Mr Whippy
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posted on 19/9/16 at 11:49 AM |
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Personally (and I love cycling) I think the risks of your being on a road too high and even if you don’t injure yourself initially there is always the
risk you will then be hit by a vehicle or cause one to swerve that could endanger someone else. If such a thing happened to someone else you would not
get any pity or forgiveness from anyone just like that bin lorry driver killing all those folk just because he wanted to keep driving.
Yeah recumbent bikes are different; I think in many good ways too but definitely better than spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair if you
fell of the normal bike and broke your neck.
There’s a time to be stubborn, this just isn’t one of them.
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nick205
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posted on 20/9/16 at 12:50 PM |
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Yes I have considered GPS positioning. I use the Strava app and it now appears to offer this feature. It will put my family's minds at ease
and I will investigate it further.
A recumbent trike isn't horrible, but in my mind it seems a real step down from a decent road bike.
Not road cycling at all is of course an option, but with the life changes I'm already having to make it seems a step too far. I currently use
my road bike on a turbo trainer in the garage, but the garage is about to turn into a bedroom and although the turbo trainer is good for fitness
it's plain boring compared to the open road.
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nick205
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posted on 20/9/16 at 01:41 PM |
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Re-reading the whole post and everyone's replies I would like to point out that your input is much appreciated. No, it may not be what I was
wanting to hear, but a wider view is useful.
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 20/9/16 at 06:25 PM |
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I was looking at the self built recumbent bike approach to get round the drag issue as the wind seems to be the limiting factor for my road bike, even
considered making a tadpole like shell bodywork, actually looks a really interesting project tbh
Add to that a sneaky electric motor and you have an eco high-speed cruiser
[Edited on 20/9/16 by Mr Whippy]
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nick205
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posted on 22/9/16 at 07:59 AM |
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Funnily enough I do have 2x electric motors at home, which I'm sure could be put into service. Battery weight to me seems an issue if trying to
pedal the vehicle though. Good batteries are not cheap either. Also (I'd need to look into it) I think having electric power may make the
"vehicle" powered, which I believe can open up more issues (for me). Finally it strikes me that powered vehicles (used on public
highways) should be subject to tax, MoT and insurance etc, like cars. I suppose really bicycles should be too, but I guess that may prove a deterrent
to getting people onto bicycles in the first place (doesn't seem to be such an issue for car drivers though).
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adithorp
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posted on 22/9/16 at 09:26 AM |
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Have you considered tandems. That way you could probably get out and ride but be less risk to you/others should you have a siezure. Even if it's
just short term untill you've been siezure free for longer and can be more sure riding doesn't cause them.
There's charities likeTHIS who lend them and have a list of pilots. We have a couple of
guys who bring blind riders out on our Sunday runs where the tandem is provided via a charity. I'll ask them for more details next time I see
them but that might be a blind charity (the one I linked to isn't blind specific).
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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nick205
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posted on 22/9/16 at 10:30 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by adithorp
Have you considered tandems. That way you could probably get out and ride but be less risk to you/others should you have a siezure. Even if it's
just short term untill you've been siezure free for longer and can be more sure riding doesn't cause them.
There's charities likeTHIS who lend them and have a list of pilots. We have a couple of
guys who bring blind riders out on our Sunday runs where the tandem is provided via a charity. I'll ask them for more details next time I see
them but that might be a blind charity (the one I linked to isn't blind specific).
Thank you.
I rode a tandem once with a long time friend (able cyclist) and have to be honest and say it was not a great experience - however it could be a
solution. To purchase they're not cheap and I don't really have the space to store one either. Again these issues can probably be
overcome if need be and it might tempt SWMBO out on a bike as well
Whilst SWMBO has a bike she's not overly keen to join me cycling. She's had a go on my turbo trainer, but moaned about the lack of
scenary. "Cycle outside then!" was my response.
