New to cycling
View Full Version : New to cycling
Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing or
less about cycling, so I have found some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very interesting.
In particular the articles on clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the bike as a means
of keeping fit and recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive, 'cos thats the way I
am. I live in hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that I need to be seen by
car/lorry drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good people can give me
please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful? What clothing should I consider? What would
be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get? Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a
handbike which is (to me) very expensive? Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more
visible to other road users - good idea or not? And finally, where do I get it all from? Thanks in
advance Steve
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:3f6597b2$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
Snip!
> Are those silly looking helmets really useful?
Dont start another helmet thread!! That will get more opinions than you need! The general consensus
is its entirely your choice, whatever you feel comfortable and safest doing. Me, i wouldnt leave
home without it!
> What clothing should I consider?
Gloves, warm things and of course... a buff!
> What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
I got a nice set of cateyes quite cheap (halogen front and bright red LED rear) - again, you pays
your money....
> Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a handbike which is (to
me)
> very expensive?
Well i work in insurance so you can guess my answer there!
> Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users - good
> idea or not?
Provided you wear bright clothing and ride assertively you should be ok - however unfortunately how
ever much you try to be seen, there is always someone who wont see you!
> And finally, where do I get it all from?
ACK! Ebay alert! or www.wiggle.co.uk is a good start, have a fish around and you will find stuff!
Good luck by the way, ive been riding (commuting to and from work) for about a month or so now and
am really enjoying it!
Lee
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:56 +0100, Shorty wrote:
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
> played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
> lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........
Have a look at: http://www.lcc.org.uk/guidance/all_abilities_guide.asp I thought there was a mailing
list - but can't find it on the site.
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:56 +0100, Shorty wrote:
> Hi All,
> Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a handbike which is (to me) very expensive?
I guess the best bet is to contact disabled sports associations. Can't help you there.
However, I was told that one of the bikes at the LCC All Abilities launch was available on
Motability...
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> writes:
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
> played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
> lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing or
> less about cycling, so I have found some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very interesting.
> In particular the articles on clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the bike as a
> means of keeping fit and recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive, 'cos thats
> the way I am. I live in hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that I need to be
> seen by car/lorry drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good people can
> give me please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful?
Not very. They may provide some protection in low speed impacts, providing they are properly
attached, but the statistics seem to show a _positive_ correlation between helmets and injuries
(i.e. if you wear a helmet you're _more_ likely to have an injury).
> What clothing should I consider?
I think this is probably different for you than most other cyclists. Your legs won't be doing much
work and will be vulnerable to chill, so the lycra tights which I wear in winter are probably not
for you. Equally, I wear two or (more usually) three layers on my chest and arms in winter and you
may want less. So probably you need to talk to other disabled athletes, rather than to other
cyclists, about this.
> What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
In the longer term, dynamo lighting is cheapest and most reliable. Battery lights look cheaper
initially but the cost of batteries swiftly mounts up unless you use rechargables, in which case you
have to factor in the cost of the recharger and at least two sets of rechargable batteries.
Furthermore, battery lights always seem to give out just when you need them most, and remembering to
change the batteries is a hassle. Having said this, LED type lights have a much lower appetite for
batteries than filament bulbs, and flashing LED rear lights seem to run for a very long time on a
set of batteries.
> Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users - good
> idea or not?
Being visible is a good idea. Things which make you more visible are a good idea. But things which
might cause injury if you fall off are a bad idea, so give thought to where and how it's mounted.
Furthermore, I suspect a hand-propelled bike is unusual enough to have high intrinsic visibility -
people will glance at it, think WTF, and have a good look.
--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Anagram: I'm soon broke.
In article <3f6597b2$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com>, shortland@dsl.pipex.com says...
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
> played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
> lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........
One thing you might want to take a look at is the current issue of Velo Vision. This has a buyer's
guide on various cycles for special needs including hand cycles. The feature isn't on line but you
can get hold of the magazine from:
http://www.velovision.co.uk/
Colin
"Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:878yoqw93o.fsf@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
(on handcycling)
> > What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
>
> In the longer term, dynamo lighting is cheapest and most reliable.
Would being hand powered change things a bit in favour of a battery system?
Can you get hand cranked bicycles, or are they all trikes? (If the latter and recumbent, this
removes another reason for wearing helmets, as you're far less likely to fall off a recumbent trike)
cheers, clive
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:3f6597b2$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am
fairly
> fit (having played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done
> since I was a lad. I intend to get back on a
bike!!!
