Amputee riding the SportZ

Take some time to ride along with a Sidewinder Cycle SportZ recumbent trike owner as he travels down the path. In a recent post (Recumbent Trike Modifications) we explored the endless modifications that can be made to Sidewinder recumbent trikes.

Enjoy

Recumbent Trike Modification

Comfortably recumbent riding into the New Year, we are fortunate to have worked with many trike owners who require special assistance and adaptations. We were reminded of this when one of our top recumbent dealers, Northwest Recumbents owned by Gary Dagastine, was featured in a recent article in CDAPress.com.

The article featured Gary's work on adapting a three wheeled recumbent trike for a special customer. The customer was a thirteen year old girl that was born with multiple orthopedic issues that limited the use of her legs. Between July 2009 and May 2010 she endured four spinal surgeries, and now walks with a small cane. Last summer, when her youth group was planning a bike trip, she couldn't ride along - a disappointment that prompted the Danners to contact Dagastine in the first place.

Dagastine said, "Every kid deserves a bike," he explained. "It's a rite of passage, she needed something unique, a bike that was built for her", and the inventive Dagastine was just the man for the job. The trike required hours of labor, but Dagastine told Suzie and Jason he'd build it free of charge. This wasn't Dagastine's first free bike, though. He's given away other adaptive trikes and recumbents, occasionally to children with special needs or disabilities.

This recent article reminded us at Sidewinder Cycle about the many adaptations that can be made to Sidewinder recumbents. Here is a list of some of the adaptations that have been made:

• adapted steering to operate controls with only one hand or functioning arm


• adapted duel disc brakes for single side operation


• made shorter crank arms for people with one leg shorter than the other


• adapted spacing & moved control handles outward for larger people (people needing more space between the wheel guards)


• made “pedal hangers” for people with weakened leg muscles.
  adapted the cycle to carry an oxygen tank.

***Note: Sidewinder recumbents come standard with steering handles that allow adjustment for shorter or longer arm lengths.

As you can see, Sidewinder Cycle recumbents trikes are extremely versatile recumbent trikes that can accommodate most of your cycle needs. Contact us today to talk about what accommodations we can provide for you.

Lets Go Harry! Swiss Adventure Cyclist will ride a Sidewinder Cycle

We are proud to announce the official launch and sponsorship of Harry Mueller, adventure cyclist who is planning on riding around the Americas (North & South). To follow Harry's adventure we will make post on our Sidewinder Cycle blog and Facebook Page.

Harry is setting out on an amazing adventure and one that we did not believe at first. Harry called us at the end of the year with this crazy story about wanting to ride to the tip of Alaska, then across Canada, head down back into the States then cross back over then down into South America. The kicker was that he wanted to do this on a trike.

Well, we finally talked enough that he convinced us that he was going to do this adventure and that the Sidewinder trike would be perfect. So now, he has just completed a test ride for us (600 miles) and is set to go forth on his adventure that honestly, is not that crazy to us after all.

There is so much to share on this story and the great thing is that it will be growing and continuing as Harry makes his way up through the states to Alaska. The next post will talk about the custom build we had to do (yes, we will share pictures) and our first ever Sidewinder Cycle Velo. We will also share the story behind Harry's motivation for doing this adventure and it will be a post you will not want to miss.

Baby Boomers stay active longer when Cycling

Baby Boomers might be one of the most physically fit generations ever. This was the generation that started the running boom in the ‘70s and the biking boom in the ‘80s. Unlike their parents’ generation, Boomers usually keep exercising well after retirement. And why not? While exercise might necessarily not make one live longer, it does most definitely improve one’s quality of life.

However, while Boomers try to prolong their youth as long as possible through exercise, there are running into some hard truths. One of the most important one is that the human body cannot always stand up to the pounding of running and biking.

Veteran runners wake up one morning with sore knees and hips. Bike riders trying to get into the saddle feel their back screaming at them.

A trip to the doctor is often greeted with the advice to start acting one’s age. The doctor will cut to the truth about the damage being done. The learned physician will counsel taking up something more sedentary, such as golf. But, who ever broke a real sweat swinging a seven iron? And as for aerobic exercise, golf just doesn’t cut it.

There is an answer –a recumbent bike or trike. According to Wikipedia: “A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider’s weight is distributed comfortably over several square feet of the back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests on a few square inches of the sit bones, the feet, and the hands.

“Most recumbent models also have an aerodynamic advantage; the reclined, legs-forward position of the rider’s body presents a smaller frontal profile. A recumbent holds the world speed record for a bicycle. Recumbents are available in a wide range of configurations, including: long to short wheelbase; large, small, or a mix of wheel sizes; overseat, underseat, or no-hands steering; and rear wheel or front wheel drive. A variant with three wheels is a recumbent tricycle.”

Recumbent tricycles but have three wheels instead of two. Trikes come in two varieties, the delta, with two rear wheels, and the tadpole, with two front wheels.

The recumbent trike has four attributes that make it attractive to riders:
• The rider does not need to disengage from the pedals when stopped.
• The trike can be geared very low to enable hill and mountain climbing while heavily loaded and at a slow speed, without losing stability.
• Trikes are capable of turning sharply without leaning, producing lateral "g forces" similar to sports cars. Recumbent trikes are often more suitable for people with balance problems or disabilities.
• The trike can also be converted into a hand-powered vehicle for people who cannot use their legs.

Enthusiasts list a number of other advantages, including comfort and safety. Since the rider is essentially sitting a chair, there is less strain on the back. Recumbents are safer than upright bikes, riders say, because of their low center of gravity. Trikes are very stable and rarely tip, therefore reducing the chance of injury. Also, because they look so different, drivers tend to see recumbents.

You ask, how can Mileage bring joy to you.

As we so often do, we received an email note from a long time customer and fan of Sidewinder Cycle recumbent trikes, especially our SportZ recumbent, that was happy to share he's love for Sidewinder Cycles and most importantly, how many miles he has rode. With permission, here is the note:

Hi Jim & all-

Just a quick note to thank you for a great Bike! Everything is running well and I just passed the 1500 Mi. Mark on my "SideWinder Sport Z" (LOVE this machine!).

We are in our rainy season here in Oregon, however I'm still able to get a few miles most every day between showers! Best Regards Joe

Here's a snap of my bike computer.

Thanks to Joe for sharing with us.