Any one armed cyclists out there?

Finnrocco

An accident leaves me with an unusable left arm. I usually keep it in a sling and am interested in talking to anyone in similar position. I want to get back riding and need some pointers - my main one being how do you stop with my one arm - I.e. How do you prevent yourself from crashing down on the crossbar?

If possible I would like to get a training group together, so any help and info appreciated.

braddun

is it broken,i would not in case you do more damage

MadHatter

Hi Finnrocco - sounds like a permanent condition rather a temporary issue? If so you might try contacting Clontarf Cycling Club http://www.clontarfcycling.com/about-us/ to see if you can get in touch with Cathal Miller. Or maybe try posting on their forum.

Cathal is a one-armed cyclist who has represented Ireland in Paralympics. He rides a modified road bike with both shifters attached to one side of handlebars. He seems to manage club rides and racing without issues. He's also a sound bloke so if you can get in touch I'm sure he'd have some tips for you.

Edit - Just remembered Cathal uses a prosthetic arm with hook so that'd help with balance, so not exactly same as your issue - but still, a good place to start.

Finnrocco

My arm is paralyzed following a high speed racing crash. There is a small chance I might get some movement in it, maybe in 12+ months time. So for the moment I will have it strapped up, so effectively im riding one handed. I know Cathal but as mentioned his situation is a bit different from mine, in that he can grip both sides of bars.

There are a few ways of rigging up brakes and gears but my queries are really about managing the bike, signalling, stopping etc.

An option is to use a single speed folder with pedal back brake. This would be fine for short commutes but I eventually would like to get back to doing some miles.

Beasty

Cathal is definitely someone to try and contact. He races with the IVCA as well as being a paralympian. You may also wish to get in touch with Cycling Ireland to see if there is any more of the paralympians or even perhaps some of their coaching staff that may be able to give you a "steer" (they could give you pointers on relevant bike adaptations for example).

fat bloke

Fair play man. Best of luck with it. I wonder would you be better with a recumbent bike? Or at least a more relaxed hybrid style sit-up riding position. I'd say it's very hard to ride one handed in a racing position. I do a lot of turbo training and taking one hand off the bars to work the laptop for even a minute or so is really hard on the other arm!

eeeee

Sorry to hear of your misfortune Finnrocco. I just came across this after watching Matt Stephens on a GCN video tailing about his worst injury, which was when he crashed into a group of riders at high speed and was left with his arm paralyzed for 6 months, no movement at all in it but it came back after that. Maybe it might be worth getting onto him? HE said his deltoid muscle wasted away and never came back but other than that he went on to cycle well. Here's the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xrNi9zkxE&spfreload=10

He is pretty approachable on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealStephens. Might be worth dropping him a line and asking him how he managed it, or got the movement back. I know it's probably a different thing to what happened to you but thought I'd mention it anyway.

Good luck with your healing, hopefully you'll get more back than you expect.

Wishbone Ash

I used to see a one armed cyclist regularly around Dublin city centre (but haven't seen him for a few years now). He was pretty handy on the bike.

lizzylad84

a club mate of mine has a similar situation, he used to have both levers mounted on the same side, one inverted below the other, but recently got a break leaver adapted to use one lever to control both calipers. hes competed in several summer league races and done the wicklow 200 and climbed ventoux and alp d huez....hes an absoloute hero

CatFromHue

This is a really interesting engineering project I have to say, have you contacted any uni's or IT's near you?

For balance I'm thinking have you weighted the the free side of the handlebar to see if that improves stability?

Darkglasses

Sorry to hear about your predicament Finnrocco. I have no knowledge to offer, but just wanted to wish you all the best and would love the hear about how you're doing

Hachiko

tbh, i think its crazy for somone with 1 usable arm to even attempt cycling, even for able bodied cyclists the roads are lethal now let alone with 1 arm.

I admire the optimism though.

smacl

Finnrocco wrote: »

There are a few ways of rigging up brakes and gears but my queries are really about managing the bike, signalling, stopping etc.

Fair play for going for it, probably the only way of finding out what works is to try all the different options. Regarding signalling, there seems to be lots of options regarding bar end indicators for road bikes. Similarly for gearing, if you have the funds to go electronic, I'd imagine the switches can be pretty much anywhere you'd want them.

Alek

tbh, i think its crazy for somone with 1 usable arm to even attempt cycling

I think you should have kept this one with yourself.

OP, sorry to hear about your misfortune. There is some technical information on the internet on setting up the bike for 1 handed operation, i.e.

http://www.mtb-amputee.com/bikemodifications.htm#Mountain_Bike_Modifications_for_Arm_Amputees.
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/downhiller-tom-wheeler-on-adapting-to-life-with-one-hand-33596/

I guess learning to control the bike and gaining confidence is much more challenging than technicalities.

Good luck!

nak

Hachiko wrote: »

tbh, i think its crazy for somone with 1 usable arm to even attempt cycling, even for able bodied cyclists the roads are lethal now let alone with 1 arm.

I admire the optimism though.

Think you should read about Christian Haettich - he's a double amputee and has completed each Haute Route. He is an inspiration to all.

NiallBoo

I saw this video a while ago, it's about bike fitting but the cyclist used to demonstrate has a congenital arm deformity and uses a special attachment on her bike to cycle. It's obviously not the same as what you're looking for but it shows that there are options out there.

err...I can't post videos but if you pop "Bike Fit: It's All About the Bike" into youtube it should be the first thing to come up.