> I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing or less about cycling, so I have found
> some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very interesting. In particular the articles on
> clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the bike as a means of keeping fit and
> recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive, 'cos thats the way I am. I live in
> hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that I need to be seen by car/lorry
> drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good people can give
me
> please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful? What clothing should I consider? What would
> be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get? Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a
> handbike which is (to
me)
> very expensive? Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users -
> good idea or not? And finally, where do I get it all from? Thanks in advance Steve
>
>
There's a 6 page article on 'Special Needs Cycling' in this month's Velovision magazine which should
be able to help you. At the moment, you'll have to buy the mag, but they are promising to put this
particlar articvle on their website www.velovision.co.uk in a couple of weeks time.
Pauline wrote:
> There's a 6 page article on 'Special Needs Cycling' in this month's Velovision magazine which
> should be able to help you. At the moment, you'll have to buy the mag, but they are promising to
> put this particlar articvle on their website www.velovision.co.uk in a couple of weeks time.
But it's a great magazine and worth your money anyway, being about cycle culture and all the sorts
of cycles that don't get much/any coverage in the general cycling rags.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
Thanks to everyone for your very informative input. I should have made it clear that I have already
chosen my handbike and should be getting hold of it fairly soon. I am really looking forward to
making use of it. Thanks again Steve
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:3f6597b2$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am
fairly
> fit (having played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done
> since I was a lad. I intend to get back on a
bike!!!
> I am about to take up Handcycling........
>
(Delurking mode = on)
My friend has a handbike, and the one thing she wishes was that it was one of those you can unclip
from a regular wheelchair because while she is on her handbike she can't get into any pubs, cafes
or toilets. Just something you might want to think about.
>a handbike which is (to me) very expensive?
You're not kidding. She paid £1800 (IIRC) for hers, and that's nothing exceptional in the
handbike world.
Snafu
(Relurking mode = on)
Shorty wrote:
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
> played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
> lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing or
> less about cycling, so I have found some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very interesting.
> In particular the articles on clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the bike as a
> means of keeping fit and recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive, 'cos thats
> the way I am. I live in hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that I need to be
> seen by car/lorry drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good people can
> give me please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful?
That's a very dangerous question to ask ;-) See the FAQ on helmets at http://www.ctc.org.uk (http://www.ctc.org.uk/) - I
endorse every word of it.
> What clothing should I consider?
In a strange way, you're lucky as a hand cyclist - you can wear anything you like on your legs,
unlike the rest of us who have to worry about trousers getting caught in the chain and end up
wearing rather effeminate tights. Basically get clothes that will breathe well. "Trade tops" as worn
by pro cyclists are often very cheap to buy and nearly all work well in summer. Long sleeved ones
are good for autumn and spring, and fleeces are best in winter. I expect you will need gloves -
maybe the Kevlar-reinforced ones that some mountain bikers use. Gloves wear out surprisingly fast
even on normal handlebars, so if they're being used to drive the bike they must have a
dragonfly-like existence.
> What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
Lights are much better these days than 10 years ago. I use a B&M 6 dynamo and a Lumotec oval front
lamp with a legal LED rear lamp. It's adequate for riding on unlit lanes at 20mph. Normal battery
lamps are pretty useless for seeing by, but the halogen rechargeable ones (Lumicycle/Cateye) are the
brightest of all if you don't mind the cost and the hassle of remembering to charge them.
> Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a handbike which is (to me) very expensive?
See thread below. I would buy a very strong lock instead - insurance could cost more than the bike
over 3-4 years, even in rural Somerset.
> Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users - good
> idea or not?
If your bike is a recumbent, yes.
> And finally, where do I get it all from?
Try St John Street Cycles for bits and pieces as they're near you (http://www.sjscycles.com (http://www.sjscycles.com/)) but you
may need to go to a specialist for the bike itself. I don't know of any but I'm sure someone will.
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:56 +0100, Shorty <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
> I know nothing or less about cycling,
Buy the book 'Cyclecraft' by John Franklin, published by HMSO, which I think is actually now branded
TSO. 10 quid. More likely to save your life than a helmet. Certainly more likely to give you useful
information on cycling than the highway code, but you probably ought to revise that too.
regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|
>Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
>played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
>lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!!