[Edited on 22/9/16 by nick205]
[Edited on 22/9/16 by nick205]
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gremlin1234
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posted on 22/9/16 at 11:11 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by nick205
Funnily enough I do have 2x electric motors at home, which I'm sure could be put into service. Battery weight to me seems an issue if trying to
pedal the vehicle though. Good batteries are not cheap either. Also (I'd need to look into it) I think having electric power may make the
"vehicle" powered, which I believe can open up more issues (for me). Finally it strikes me that powered vehicles (used on public
highways) should be subject to tax, MoT and insurance etc, like cars. I suppose really bicycles should be too, but I guess that may prove a deterrent
to getting people onto bicycles in the first place (doesn't seem to be such an issue for car drivers though).
you dont need a licence up to 250W power assistance 'e-bikes' or 'EAPC'
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/electric-bikes-uk-law-234973
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nick205
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posted on 26/9/16 at 09:33 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote: Originally posted by nick205
Funnily enough I do have 2x electric motors at home, which I'm sure could be put into service. Battery weight to me seems an issue if trying to
pedal the vehicle though. Good batteries are not cheap either. Also (I'd need to look into it) I think having electric power may make the
"vehicle" powered, which I believe can open up more issues (for me). Finally it strikes me that powered vehicles (used on public
highways) should be subject to tax, MoT and insurance etc, like cars. I suppose really bicycles should be too, but I guess that may prove a deterrent
to getting people onto bicycles in the first place (doesn't seem to be such an issue for car drivers though).
you dont need a licence up to 250W power assistance 'e-bikes' or 'EAPC'
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/electric-bikes-uk-law-234973
Useful to know and something I wasn't aware of. Probably accounts for why the old gent round our way in an electric wheelchair insists on
driving it on the road.
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gremlin1234
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posted on 26/9/16 at 05:08 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by nick205
Yes I have considered GPS positioning. I use the Strava app and it now appears to offer this feature. It will put my family's minds at ease
and I will investigate it further.
I know from other posts your using a samsung phone. probably worth having the samsung
'findmymobile' enabled too
which should find a phone (location) even if strava weren't running. it can also be used to make the phone ring at max volume even if on
silent!
(yes its password protected etc)
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nick205
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posted on 30/9/16 at 08:19 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by nick205
quote: Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote: Originally posted by nick205
Funnily enough I do have 2x electric motors at home, which I'm sure could be put into service. Battery weight to me seems an issue if trying to
pedal the vehicle though. Good batteries are not cheap either. Also (I'd need to look into it) I think having electric power may make the
"vehicle" powered, which I believe can open up more issues (for me). Finally it strikes me that powered vehicles (used on public
highways) should be subject to tax, MoT and insurance etc, like cars. I suppose really bicycles should be too, but I guess that may prove a deterrent
to getting people onto bicycles in the first place (doesn't seem to be such an issue for car drivers though).
you dont need a licence up to 250W power assistance 'e-bikes' or 'EAPC'
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/electric-bikes-uk-law-234973
Useful to know and something I wasn't aware of. Probably accounts for why the old gent round our way in an electric wheelchair insists on
driving it on the road.
Studying this a little more and discussing with some colleagues I do find this really quite interesting. As a means of encouraging cyclists to adopt
EAPC it seems a good idea. It concerns me a little that people can move into it without any formal training, but as a keen cyclist (and having just
been to Amsterdam) a way of increasing cycling seems a good thing.
One element I feel employers will need to progress on is improved cycle storage and provision of charging facilities - it would further encourage
commuters to adopt the technology and benefit all of us by reducing cars on the road.
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jps
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posted on 30/9/16 at 08:28 AM |
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Did you see this thing when it was in the press earlier in the year?
PodRide
In terms of 'the future of transport' - in practice I guess the challenge we have in this country is about the massive difference between
city travel and rural travel and then the matter of the vast amounts of heavy commercial traffic we have.
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907
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posted on 30/9/16 at 01:26 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by jps
Did you see this thing when it was in the press earlier in the year?
PodRide
In terms of 'the future of transport' - in practice I guess the challenge we have in this country is about the massive difference between
city travel and rural travel and then the matter of the vast amounts of heavy commercial traffic we have.
I wonder where you would park that on a windy day ?
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