I recently moved in with an older trans woman, and I agreed to fix her bike for her before all of the details of her medical history were kind of revealed to me by her. She has balance issues, and she is heavily medicated for schizophrenic and other paranoid issues. She said she doesn't remember how to ride, and when I fix her bike etc, she wants me to maybe help push her along so she can learn to ride again. Now I am torn between fixing her bike and not fixing it. She is 63 and if she falls down on the bike and breaks a wrist or something, it could be a significant life-changing event for her, which I have tried to explain to her. I have told her I want a note signed by her doctor stating that she is able to ride a bicycle. She also has no Driver's License because of her problems. She bugs me about fixing the bike and I feel bad because I know how much joy bicycle riding brings me. Any thoughts or ideas on this situation. Thanks.

Tricycle. Many older people with balance problems are going that route.

I'll put in another vote for the trike idea.

You can try having her learn to ride naturally the way Europeans have had their children learn about as soon as they can work.

Start with a balance bike (no pedals). You don't have to buy anything, just remove the pedals from hers. The key is that she has to be able to put both feet firmly on the ground while seated on the bike. Find a shallow grade with room and no traffic (parking lots are good as are dead end streets). Let her practice walking then coasting, until there's solid balance and confidence. Then raise the saddle a bit to encourage the confidence and longer coasting intervals. If the bike has hand brakes, move to free coasting on longer slightly steeper slopes.

Once you and her trust the balance, the pedals go on, and she's a bike rider.

If the balance doesn't happen, go for a trike.

BTW- I've taught dozens of adults how to ride this way. The key is to overcome the fear of falling, so a low saddle and sure footing are the keys.

Do the right thing. Knowing what you know, would you feel remorse if she came to harm while on a bicycle you had repaired?

Now that her medical history is "revealed" and the bicycle aside, is this really someone you want to be living with?

My $.02 is: Find someplace else to live. Sounds like all the makings of a "no win" situation. Of course I don't know all the details, or your motivation for moving in, in the first place, but from what I read in the OP . . . you don't really want to get involved.

Or, I should say, I wouldn't. What you do is your own decision, of course. But since you asked . . .

Rick / OCRR

I'm with Dudel on this one.

My thoughts exactly!

Half of my brain says run as fast as you can. The less paranoid half says:

Amazon.com : Worksman Port-o-Trike Single Speed Adult Tricycle : Electric Bicycles : Sports & Outdoors

There is a Schwinn Trike on Amazon for around $300. I looked at my local Craigslist and there are several real nice new or used units for $200.

I wouldn't feel comfortable given her situation putting her on a two wheeler. Don't get tied up in what could quickly become a hot mess. I'm all about helping people, and if she had a broken down trike I'd certainly help her fix it up.

Exit stage left… do not walk, run to the nearest exit! Probably not the advice you were looking for or want to hear. However, as previously said we don't know everything about the situation and in the end the decision is yours to make. With that said, if you stay the present course, I think 3 wheels would be better than 2 for balance concerns.