Excellent! Go for it! You'll get loads of good information, so I'm just chipping in with my two
penn'orth of encouragement.
All power to your arm muscles!
Cheers, helen s
~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email Mail sent to it is dumped My correct one can be gleaned from
h*$el***$$n*$d$ot$**s**i$$m*$m$**on**$s$@*$$a**$*ol*$*.*$$c$om*$ by getting rid of the
overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~
Zog The Undeniable must be edykated coz e writed:
> Shorty wrote:
>
>> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am fairly fit (having
>> played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done since I was a
>> lad. I intend to get back on a bike!!! I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing
>> or less about cycling, so I have found some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very
>> interesting. In particular the articles on clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the
>> bike as a means of keeping fit and recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive,
>> 'cos thats the way I am. I live in hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that
>> I need to be seen by car/lorry drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good
>> people can give me please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful?
>
> That's a very dangerous question to ask ;-) See the FAQ on helmets at http://www.ctc.org.uk (http://www.ctc.org.uk/) - I
> endorse every word of it.
>
>> What clothing should I consider?
>
> In a strange way, you're lucky as a hand cyclist - you can wear anything you like on your legs,
> unlike the rest of us who have to worry about trousers getting caught in the chain and end up
> wearing rather effeminate tights. Basically get clothes that will breathe well. "Trade tops" as
> worn by pro cyclists are often very cheap to buy and nearly all work well in summer. Long sleeved
> ones are good for autumn and spring, and fleeces are best in winter. I expect you will need gloves
> - maybe the Kevlar-reinforced ones that some mountain bikers use. Gloves wear out surprisingly
> fast even on normal handlebars, so if they're being used to drive the bike they must have a
> dragonfly-like existence.
>
>> What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
>
> Lights are much better these days than 10 years ago. I use a B&M 6 dynamo and a Lumotec oval front
> lamp with a legal LED rear lamp. It's adequate for riding on unlit lanes at 20mph. Normal battery
> lamps are pretty useless for seeing by, but the halogen rechargeable ones (Lumicycle/Cateye) are
> the brightest of all if you don't mind the cost and the hassle of remembering to charge them.
>
>> Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a handbike which is (to me) very expensive?
>
> See thread below. I would buy a very strong lock instead - insurance could cost more than the bike
> over 3-4 years, even in rural Somerset.
>
>> Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users - good idea
>> or not?
>
> If your bike is a recumbent, yes.
>
>> And finally, where do I get it all from?
>
> Try St John Street Cycles for bits and pieces as they're near you (http://www.sjscycles.com (http://www.sjscycles.com/))
> but you may need to go to a specialist for the bike itself. I don't know of any but I'm sure
> someone will.
>
On the subject of gloves, I would recommend sailing gloves with kevlar reinforcement from "Gill".
http://www.douglasgill.com (http://www.douglasgill.com/)
I use the 744 Championship Gloves for competitive sailing and find them very hard wearing and wash
well in the machine.
--
Ian
http://www.catrike.co.uk (http://www.catrike.co.uk/)
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 17:35:13 +0100, Shorty wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for your very informative input. I should have made it clear that I have
> already chosen my handbike and should be getting hold of it fairly soon. I am really looking
> forward to making use of it.
Hey, good for you. We are looking forward to some ride reports from you.
For clothing, keep an eye on local Aldis, Lidls and the Tchibo specials as they are announced on
this group.
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:3f65ea43$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
> Thanks to everyone for your very informative input. I should have made it clear that I have
> already chosen my handbike and should be getting hold of it fairly soon. I am really looking
> forward to making use of it. Thanks again Steve
>
Another handcyclist on the horizon, Hoorah.
Steve, I am also into handcycling and as I am a bilateral above knee amputee it has been a very good
workout. I currently have a Quickie Cyclone which I connect to my Top End terminator day chair (with
a few adaptations.). Some useful web sites that I have found are: http://www.bike-on.com/ A USA site
but V good. http://www.epc-wheelchairs.co.uk/index.htm UK based in Berks.
http://www.handcycling.org.uk (http://www.handcycling.org.uk/) The UK Handcycling Association (n.b. Not working at present and in
need of an update) http://www.hand-cycling.co.uk/ Rather useful but in need of an update.
http://www.londonrecumbents.co.uk/product.php?prodid=76 I want one! http://www.handbike.de/ Can you
speak German?
