[hammerdocnomo]

I just posted this on the recumbent forum and I want to get the tandem folks feedback as well.
I need some help here.
I have a friend that I currently ride with that rides a hand crank bike. He is paralyzed at T7 and has parapalegia.
We ride together, on occasion, but the rode bike and hand crank disparity is too much.
We really don't ride together very easily.
Here's my solution and tell me what you think.
A bent tandem. Hand crank trike in back and a bent in front.
Do these rides exist? If so, any links?
Any help or feedback would be appreciated.
Cheers:beer:

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[masiman]

I wish this post had been here 2 weeks ago. I just rode with about 15 hand crankers at the New York City 5 boro tour. Well, I started with and rode with them for awhile. I could have asked them. Sounds like a real specialty ride. If I had to guess that would take a special kind of hand cranker to ride that configuration. They have fewer areas where they can control their environment than others. If they are up to it though, I would not see why not. Maybe an intermediate step could be created where a coupling device is made that joins the two together to see if dependent riding works for the team. Probably a whole heck of alot cheaper than designing and building something. It would be neat to hear if such a bike has been built before.

[TandemGeek]

A bent tandem. Hand crank trike in back and a bent in front.
Do these rides exist? If so, any links?

Contact the folks at Greenspeed USA: http://www.greenspeed.com.au/NewGSweb/web-content/usa/contactusa.html

The basic machine is their Tandem Touring Trike (GTT - about $8k)
http://www.greenspeed.com.au/

They have done a variety of different trike configurations for special needs clients (http://www.greenspeed.com.au/specialmain.htm) and may be able to either offer a solution or refer you to another builder.

http://www.greenspeed.com.au/OldWebPics/GTT-Ersidef768.jpg

I would think that you would want to incorporate independent drive / cadence which essentially incorporates a separate set of shifters, 9 speed cassette/hub, and rear derailleur mounted on between the two riders, as is done with the Angletech Harmony (http://www.angletechcycles.com/bikes/tandems/index.htm) & Bilenky Viewpoint (http://www.bilenky.com/viewpnt.html) semi-recumbent tandems (rear rider upright, front rider recumbent with pedal or hand cranks - see photos below; left Angletech Harmony & right Bilenky Viewpoint). This configuration would allow you to each obtain your optimum "cadence" for given riding conditions.

http://www.angletechcycles.com/images/viewpoint_spec_package.jpghttp://www.bilenky.com/images/sigvpoint.JPG

Hase Spezialrader also offers some interesting configurations that may warrant some further research, including their Kettwiesel Hand-bike (http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/handbike/index.php)that can be coupled with another recumbent trike and a semi-recumbent racing bike (http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/ttpino/index.php) that appears as though it could lend itself to handcrank and dual transmission modification.

http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/handbike/02.jpg http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/ttpino/00.jpg

[masiman]

I don't even know why I bothered to reply, lol.

Nice post TG.

[Michel Gagnon]

Wasn't there the Bilenki Counterpoint around at some time ? It is or was a strange tandem with front end recumbent style and rear end diamond style. A bit like the last photo in TandemGeek's post.

I bet the front end could fairly easily be converted into a handcycle, especially since Bilenki is a very small shop.

[hammerdocnomo]

Masiman. You are right. TG's post is great.
Wow!!!!!!!!
I think we have some answers here.
TG and the rest thanks for the help.
If we do get this ride together I'll post a few pics of the end result.
Ride safe.
Cheers!

[TandemGeek]

Wasn't there the Bilenki Counterpoint around at some time.

The Bilenky Viewpoint was actually developed by Jim Weaver back in 1982 and originally called the Counterpoint Opus I.

http://www.bilenky.com/images/patent1.gif

Jim was a musician by training and developed the bike to solve a special cycling needs issue for his wife. The bikes were fabricated by Dennis Bushnell and there were several generations, i.e., Opus I, II, III, IV & V. Jim also developed what was considered one of the better short wheel base (SWB) recumbents early on (Counterpoint Presto) but elected to leave the bike fabrication business for personal reasons.

However, along the way he granted Bilenky Cycle Works of Philadelphia, PA, a license to produce the "Counterpoint" design and they subsequently improved on the original design and marketed their version as the aforementioned Viewpoint.

Angletech also produces a version of the Counterpoint that I provided a photo of in my earlier post that they market under the name, the Harmony. The Harmony, like the previous Counterpoints are/were fabricated by Dennis Bushnell up near Seattle, WA.

[hammerdocnomo]

http://www.woofyllc.com/~roger/
Lookie here. I quess the wheel has been discovered.
Cheers:beer: :beer: :beer:

[Michel Gagnon]

Thanks for the history

[zonatandem]

To add a bit more to TG's excellent reply:
Jim Weaver also built a few triples with the rear rider (tailgunner) facing backwards!
It is our understanding that there was some type of lawsuit/legal dispute and Jim decided it was not worth the hassle to continue with the CounterPoint.
Kettwiesel offers the opportuniy for the hand cyclists to pedal solo, or attach it to another pedal powered Kett. The front wheel of the hand cycle can be removed and attached to the back of that bike. In case there's an opportunity to meet somewhere as individual trikes, the Kett can be configured as a 5-wheel tandem! Sounds like a great choice . . . trike bike solos or 5 wheel/trike-tandem! Presto-chango!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[TandemGeek]

Jim Weaver also built a few triples with the rear rider (tailgunner) facing backwards!
It is our understanding that there was some type of lawsuit/legal dispute and Jim decided it was not worth the hassle to continue with the CounterPoint.

The triplets are called "The Waltz" and, like all of the Opus and Harmony bikes, they were and can still be built by Dennis Bushnell as well as Bilenky... here's a photo of one:

http://www.bilenky.com/images/waltz2.jpg

Jim's company was Counterpoint Conveyance, Ltd. and his primary dealer was AngleTech. The Opus was the model name of the semi-recumbent, i.e., Counterpoint Opus analogous to his short wheelbase single seat recumbent the Counterpoint "Presto".

http://www.angletechcycles.com/images/used/usedPrestoBlue.jpg

The lawsuit that ultimately led to Jim's exit from the recumbent and semi-recumbent business was unrelated to the Counterpoint Opus. Instead, it was what most who were familiar with the details of the case considered a baseless, nuisance lawsuit settled out of court related to the failure of a mechanic-modified component on a Counterpoint Presto that was re-sold to a third party. The third party experienced the failure of that part -- not a flaw in the design or fabrication of any Counterpoint product -- and purportedly did not suffer any injury. The story goes that the individual was predisposed to file nuisance lawsuits and without getting into further hearsay, the bottom line was that the experience was so distasteful that Jim opted to cease operations as a bicycle builder. As previously mentioned, Jim's semi-recumbent Counterpoint Opus lives today because some type of a license/rights to produce the design was obtained by Bilenky and because AngleTech continues to offer a direct descendent via it's "Harmony" semi-recumbent.