ViciousCycle
10-17-01, 07:15 PM
In addition to using the tandem in this picture, he also uses a regular solo bike too.
It must take a lot of stubborn determination to get one foot to permanently do the pedalling work that two feet had once done before. I hope I'd have the same sort of stubbornness if I were ever faced with the same disability myself.
That picture makes me feel bad when I won't ride because of a little rain or cold. They are only temporary inconveniences.
Where are my priorities? :(
Several years ago, with my knee immobilized to recover from a patellar dislocation, I removed the left crank of my mountain bike and tried one-legged cycling. What a workout! For the first time ever, I needed to use my grannie chainring on-road and had to avoid hills. I hope the gentleman in the picture will be able to afford a decent prosthesis, which could make a huge difference. (One of my heroes is Pete Penseyres' younger brother, Jim, who completed the Race Across America despite a below-the-knee amputation.)
Incidentally, following WWII, Sturmey-Archer marketed the now-rare ACS fixed-gear 3-speed hub to "the unfortunates" (lower limb amputees), who had trouble pedaling with a freewheel.
LittleBigMan
10-18-01, 08:40 PM
Did you-all miss the most important point of this post? ;)
EVERYONE was bicycling.
Joe Gardner
10-18-01, 08:46 PM
Thats great, Bicycling Mag had a write up about a NYC bicycle messenger with one leg, great artical...
Allister
10-19-01, 12:18 AM
That crutch must really encourage cars to pass with plenty of room.