Cycling for amputee

10 Aug 2003 16:08:33 GMT,

Quoted post said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had a BKA (below the knee
amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once he learned how to use his prosthesis. I told
him there was no reason I knew of why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike
and/or his riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Any suggestions?

Steve Balyi, the fellow in this photo, bikecartage.combikecartage.comOpen ↗ is wearing a prosthesis.

He says that he learned to cycle before he learned to walk again. Meaning, he could ride normally
before he could walk without limping. He wears regular cycling shoes and cleats.
--
zk

[email hidden] (JerZ Fox) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had a BKA (below the knee
amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once he learned how to use his prosthesis. I told
him there was no reason I knew of why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike
and/or his riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

On my first STP, at a stop at about 110 miles into the ride I saw someone walk up to his bike, take
off his leg, strap it on his bike, and get on. I can only assume he completed the 200 mile ride.
It's hard enough to ride 200 miles with two legs, and here was a guy doing it with one. He also
appeared to be someone with a BKA.

Warm Regards,

Claire too hot and tired for a sig right now

Check out www.doryselinger.com

IIRC, Dory is using a special prosthesis specially designed for cycling. Email him, I expect he
could provide the specifics.

Good luck,

Chris Neary [email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the
elements I loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

"JerZ Fox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had

a

Quoted message said:

BKA (below the knee amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once

he

Quoted message said:

learned how to use his prosthesis. I told him there was no reason I knew

of

Quoted message said:

why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike and/or

his

Quoted message said:

riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Any suggestions?

Maybe he hasn't seen bikes and trikes like these: greenspeed.com.auspecial.htmOpen ↗
handcycle.comphoto.htmOpen ↗ mobilityeng.commobilityeng.comOpen ↗ farm.netspv.htmlOpen ↗

ihpva.orgindex.htmlOpen ↗ [scroll down to Mobility]

Pete

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jerz Fox
I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had a BKA (below the knee
amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once he learned how to use his prosthesis. I told
him there was no reason I knew of why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike
and/or his riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Any suggestions?

I got passed by a guy in a mt bike race with only one leg and he didn't use a prosthesis. He even made it through the hike-a-bike section and he finished the race with a much better time than a lot of people.

There's a one leg rider in the Seattle area, (uses the Burke Gilman Trail). His leg was taken off
just below the knee. Without the use of a foot... toe-clips may be the method of choice for
strapping in the artificial foot.

Granny gears would be important... for hills. Other than that, and toe clips, there shouldn't be any
major modifications needed.

hth

"JerZ Fox" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had

a

Quoted message said:

BKA (below the knee amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once

he

Quoted message said:

learned how to use his prosthesis. I told him there was no reason I knew

of

Quoted message said:

why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike and/or

his

Quoted message said:

riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Any suggestions?

(Claire Petersky) said:

On my first STP, at a stop at about 110 miles into the ride I saw someone walk up to his bike, take
off his leg, strap it on his bike, and get on. I can only assume he completed the 200 mile ride.
It's hard enough to ride 200 miles with two legs, and here was a guy doing it with one. He also
appeared to be someone with a BKA.

I once did a duathlon in Florida in which a guy with HALF OF ONE LEG participated. He killed us all
in the first run (in his wheelchair). It took a couple helpers quite a while to strap on prosthesis
devices on both sides, but when I passed him (it was a three-lap bike course), he was holding about
20mph (32km/h). Very impressive, IMHO.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of the $695 ti frame

=v= Say, I met another guy up there in Vancouver (Don?) who bikes with a prosthetic leg. Last August
he biked down to Portland, Oregon for BikeSummer. <_Jym_

11 Aug 2003 15:40:52 -0700 said:

=v= Say, I met another guy up there in Vancouver (Don?) who bikes with a prosthetic leg. Last
August he biked down to Portland, Oregon for BikeSummer. <_Jym_>

Donald's got both his legs but they aren't the same length due to a childhood accident that
also left his calves about the same size as his forearms. His boots are custom made $1500
orthopedic specials.

Not only did he bike down to Portland, he rode a sixty pound frankenbike towing a steel trailer with
a steel steamer trunk sitting on 2" lumber deck, beer cooler, battery and boom box.
--
zk

[email hidden] (JerZ Fox) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had a BKA (below the knee
amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once he learned how to use his prosthesis.
---------

----------------------------------------------

I once saw a guy riding a bike who had lost a complete arm and a leg, on opposite sides. He was
going like a bat outa hell and didn't look like he was about to accept handicapped status. So,
it can be done and with far greater loss of limb than the patient you described. I never saw
this rider again, but the mystery of how he mounted the bike and got moving remains. Does
anyone have a theory of how he might have done this?

Steve McDonald

(Claire Petersky) said:

[email hidden] (JerZ Fox) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had a BKA (below the knee
amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once he learned how to use his prosthesis. I
told him there was no reason I knew of why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to
the bike and/or his riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Quoted message said:

On my first STP, at a stop at about 110 miles into the ride I saw someone walk up to his bike, take
off his leg, strap it on his bike, and get on. I can only assume he completed the 200 mile ride.
It's hard enough to ride 200 miles with two legs, and here was a guy doing it with one. He also
appeared to be someone with a BKA.

A few years ago I was passed going up a steep hill by a bloke stonking along and cycling with one
leg, the other plastic one strapped to the cross bar. I don't think I could have managed to match
his constant speed even with a brief sprint. Mind you, it was a BIG leg :-)

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 650 3085 DoD #205 School of Informatics, Edinburgh
University, 5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK. [dai.ed.ac.ukcamOpen ↗ ]

"Steve McDonald" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (JerZ Fox) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently

had a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BKA (below the knee amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike

once he

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

learned how to use his prosthesis. ---------

Dexter Benjamin is a well known AKA (above the knee amputation) bicycle messenger in NYC.
messengers.orgdexter.htmlOpen ↗

Regards, Larry

He was also featured in the documentary _Pedal_ a few years back. Nothing special about his bike,
other than having only one pedal necessary.

"Don DeMair" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

There is a one-legged bicycle courier named Dexter Benjamin who works in New York city. He was
spotlighted in a story in Bicycling magazine a while ago. His story is inspirational and if you
do a search, I think you'll find information on the kind of bike he rides (I believe it's a
fixed gear).

I did Bike New York a few years ago and I saw an amputee on a bike. It may have been Dexter, but I
don't really know.

Ride on, there's no reason not to, Don

"JerZ Fox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm a nurse in a subacute-rehab facility. One of my patients recently had

a

Quoted message said:

BKA (below the knee amputation) and he asked if he could ride a bike once

he

Quoted message said:

learned how to use his prosthesis. I told him there was no reason I knew

of

Quoted message said:

why he couldn't but he might need some modifications to the bike and/or

his

Quoted message said:

riding style. He doesn't want an adult trike.

Any suggestions?

Diana B., LPN Diva Nurse

The JerZ Fox

Money doesn't buy happiness. Poverty doesn't buy anything.

This article reminds me of a ride this week. I'm on the way back from a twenty mile ride and I see
this low riding tricycle comin' up behind me. It's a double amputee... using his arms to peddle.

<pause>

I'm struggling maintaining 14 mph into a strong head-wind. He passed me with little difficulty.
A lot of his speed had to be due to his duckin' the wind. <sigh> He was about three feet off
the ground).

He was one ...strong ...rider.

fwiw

"Chris Malcolm" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

A few years ago I was passed going up a steep hill by a bloke stonking along and cycling with one
leg, the other plastic one strapped to the cross bar. I don't think I could have managed to match
his constant speed even with a brief sprint. Mind you, it was a BIG leg :-)