It's also generally a really interesting video, if you've got an hour to spare to watch the whole thing.

QueensGael

Here you go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxNznrlRXGU

daragh_

@Finnrocco. Not much to add but my admiration for your determination. I've no doubt you'll be back out on the road soon.

RobFowl

Will make a few calls

cdaly_

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I used to see a one armed cyclist regularly around Dublin city centre (but haven't seen him for a few years now). He was pretty handy on the bike.

I saw him recently riding a hybrid out the Clontarf cycle path. I had a look at the bike but didn't get up the courage to ask him about his setup. He appears to have both brakes and front and rear gears operational. The brakes seem to run off a single lever but I'm not sure what setup he uses for gears. I suspect a pair of rapid-fire gear levers, one in the normal position, the other further in should work.

OldBean

For the brake, perhaps something like this would would work - http://problemsolversbike.com/products/cable_doubler ( http://problemsolversbike.com/files/tech/6516_pro_cable1-2_inst.pdf )

For gears, looking at the Alfine hubs might be an option? Won't have to worry about shifting on the front, easily maintained and a good range of gears.

Trojan

I know a one armed cyclist who uses a regular length but straight prosthetic arm which attaches (semi-fixed with a C-shaped clip) to the bars for grip & balance. He's missing the entire arm, so wearing the prosthetic is familiar and logisitically easier for him, because there's no arm there to get in the way unlike in your case. For brakes he has two brake-shifter units on the one side perpendicular to each other.

I don't know if it's doable for you, but having the two points of grip may outweigh the awkwardness of getting some kind of prosthetic, it's worth considering.

(Edit: PM me for his name, rather not mention it publicly).

LCD

Cycling Ireland hosted a Paracycling Day on Saturday last. I was riding a tandem with a guy from Sligo with 10% vision. Number of guys there missing limbs. We had a good 80km spin & coffee afterwards. I would suggest contacting Cycling Ireland. I know there is a TT league throughout the summer.

galwaycyclist

A name who comes to mind is Eoin Clifford in NUI, Galway who is a cycling paralympian and an engineering lecturer with an interest in bicycle design.

He might be able to give you pointers.

novarapid

there is a guy on the tritalk.co.uk forum that i saw uses Di2 set up with a switch to allow him to change the rear gears.
here is the link to the post,
http://tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13917&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=6450

Alek

Shimano XTR Di2 can be easily configured for 1 handed operation:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/shimano-xtr-di2-electronic-shifting-comes-to-mountain-bikes-41184/

Thanks to Syncro Shift functionality, XTR Di2 can be set up to run with either one or two shifters at the handlebar, even with a triple crank.

eeeee

I'd advise getting a back band for the sling. I have cycled one armed a lot lately due to a broken collarbone and elbow and found having the arm just in a sling hanging down really unbalancing when in position on a bike. It kind of flops forward. Even just getting a long strap with some velcro on it might help stabilize it when you are on the bike, so you don't have the arm balancing against you. I also signaled with sticking out the elbow and knee of the dodgy side. I'm not sure how clear it was, not as clear as sticking the arm out but there could be no doubt my body was pointing left when it was in action.

Actually, if you can bear it, I found just a back band set above the elbow, wrapped around my wrist and then around the body was great instead of sweating it out in the whole sling. It stabilized the arm. It wasn't as supportive as having a round the neck sling, but I was leaning forward all the time on the bike so it worked out. Maybe a collar and cuff with back band strapped around the outside?

Traumadoc

I am presuming this is a brachial plexus injury ?

There is some stuff on the net:

http://tbpiukgroup.homestead.com/willbike.html

Did you injure yourself on a bicycle?

10 Carrolls

OP, have a look at GP Cycles facebook page. It's a new shop opened in Ballon in Carlow. Peter Thatcher is the owners name and he has a post on his page about a bike build for a one armed cyclist in the UK. Peter did a job for me about a month ago on my own bike. Couldn't recommend him enough, really helpful and great service so I'll be back again.

dogsears

nak wrote: »

Think you should read about Christian Haettich - he's a double amputee and has completed each Haute Route. He is an inspiration to all.

As it happens, the BBC have an article up about him today: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30295759

el tel

I have a friend who has a paralysed arm (Brachial plexus )after a motorcycle accident about 18 years ago. I wouldn't classify him a cyclist by any means but he does ride around cycle paths on an MTB, one handed with the other arm in a sling and with no specific adaptations other than keeping the saddle low so that he doen't wreck his balls when he stops.

We call him McaGyver as he's so resourceful. Put it this way, amongst other amazing feats, he actually managed to remove a complete car exhaust system, weld it, and refit it on his own.

It goes to show with determination you can do anything!

Finnrocco

Thanks to all the respondents. I did indeed injure myself in a race, had a severe crash in a vets race, was doing approx 75 k at time. Did a lot of damage but all fixed except for brachial plexus.

I just need to talk to a few guys, going to see Cathal Millar soon, also there's s one armed guy comes down Gardiner Street in Dublin each morning who I have to try and intercept.

Will post any progress here.

disco1

Hi.

No advice either just that life is short so go for it. Fair play I'd do the same. Don't listen to peoples negatitive comments.

Keep us posted on how you get on.

silvo

Take a look at this MTBer and his incredible balance with one arm, and how he sets up his bike:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqsSEqhy9Mo