How to share our love of cycling with someone physically incapable of it.
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 1,768
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
How to share our love of cycling with someone physically incapable of it.
How many of us have a handicapped or elderly friend or relative with whom we cannot share our love of cycling, and who therefore would love something like this? I wish that I knew about this before my late Father's death.
#2
Homey
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,517
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 1,380 Times
in
887 Posts
Thank you for the link, I'm sure somebody here will find it useful. Im sorry to hear about your dad but I'm sure he was happy knowing that you are happy with your cycling.
#3
Live Deliberately.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 735
Bikes: CETMA Cargo, Surly Big Dummy, Surly Straggler, Rocky Mountain Blizzard
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I thought I had a friend like this. My buddy has a form of Muscular Distrophy that makes it difficult to walk or use his hands for fine motor skills. He uses braces to get around. But by sharing my love of biking he decided to try and get back on after 20 years without riding. He is riding RAGBRAI with my friends and I next month! It is fun to watch him ride around.
#4
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ogopogo's shoreline
Posts: 4,082
Bikes: LHT, Kona Smoke
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Good idea, but damn pricey for crappy bike components.
Over 4k for the "entry level"... ehhh.... I think I'd be pushing a wheelchair.
Over 4k for the "entry level"... ehhh.... I think I'd be pushing a wheelchair.
#5
don't try this at home.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,900
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 959 Post(s)
Liked 477 Times
in
334 Posts
There's a group doing tandem rides where the stoker is blind in Cincinnati: tukandu.org/. They are always looking for volunteer captains.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,877
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 520 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times
in
179 Posts
Check out the messageboard on www.bentrideronline.com. Try a search for special needs bikes. There was a thread on the messageboard recently about a special tandem arrangement that allowed a handicapped rider to ride in the front with the rear stoker doing the steering. The price was mentioned and it wasn't any $4K.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Burlington, ON
Posts: 530
Bikes: Giant Tcx1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why is he on the front? (reminds me of the story of the truck with the wheelchair guy wedged in front)
Wouldn't it be easier to turn a wheelchair into a trail-a-bike or trailer setup?
Wouldn't it be easier to turn a wheelchair into a trail-a-bike or trailer setup?
#8
Biscuit Boy
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Speeenard 'laska
Posts: 1,355
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The third world is full of utility bikes with two wheels up front and a space for passengers or cargo. They pay only a tiny fraction of what these things cost.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 1,768
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Expensive? Yes, but remember it is classified as medical equipment, so if your insurance has a DME provision you'll have little OOP.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 1,768
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
This has the advantage, though, of being able to detach the cycle part and use it as a regular wheelchair.
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 1,768
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Rickshaws are larger, heavier, do not detach, and not being considered medical equipment aren't covered by insurance.
#14
CRIKEY!!!!!!!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: all the way down under
Posts: 4,276
Bikes: several
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1589 Post(s)
Liked 687 Times
in
365 Posts
Originally Posted by Elkhound
How many of us have a handicapped or elderly friend or relative with whom we cannot share our love of cycling, and who therefore would love something like this? I wish that I knew about this before my late Father's death.
__________________
"Surely one can love his own country without becoming hopelessly lost in an all-consuming flame of narrow-minded nationalism" - Fred Birchmore
"Surely one can love his own country without becoming hopelessly lost in an all-consuming flame of narrow-minded nationalism" - Fred Birchmore
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 1,768
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Why is the wheelchair in front rather than attached like a trailer?
Why is the pasenger in front?
Because it is easier for the driver and the passenger to interact with the passenger up front. If the wheelchair were attached behind like a trailer--and there are devices like that, but I haven't the link handy--were the passenger to become ill or otherwise need help, the driver would have no way of knowing, especially if the passenger could not call out (say, a stroke victim who had lost the power of speech, or someone with Altzheimers.)
Because it is easier for the driver and the passenger to interact with the passenger up front. If the wheelchair were attached behind like a trailer--and there are devices like that, but I haven't the link handy--were the passenger to become ill or otherwise need help, the driver would have no way of knowing, especially if the passenger could not call out (say, a stroke victim who had lost the power of speech, or someone with Altzheimers.)
Last edited by Elkhound; 07-05-07 at 11:04 AM.