AmgineThis is an idle curiousity inquiry, because I am semi-obsessed with tadpole tris.
Is there a reason I never see handcycles in the 2-1 rather than 1-2 arrangement?
Jocelyn@amgine I love this question!! I have it too! Put simply I think that tadpole hand cycles require a bit more engineering, and thus are more expensive. The drive & steering are up front and control both wheels instead of just one. Delta handcycles are just a diamond bike frame turned upside down and backwards. Cheaper to make. Tadpoles are Harder to lift and transport in a vehicle when you are a wheelchair user, but have some huge benefits over Deltas. 1/ #adaptivecycling #handcycling #handcycles
@amgine 2/ tadpole #handcycles have leg rests separate from the steering system, so the steering is a lot tighter because it isn’t obstructed by the leg rests on either side of the drive wheel. I think the renaissance of #recumbent bikes has brought tadpoles back into #handcycling. The bowhead RX, which is probably one of the most popular rn is a tadpole e-assist handcycle. Theres hp velotechnik’s new “hands-on-cycle” version of their skorpion and the Greenspeed hand magnum. #adaptivecycling
Yes, it was the Skorpion which inspired the question. I love the bike, have since it came out, and despite saving toward it, the price keeps climbing out of reach. This morning's Konfigurator price tag for the electric drive pedal edition broke €10k.
@amgine ugh so hard. I don’t doubt that it costs that much to build these bikes these days but it’s such an impossibly huge barrier. I was just emailing with Wiz wheels, maker of the greenspeed magnum telling them what the demand is for tadpole hand cycles these days, hoping to convince them to produce the hand magnum again as the lowest cost tadpole hand cycle. I’m aware of. The bowhead RX and sport-on jeettrike both crack about 15,000 US.
Ouch! indeed. Are there adaptive cycling charities who help people get bikes? Donating opportunities?
@amgine some, I run an adaptive cycling program in Vancouver oddly enough, which is partly why I’m so interested in all of this. Www.sci-bc.ca/cycling. We had a hand cycle try it day in Nanaimo back in Junuary that was nearly rained out! On the island, the closest place you can rent is radsociety.ca, which maintains fleet of hand cycles and other adoptive recreation equipment down in Langford. Theres a list of potential funders at the end of this guide I wrote: www.sci-bc.ca/buyadaptivebikes
@amgine my organization has two #handcycles available to give away right now, but they are both deltas with Lean To Steer, very niche handcycles best for people with trunk control. #adaptivecycling
I am actually thinking of donating my trike fund. There are people with greater needs than me.
@amgine in terms of funders for this kind of thing, BC rehab foundation does have a quality of life grant that some people have used to fund a hand cycle. The challenged athletes foundation in the US will fund people with disabilities of a wide variety looking to get into sport, cycling included. Another organization called high fives funds veterans and people w spinal cord injuries sustained doing outdoor recreation, activities like skiing or cycling to get back into their sport.
@amgine need is very relative and just because there are people at greater need doesn’t mean that you don’t also need it! My organization could probably help you gift that to a participant who is in financial need and looking to purchase a bike, but it’s not the most straightforward option. It’s something I have wanted to do since well before we started our cycling program because ultimately the greatest autonomy is not being dependent on programs like hours to be able to ride.
@amgine 3/ cost and availability are two huge barriers to #handcycling for most people. tadpole style #handcycles are just harder to find and until indie builders went online, most people got into handcycling through a wheelchair dealer who only sold hand cycles made by wheelchair companies, which are definitely not the best! These bikes are way more expensive than the average or comment or two wheel bike so often cost is the major deciding factor, and the Deltas are cheaper to make.