Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs - Handlebar Adaptation Help

Looking for advice/links for adaptive handlebars for my 10 yo daughter. She has a birth injury that left her right arm with only 25% functionality. She wants to ride a two-wheeler with her brother. Thanks!

Let me ping someone in to the thread that can help.

Hello there.

I can give you some advice. Is your daughter a Erb's Palsy patient? I have the same situation though mine is the result of an adult injury (motorcycle accident).

Anyways, if she is ready to use hand brakes there are couplers available that will join the cables for the front and rear brakes and allow you to engage both brakes with one lever. If she is shifting gears there ar a number of ways to move the controls for the front derailleur (usually operated with left hand) to the right side of the bars. I'll edit this post with some pics and links.

After re-reading your post I'm not certain if she is riding yet. If she is not she can learn to ride one-handed. I do believe she'll be better off if she can place her left hand on/over the left side of the bar. It is easier to balance than always riding one-handed with the left in your lap or hanging free though I will ride like that on longer rides to relax my left shoulder.

Some pics and links:

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll133/w_judd/DSC01854-1.jpg

I doubt she is on a roadbike but this shows the brake coupler and the front derailleur control.

I use a Kelly Take Off (http://kellybike.com/2nd_xtra_takeoff.html) for the front shifter.

I can't find a link for a brake coupler right away but ask a shop to look in a QBP catalog for you.

If I'm getting way ahead of myself and you still need to get her riding on 2 wheels check this out (click here (http://www.huskybicycles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=266-205&Category_Code=acc&Store_Code=hbs)) for a pretty easy way to get a kid, any kid started. I used similar with both of mine.

If you need any more advice I'll be happy to help. I've given advice to adults in similar situations but not a kid but I'll be more than happy to try to help.

http://bbbp.net/images/BR19.JPG
$6 From Bargain Basement Bicycle Parts (bbbp.net).

They also show a 4 speed Nexus with coaster brake wheelset for $50.
http://bbbp.net/images/WS04.JPG

I've heard of tandem riders using a friction bar-end shifter for a third brake lever (hub brake for long descents), so there are ways to work two brakes with one hand.
To me a coaster brake and front brake seems like a better idea for starting out.

With modern wide range IGH or MegaRange cassettes I would be inclined to skip the front derailer for anyone just learning to ride, but if and when she needs it there are options: two thumb shifters; grip shifter and thumb or trigger shifter; grip, trigger, or thumb shifter and bar-end shifter.

I'm not sure what "25 percent functionality" means in practical terms.
This isn't something I have any experience with, but if you let us know a bit about her range of motion, strength, and dexterity I'll gladly give it some thought and offer any ideas that seem useful.

I think this is the correct shifter for the Nexus I posted: http://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-NEXUS-SHIFTER-RIGHT-ST-4350/dp/B007RXVQH4?sa=X&ei=eayWT_PjC9LciALyopCgCg&ved=0CGQQgwgwAA. It's hard to tell from the picture, but I think that's the grip shifter and brake lever.