Cycling UK Forum

How does one fix a fixed wheel?
Is it possible to pedal with just one leg on a fixed wheel bike with any comfort?
Can I keep one pedal dormant on the lowest point to rest my unuseable foot, whilst I am pedalling with the other. Would there be too much distortion of the spindle/crank to make this practicable?

Thanking you in advance,

Hugh Culverhouse used/uses a bike with one crank arm set at the bottom of the stroke as he has only one good leg. He is a long distance cyclist of some note, but he's been quiet for some time now. I heard somewhere that he lives abroad these days, but can't be sure. I believe he holds a few cycling records as well.
I'm sure there will be info on the net about him and his bike(s).
I take it from your post that your situation has not improved gar, I hope that isn't the case.

A relative had a bike modified in the manner you describe gar, fixed wheel and single pedal, and it seemed satisfactory. It was thought the lack of a crossbar might be preferable, so a ladies bike was modified. The pedal and crank on the disabled leg side had been replaced with a footrest rather than just immobilising the crank and pedal. Unfortunately I cannot recall any more of the technical details.

British Cycling have a disabled section and Hugh Culverhouse has an article on his exploits. He now lives in Germany.
I'm sure that you would get some help with any query about his bike.
The Tandem Club also have a section for disability.
Longstaffs would be the first place I would try, regarding the engineering, as I'm sure they have come across the problem before. Good luck.

Thanks for asking Tj;

no. unchanged, but it may get better even now. I should just like to use my good leg for exercise without putting too much stress on it; cycling has always been my mode of exercise but that leg gets none because I am using my hands all the time!

Greg in Vncouver has said he will do a hand-and-foot cranked BIKE for me for about £2000 but that is a bike which needs a great deal of balance, which I do not currently have without doing myself a lot of damage if I overbalance on to the naff leg.

Short of asking him to build a hand and foot cranked recumbent TRIKE and leaving one of the pedals unused, I thought just one pedal on a regular bike would be safe enough.

The Trike maker in Denver has said he will make me such a machine, but I was not at all sure of the specifications he offered and the price was £3500, which was a bit above my limit at the time.

I was discouraged by my bro who lived in Denver for a while and said they were far too CRANKY........ chains everywhere, but I am going to take my own advice on that in future.

Thanks mike6 that is very helpful!
gar

. The Denver deal is a recumbent- trike- hand- and- foot-crank but Greg's is a bike- hand -and- foot-crank. I have got so used to the glamour of the hand-crank- no- need- to- balance- three-wheeler, that I am cautious of the two wheels now.
It is hard to decide .

Tj,
Thanks for the link. I have not seen british cycling before and the article too just goes to show what I should be able to do.

How he gets up hill s when he has to get off and walk I do not know, although I am quite good with one crutch and a supermarket trolley. P'raps bike uphill is the same.

Thank you again.