[python] Re: Training Wheels
- From: Rhisiart Gwilym <Rhisiart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:41:24 +0000
Hi Vi,
You seem to have gone the same way as I had to go: First a trike back
end, then stabiliser/training wheels to either side.
I put my extra wheels just by my hands too. In fact they're on short
spurs welded to the handlebars, and the bars are set up to swivel up
and down, so that the wheels can actually lift well up off the
ground, and also the bike can continue to bank over into turns. In
effect, it's like putting your hands to the ground, to help maintain
balance, but with wheels under you hands, to make it easier -- and no
industrial gloves needed!
As an extra refinement, the training-wheel forks are also able to
castor, to prevent tyre-scrub on turns.
I use the 30 cm light bike wheels that you see on a lot of small
children's bikes these days, with Schrader-valve pneumatic tyres;
very comfortable! And with good off-road capability too (I often ride
down the side of a field to approach and leave my place)
I find that with either the trike back-end, or the outrigger
side-wheels, the python can be ridden straight away. I actually did
thirty kilometres or so with the trike form, in traffic, within a
couple of days of first trying it out, and had no bother; except that
braking on the rear two wheels was very bad: they locked up and began
to skid with anything but the lightest pressure on the brake levers.
Hence me turning back to the bike form, with stabilisers. Had it not
been for that bad fault, I think I would have stayed with the trike,
because it's so likable in every other way. As an extra refinement, I
arranged for the front two thirds of the trike -- with rider aboard
-- to bank over like a bike on turns, but with hands braced on
handlebars on the non-banking rear end. Gives wonderfully precise
balancing control, and encourages you to lift your hands momentarily
off the bars on quiet roads, and start to get the hang of balancing
without aids, as you ride.
The trike geometry is very similar to Erik Wannee's training Flevo
trike, which her rents out in his home area. We seem to have hit on
the same solution independently. Hadn't heard of his version until
after I'd built mine, though I believe he got their first. I guess he
avoids braking issues by doing it all on the front wheel.
Sorry to all that I still haven't got round to getting out pics/vids
of all this. As soon as I can, I promise! I'm going through a lot of
changes in my circumstances just now (moving where I live; staying in
one place myself, but with my dogs in a stable 11 kilometres away; so
lots of stress and effort), and it's all I can do to just keep life's
essentials ticking over. Plus the fact that I'm such a slow old git
these days. Everything feels like wading through porridge, and takes
ages! But at least things continue to edge forward, at about
melting-glacier pace. Back with more ASAP.
Hwyl fawr i bawb! RhG
Hi All,
I have managed to start a wiki page for my python bike/trike
thingy, <http://en.openbike.org/wiki/Guinea_Pig>http://en.openbike.org/wiki/Guinea_Pig.
Please let me know what details you would like to see more of. A
set of training wheels make my second trial much more pleasant.
Anybody here has resort to such solution? I don't feel bad
justifying and using it, but am not sure when I can let go...
DirkS, thanks for setting up the site. Will you set up the donation
page sometime? Will you expand the domain to hose any open bike
design or just Python?
Cheers,
Vi
Other related posts:
