um 14:02 schrieb Dirk Bonne <dbonne@xxxxxxx>:
Learning to ride a python is learning something that is really new. In our
lives there are not so many occasions where we both have the possibility and
the motivation for such an undertaking. I would say, take your time and enjoy
this period. Once learned the ability will stay with you.
--
Sent from my Android phone with GMX Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
On 3/21/18, 13:46 Christian Winkgen <christian.winkgen@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Dirk,
thanks for your picture.
Meanwhile I decided to keep the handlebars because of the reasons you
mentioned.
But I made a change to the configuration so it looks more like your setup: I
turned them around so they point upwards.
At first I did not like that because they seem to be in the way when getting
onto the bike.
I liked the „out of the way“ position underneath the seat as in my flickr
gallery - but unfortunately this would kill the levers when crashing.
Now it is more safe for crashes - I have to think about something similar for
better protection like your T-shaped form...
I did a few laps with the new position yesterday but I felt really
uncomfortable regarding stability and balance. It needs some time to sink in
(better now than later).
Launching was only possible freehanded because the handlebars were a major
distraction.
They only helped for tight turns (as you said) and of course for braking
going slightly downhill (<10 km/h still I guess).
Everything at slow speed seemed instable when even touching the handlebars -
I really have to train this more often.
Also it felt like it would take ages to learn riding a python.
But then I thought:
Maybe it took the same time when I was a kid and learned to ride a
conventional bike.
It only didn’t feel like a task - more than an adventure. Much free time,
hours and hours of practicing („playing“) in the backyard or on the street to
develop all the riding skills for later.
The first time I fell going over a curb, slipping when braking on wet
surface, skidding in mud etc.
Today it’s more of a task, but a nice one - and a very interesting experience.
I wonder how long it will take…
Cheers,
Christian
Am 20.03.2018 um 14:22 schrieb Dirk Bonne <dbonne@xxxxxxx>:
People are devided where I handlebars are concerned. Riding with handlebars
have to be learned just as without. Because leverage is very small compared
to the steering leverage through your legs, handlebars can only aid.
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I personally am very much pro-handlebars:
* I feel safer when I have handlebars at high speeds (55-65kmh). At these
speeds there is only very little control needed and I find that leg-control
feels tool "loose". I would not dare those speeds hands-free.
* To get very tight turning circles at very low speeds (for example to go
slalom through bars at the end of cyclepaths), I pull hard one of the
handlebar sides to bend my python in a curve.
I have my handlebars upright. I find this more ergonomic. I also made them
in 2 T-pieces to protect my shifter and break-levers.
http://en.openbike.org/images/openbike/9/9f/Pony_10h.jpg
Dirk
Gesendet: Montag, 19. März 2018 um 15:51 Uhr
Von: "Christian Winkgen" <christian.winkgen@xxxxxxx>
An: python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Betreff: [python] Re: Still learning to charm the snake
I would not say I am in full control. It just grants me control for a
certain length of time… :)
Did you try not going straight but leaning into a circle? I found that much
easier at first to get a feeling.
And did you try the thing Vi suggested - launching with only one foot up the
pedals?
https://youtu.be/m7e1EvvVO30
@all:
I just read a length thread in a German velomobil forum and someone said he
disposed the handlebars because he felt that they got the python unstable as
soon as he touched them.
I have the same feeling - as soon as I go faster and feel like breaking I
almost fall over because the old pattern takes over to try to steer the bike
with the handlebars...
So:
Should I get rid of the handlebars and just add a fixed stick to the rear
frame?
Who of you has handlebars or uses them?
If you don’t have any - where to put the brake levers?
And how can I practice going downhill or faster?
Cheers,
Christian
Am 19.03.2018 um 11:32 schrieb Karl McCracken <karl.mccracken@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
Nice. And oh, how I envy your apparent control of the beast!
Just heading out for another half hour of Not Riding. Yesterday I think I
did almost 20m in a straight line without putting hands or feet down...
Get Outlook for Android
From: python-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <python-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of
Christian Winkgen <christian.winkgen@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2018 9:16:55 AM
To: python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [python] Still learning to charm the snake
I have trained almost every day for about 30 minutes and feel more and more
confident now.
Yesterday I dumped the „sticks“ because they were more of a distraction and
always hurt my knuckles when I crashed.
Without sticks it is easier to grab the brakes (for an emergency or when
going slightly downhill) and I can still touch the ground when I tip over in
a tight turn.
Because I reckoned that I still felt uncomfortable doing clockwise circles I
began practicing doing exactly that.
I still feel better having the right (leading) foot first but in a clockwise
circle it would be better the other way round - or just keeping pedalling.
So I try to do as many clockwise circles as possible - maybe I try to find a
bigger space where I can do figure eights again and again.
I also almost dumped the plan with the training wheels - but what will
happen when I crash going faster speeds?
The crashes did not only hurt my knuckles (both middle fingers are a bit
stiff now) but also scratched the brake levers and nearly destroyed the
trigger shift for the Alfine hub (the indicator is defunct now and almost
gone).
I also put a sliced rubber hose around the lower edges of the mesh seat
because the fabric also seemed to get eaten up by the crashes.
This is part of yesterdays session trying without sticks for the first time:
https://flic.kr/p/Hb5xeL
Left turns work pretty well, but clockwise is still a bit instable (I have
to leave the yard for a few seconds to come back for going clockwise…)
@Karl: how are you doing with your python? Have some pictures of it?
Cheers,
Christian
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