One-Armed Cyclist

[Diablo Scott]

I used to see a one-armed guy riding in my town quite a bit. He looked
quite experienced judging from his speed and handling skills. He think
he had regular road bars but I doubt he ever had his hand too far away
from the stem and I don't think he got out of the saddle very often
either. He had some kind of shifter mechanism and a single brake lever
that was all operable from the bar tops.

I don't know if he was ever a two-armed rider but I always admired his
devotion to cycling - his missing arm would have been much less of a
handicap in any number of other sports. I also tried to imagine how
he'd have to do things like emergency braking, fast corners, even
blowing snot rockets. I haven't seen him in years, I hope he didn't quit.

--
My bike blog:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/

 

[bfd]

I remember that guy, a few years ago I recall seeing a one-arm cyclist
riding the Grizzly Peak Century. He was on a Merlin ti road bike, but
had a straight mt type bar with what looked like a mt bike bar-end on
one side. The bike had 2 brake levers and either an STI or Ergo lever.
The guy was in great shape and flew by us like we were standing still
on his way up McEwen Road. Very inspirational! But, that was a few
years ago. I too hope he's still riding!

 

[bfd]

I remember that guy, a few years ago I recall seeing a one-arm cyclist
riding the Grizzly Peak Century. He was on a Merlin ti road bike, but
had a straight mt type bar with what looked like a mt bike bar-end on
one side. The bike had 2 brake levers and either an STI or Ergo lever.
The guy was in great shape and flew by us like we were standing still
on his way up McEwen Road. Very inspirational! But, that was a few
years ago. I too hope he's still riding!

 

[Olebiker]

Got a one-armed fellow here in Tallahassee who commutes by bike. I
have never been in a situation where I could meet him and talk to him,
though. I need to remedy that.

**** Durbin

 

[Chris Neary]

Scott,

This world record holding amputee cyclist also lives in your area:
http://www.doryselinger.com/

I've seen him doing hill repeats on Diablo on at least one occasion.



Chris Neary
[email protected]

"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

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Diablo Scott wrote:

> I used to see a one-armed guy riding in my town quite a bit. He
> looked quite experienced judging from his speed and handling skills.
> He think he had regular road bars but I doubt he ever had his hand
> too far away from the stem and I don't think he got out of the saddle
> very often either. He had some kind of shifter mechanism and a
> single brake lever that was all operable from the bar tops.
>
> I don't know if he was ever a two-armed rider but I always admired his
> devotion to cycling - his missing arm would have been much less of a
> handicap in any number of other sports. I also tried to imagine how
> he'd have to do things like emergency braking, fast corners, even
> blowing snot rockets. I haven't seen him in years, I hope he didn't
> quit.

When I was a kid there was a one-armed guy who rode his bike everywhere. He was
a surfer, too, and often rode with a surfboard under his one arm. He had no
trouble starting, stopping, and otherwise maneuvering no-hands. Of course this
was on a beach cruiser bike with a coaster brake.

Matt O.

 

[Fritz M]

There's a guy in my town missing his right hand and lower arm. He's
about 80 years old and rides all around town on an old Raleigh single
speed. There's a photo of him at:

http://www.masoner.net/bike/routeLongmontEstates1.htm

RFM

 

[Chalo]

Diablo Scott wrote:
>
> I used to see a one-armed guy riding in my town quite a bit. He
looked
> quite experienced judging from his speed and handling skills. He
think
> he had regular road bars but I doubt he ever had his hand too far
away
> from the stem and I don't think he got out of the saddle very often
> either. He had some kind of shifter mechanism and a single brake
lever
> that was all operable from the bar tops.

I used to have a neighbor in Austin, a man in his 60s whose right arm
had been completely paralyzed since his youth. He rode a bicycle to
work at the university every day.

At 6'10" or so, he was noticeably taller even than I am. He had a
custom-made Hujsak road bike frame, something like 72cm in size, that
had a very short top tube so he could ride sitting straight up. He
used tall handlebars like those from a Stingray, to which were attached
a thumbshifter, a twist-grip shifter, and a twin-cable MTB brake lever,
all on the left side. He would prop his paralyzed arm on the right
handgrip, and it was not obvious when he was riding that he had a
disability.

Chalo Colina