As a tip, I sometimes go out on my own for rides taking with me all the tools of the trade for the
wheelchair (inner tube, pump allen keys etc) and the tools for the cycle and an additional inner
tube don't forget some water and a chain-lock (people will nick anything). When I go onto a new
route or somewhere I don't know well for steps and steep inclines I ask a mate to join me on his
cycle (for pushes up hills and support for steps up and down), but I started by riding around my
local park to get use to the cycle and to find the best set-up for putting the power onto the wheel.
I found that having the crank below the shoulder line is best so you are not pushing up or across.
So what handcycle are you getting for yourself? If you live near the South East would you be
interested in meeting up and going for a ride? Getting going and get some miles under your belt
before it becomes to dark in the evening.
--
OJ
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 12:05:04 GMT, Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote (more or less):
>"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> writes:
...
>> What would be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get?
>
>In the longer term, dynamo lighting is cheapest and most reliable. Battery lights look cheaper
>initially but the cost of batteries swiftly mounts up unless you use rechargables, in which case
>you have to factor in the cost of the recharger and at least two sets of rechargable batteries.
>Furthermore, battery lights always seem to give out just when you need them most, and remembering
>to change the batteries is a hassle. Having said this, LED type lights have a much lower appetite
>for batteries than filament bulbs, and flashing LED rear lights seem to run for a very long time on
>a set of batteries.
4 AA NiMh batteries, and a fast charger to go with them costs between £10 & £20 the lot!
A set of 8 800mAh NiCad AA cells costs £5 the set in poundstretcher.
Argos even were doing a 1 hour charger and 4 x 1700mAh NiMh batteries for £23 a set last summer.
Personally, I recommend LED lamps using standard AA or AAA batteries, and carrying an extra charged
set of batteries in a pocket in case they run out.
NiMh's have higher capacity than NiCads. Plus NiMhs can be recharged at any time. (NiCads need to be
fully discharged before charging or they quickly lose their rechargability)
Which means with NiMhs you can swap the used ones out of your lamps for freshly-charged ones, well
before they run out.
(Although if the cost difference is important, you can put partially discharged NiCads into an old
torch and run them down fully before the next time you charge them)
Cheers, Euan Gawnsoft: http://www.gawnsoft.co.sr (http://www.gawnsoft.co.sr/) Symbian/Epoc wiki: http://html.dnsalias.net:1122 (http://html.dnsalias.net:1122/)
Smalltalk links (harvested from comp.lang.smalltalk) http://html.dnsalias.net/gawnsoft/smalltalk
Once more, just to say a big 'THANKS' to everyone who replied to my posting. I have had a lot of
extremely useful advise from you all. Just to let you know that I should be getting my handbike
sometime in the next 3-4 weeks, and if you don't mind, I will keep you posted as to how I get on
with it. Many thanks Steve
"Shorty" <shortland@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:3f6597b2$0$245$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
> Hi All, I have been in a wheelchair for the past 15 years, am now aged 54, am
fairly
> fit (having played wheelchair sports for some years) and am about to do something I havent done
> since I was a lad. I intend to get back on a
bike!!!
> I am about to take up Handcycling........ I know nothing or less about cycling, so I have found
> some of the postings on this newsgroup to be very interesting. In particular the articles on
> clothing, lighting and insurance. I will be using the bike as a means of keeping fit and
> recreation, but I know that I will end up being competitive, 'cos thats the way I am. I live in
> hilly Somerset with some pretty narrow roads so am aware that I need to be seen by car/lorry
> drivers. I would like any and all (sensible) advice that you good people can give
me
> please. Are those silly looking helmets really useful? What clothing should I consider? What would
> be the best, reasonably priced lighting to get? Would insurance be a good idea, particularly on a
> handbike which is (to
me)
> very expensive? Ive seen bikes with flags on them to make them more visible to other road users -
> good idea or not? And finally, where do I get it all from? Thanks in advance Steve
In article <3f686e99$0$265$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com>, shortland@dsl.pipex.com says...
> Once more, just to say a big 'THANKS' to everyone who replied to my posting. I have had a lot of
> extremely useful advise from you all. Just to let you know that I should be getting my handbike
> sometime in the next 3-4 weeks, and if you don't mind, I will keep you posted as to how I get on
> with it.
Absolutely, and let us know when you get to the top of whatever (personal) mountain you're
looking at.
Colin
Automatic Translations (Powered by
):
vBulletin, Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by
vBSEO 3.3.0
