Please .... read the special note to better understand the low value as daily bike of all my own prototypes!

Through the Belgian forum "Gentse Liggers" I came to know about the site of the Python lowracer. I came to like it from seeing the videos of that design. Just go see www.python-lowracer.de at the links page.

I saw that the design is VERY simple and I wanted to test myself by making a Python in recordtime. I started on Monday 14th November 2005 at 8:30 and it was able to ride at 19:00 same day. In that same day I had to give theoretical lessons during four hours. So ... calculate the time needed to make it.

Here I will try to tell the problems I had and the solutions I found.

First problem.
When I tried to fit a rear wheel in a front fork I saw that the gear was touching the fork.
Some hammering and a few washers solved the problem.

I changed my idea and wanted to use a ballhead as the hinge because I didn't have a bracket available.
The front fork was of a larger wheel. The wheel is a 20". I guess the fork was of a 26" wheel. Anyway ... I did cut it in two to create the needed angle of the hinge and to have fork-parts go forwards towards the wheel axle.

Here is the result. Later it became reinforced.

The rear part was the easiest part. I just placed a front fork of a BMX in a tube that was a bit wider. I welded it and that was it.

I used two long metal parts to block the wheels between for lining up. I used a piece of paper to show me a angle of 60°. I welded the rear part to the front hinge once all was lined up.

To make the gears working I cut off the rear section of a bike. The part from the bracket to the wheels axle. I placed it also onto the wheels axle using the same bolt that held the wheel. Once I was pleased with the position I welded the parts (front fork and rear fork) together. If I wanted to remove the wheel I had some cutting to do.

Note the reinforcements I placed on the front fork.

A secondhand bought Flevobike seat was placed and it was now already able to ride.
I tested this version later that night. It was not that easy.
But ... I took the challenge and decided I wanted to master this bike.

That same night I wanted to try to use handle bars. I installed it, but honestly .. I didn't use it much to steer. Most of my rides were without hands. I found out it was easier to start that way. Just go see the videos on the Python site to see how they do it.

I didn't use the handle bars for steering. But I was happy it was there as it made the bike fall less deep. The steer hit the ground, no longer the seats side. BUT ... PLACE VERTICAL GRIPS TO PREVENT YOU FROM LOOSING YOUR FLESH ON YOUR FINGERS! Man, those handle bars left several skid-marks on the playground-floor at our school!

I knew I had to reinforce the bike here and there. So the next day I was adding those.

No beauties I know, but it was needed to prevent deformation
if I was ever going to testride it on rougher terrain.
You can catch a glimpse of the new handle bars I placed. The first was actually too short.
It was not really within handreach.

After several hours I was just able to ride short parts between two blocks of our school.

I was concerned about my slow learning progress and I asked some advise at the Python forum. Jürgen Mages, the designer of the Python, mentioned me that he had seen my prototype 06 of the Belgian forum and he told me that the hips of the rider need to be placed in line of the hinge. This was not the case in my design. Ok, back to the drawing board. Or ... should I say cutter and welder.

At the same time I was thinking about the seat-position, I noticed deformation in the front section.
I added more strength by welding a few extra support. OK, not ideal because it are not triangles.
But ... it does the job! 

During a visit at Mark, a Belgian who owns a Python build by Dirk Bonné (Belgian too), I noticed that my Python steers easier than the Python by Dirk Bonné. Mark and later my students, who rode the 06 and 07, said the same thing.

Oh, almost forgot to mention. I replaced the handle bars by two parts of a front fork. They are not to be used as handle bars! The function is purely to prevent the seat to fall at 90° during crashes and to be used as a support to keep the bike "upright".

 
At this position, the "bull horns" are used as a support. Luckily they also hide under the frame during normal turns. At very sharp turns they hit the ground ... sadly. So if you intend to make similar supports, please, test several positions at different speeds and turns.

Riding the bike like it was is just fun. But ... to show it to somebody else it needed paint. I choose for Hamerite paint as it protects against rust too. I choose for golden paint and made a small detail in red. I kind of liked the looks and I will repeat it on my other bikes.

The finished Python before ... it lost a lot of paint over the concrete playground
during MANY  crashes by my students and myself.

Here you can see a video of the 06 is action. Tim Biesemans is riding the bike for the very first time. Tim is the major recumbent bikes seller in Belgium. He proved that without Python experience, but with a lot of Flevobike experience, you are able to steer a Python. You can just hear him say: "En straks ..." (translated "And soon ..."). Yes, Tim, and soon all will see this on the internet.  ;^)  Anyway, you proved your qualities again. You didn't crash. Just wished I could say that. 

I like to end this page with:

The Python bike is a lovely FUN-BIKE.
But ... please ... become a expert before riding it on a public road!

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