Disability modifications

[BikeBandit]

Hi All, New to the site and first post.
Really looking to catch up with others who are or know disabled riders with upper limb disability.
After a motor bike accident I have total paralysis of my right hand, arm & shoulder. I have recently got back in the saddle after 40 years of sitting on my ar*e doing not a lot. I currently have a trek Marlin that I have a few simple mods on which is very effective but now I have gained a bit of confidence I am looking to move up to a full road bike. This brings with it a host of challenges that I have not yet over come so anyone out there who can get what I am trying to do, please let me know.

[[XAP]Bob]

What *can* you do with that arm?
How are you riding the trek (I.e. What controls have you come up with)?

Oh, and hi. Welcome to the forum

[BikeBandit]

Hi Bob,
My disability is 80% paralysis of the whole arm and shoulder. I have some movement but nothing great.
The biggest issues are that I have lost my shoulder so I have no real ability to take weight on my right side and although I can just about hold the handlebars, unlike an amputee who may have the full shoulder control and use a prosthesis I have no real control so all the power and control are via my right side. cant (as yet) stand for uphill sections and real rough terrain can be a challenge.
Current Trek was built for me on the isle of Man where I lived for a while. I now feel that I was sold a bity of a pup. The bike is fine but it is only a 44.5cm. As I am 6'1" I have to have the seat post at its full height and then could do with more. The reach is also a bit on the short side but it has got me out and about.
I have a twist grip that runs the cassette with a lever change on the chain set. All on the left bar within reach of finders. The brakes are run through a dual cable single calliper so while I have no bias control is actually stops pretty well. That's about it really,
I know that electrics would resolve a number of my issues but I am not in that budget at present.

[[XAP]Bob]

Doesn't sound like you need electrics - I am assuming that you have enough grip to hold (if not push) the RHS handlebar - but not enough strength/control to activate any controls on that side.

Don't be discouraged...
[youtube]usPiR94NsAQ[/youtube]

There are a group of products called 'problem solvers' which are likely to be able to help you.
These include inline brake doublers for instance - these run two brakes, as you do now, from a 'normal' lever.

For the gears you could go for one STI and a Thumbie.

Can't recall which side the cassette gears are normally on (since it would probably be nice if the cassette could be on the STI)

[Geoff.D]

Good morning, Bikebandit, and welcome to the forum.

You've posted in the "Non-standard vehicles" section. You may notice that a lot of the posts here are from recumbent riders. Have you considered swapping to a recumbent trike?

From what you describe, you wouldn't need any different mods to the ones you already have. But, the main advantage would be balance. Without having to worry about balance I would think that the operation of LH only controls would be much easier and done with much more confidence. Also, there would be no need for weight on your damaged shoulder, and you might well be able to get some push-pull operation on that side (if only to stabilise/dampen the steering). All in all, I think you'd find it a more controllable vehicle.

There are pros and cons to this type of cycling. If you wanted to explore them all (irrespective of your specific difficulties) opening a thread to ask the question would, I'm sure, get a load of honest replies.

I live in the Cotswolds and you would be welcome to try my trike should you wish.

[[XAP]Bob]

Or mine, I spotted Isle of Man, I hadn't spotted that it was in the past tense...

[BikeBandit]

Thanks Geoff/Bob, really appreciate you're input.
You are not the first to raise the question about a recumbent. Never really had the opportunity to have a good look at them or get my head around them. have really parked that thought without in honesty ever really giving it much time.
Initial thoughts are they are so low, When I've passed them on the road, I always spare a thought for the rider as they get a lot of traffic [inappropriate word removed] off the road. But I do hold the motto of don't knock it if you ain't tried it.
Seen that Clip before Bob, what a guy, if any of us ever need a lesson in getting up and having a go. The guy is awesome.
Geoff is in the Cotswolds where are you Bob? I am in Lincoln. no bloody hills round here
cheers guys

[[XAP]Bob]

I'm based in Rugby - but we'll have someone here who is closer than that...

Don't worry about being low - you get *so* much more room, and you can see a lot better as well

[UpWrong]

Thanks Geoff/Bob, really appreciate you're input.
You are not the first to raise the question about a recumbent. Never really had the opportunity to have a good look at them or get my head around them. have really parked that thought without in honesty ever really giving it much time.
Initial thoughts are they are so low, When I've passed them on the road, I always spare a thought for the rider as they get a lot of traffic <i>[inappropriate word removed]</i> off the road. But I do hold the motto of don't knock it if you ain't tried it.
Seen that Clip before Bob, what a guy, if any of us ever need a lesson in getting up and having a go. The guy is awesome.
Geoff is in the Cotswolds where are you Bob? I am in Lincoln. no bloody hills round here
cheers guys

Only you know your capabilities. Dual pull brake levers and electronic gear shifting might make things easier.

Recumbent trikes are grteat fun and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Obviously the majority who ride them think there's no such thing as being too low. Suggest you give D-Tek a call in Cambs if you want to try a few out.

[Tigerbiten]

I'm a left arm amputee and looked into getting a bike but .........

To be road legal/safe you need two independent brakes.
Front wheels easy, just a normal brake.
back wheel is more tricky. It can either be a fixed wheel or a coaster/back pedal brake, neither of which give much option for gearing. Or you need to work out how you can have two brake levers on one handlebar.

So I ended up with a recumbent tadpole trike.
Both front brakes are worked off one brake lever, can be either cable or hydraulic.
And the back brake, which works as a drag/parking brake is worked off a friction gear lever.
The reason I got an ICE Sprint is the lower you are the faster you can go around a corner before you tip up.

So as long as you can let go with with your good hand and still control the trike with your bad hand then your good to go.
I'm just back off a 5 month/5,000 tour around the edge of the UK.