Feature Handcycling solutions

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1 The Explorer II costs a cool £5,700 2 Road machines can go off-road, with care 3 Racing isn’t just for Paralympians 4 Karen Darke on her Greenspeed tandem

Words G a r y J a c k s o n Handcycling solutions Touring, commuting, racing or , there are hand-cranked to suit all disciplines and abilities. Handcyclist Gary Jackson offers an overview

ike their Olympic colleagues, wheel, is the most popular design for the -user who already has, or is Britain’s Paralympic cyclists handcycling by far. Some delta trikes considering, a rigid frame wheelchair. The excelled again this summer. drive the rear wheels instead, normally clip-on is a crank-driven cycle fitting that LCycling is the third largest sport in the using a differential. attaches to the front of the wheelchair by Paralympics, perhaps because cycles can The steering geometry of a delta is less means of a docking system. This allows be adapted to suit almost any rider. complex than a tadpole, which makes an everyday wheelchair to be transformed There’s more to handcycling than it light and manoeuvrable. Front wheel into a handcycle and back again. competition, of course. Handcycling can drive has less chain length and power As a recreational or , a give the rider the opportunity to cycle transfer feels more direct but, with less clip-on allows the user to travel further with friends and family, explore trails, weight close to the drive wheel, traction and faster than would be possible in a or take part in epic tours. Whatever your can be an issue on steep hills, loose wheelchair alone. It has the additional aspiration, a handcycle can provide fun, surfaces and in mud. Rear wheel drive advantage that, wherever the rider cycles, physical fitness and adventure. It can take has a really long drive chain, which can they also have their wheelchair with you to the end of the road or the ends of feel a bit remote, but weight distribution them. A clip-on allows a disabled adult the earth. Just like a bike, then! and power delivery to two wheels gives or child to remove and secure the cycle Like a bike, a handcycle is a human greater traction fitting and use the wheelchair as normal powered vehicle but one which is A tadpole hand-trike has two steerable at the other end of the journey. propelled by the muscles of the abdomen, front wheels and a single trailing rear A range of clip-ons is readily available arms, shoulders and chest rather than the wheel, which is also the drive wheel. With in the UK. Da Vinci Mobility offer the legs as on a bike. weight close to the drive wheel, a tadpole Veloce range, from the Veloce 7-speed to gives good traction. Discs brakes on two the Veloce Sports with 24 gears, 26-inch Types of trike front wheels allow for more powerful front wheel with disc and calliper brakes. Although there are some unusual braking with a tadpole but the steering on Prices range from £1,495 to around two-wheel designs, like the Varna two wheels may be a little heavier. £1,895 depending on specification. See Pony and Marathoner, handcycles are davincimobility.co.uk. generally tricycles. There are two basic Commuting & transport Team Hybrid supply the Coyote range, configurations: the delta and the tadpole. For trips to the shops, pubs and including a scaled down version for The delta configuration, with two commuting, the clip-on is perhaps the children. These clip-ons feature a number

Bottom right: Karen Darke. Others Gary Jackson rear wheels and drive to a steerable front most versatile handcycle arrangement for of gear options, from 7-speed ,

cycle extra 2 Handcycling

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5 Setting off to do commuting, a the MinorTaur trail at Coed y Brenin 6 Clip-ons convert a clip-on is the standard wheelchair into a handcycle most versatile”

to 8-speed hub gears and the Sram dual on 0208 299 6636 to discuss requirements. respectively for the adult bikes; the Junior drive. Prices are from £900 to £1600. See See londonrecumbents.com. starts at £1,650. teamhybrid.co.uk Loughborough-based Bromakin are Bromakin offer a range of Speedy Bikes. Leisure & touring agents for all of the above handcycles. See These come with a choice of gear options Like their conventional bromakin.co.uk. too, from 7-speed hub gears to a 27-speed counterparts, touring handcyclists require Shimano Deore LX drivetrain. Prices from a machine that is comfortable, robust and Racing £1,995 up to £3,995 for a power-assisted with gear ratios that are useful on long steep Road races, criteriums and individual version. See bromakin.co.uk. climbs. Although some handcycles lend time-trials all form part of a full calendar of Upright handcycles are like a permanent themselves well to touring use, most will handcycle racing events in Britain and across fusion between the clip-on and a wheelchair. require some modification to incorporate Europe, with competition up to the very They have the benefit of a high seat, which mudguards and a luggage rack. highest levels, including the Paralympics. can make transfers into and out of the A semi-recumbent handcycle allows a For racing, fully recumbent designs machine much easier. Available in both riding position that will be comfortable for with almost luge-like seating are popular, adult and child sizes, an upright allows for long periods and, importantly, gives the the aerodynamic position being favoured a familiar ‘sit up and beg’ riding position, rider good visibility to enjoy the passing for maximum performance and speed. offering a variety of footplate arrangements. scenery and also observe traffic. The kneeler, however, is considered to be With hub gearing and coaster brake In this category, the Varna II has a well- biomechanically advantageous if the rider stopping, upright handcycles like the established pedigree. Jon Amos used one has good abdominal mobility and can use Top End Excelerator (£1,619) and the Li’l for his Trans-Australia Challenge, when he their body weight in a push-and-pull Excelerator (£1,650) for children are simple became the first man to cross the continent style power stroke. to operate for the casual rider. The Top End by handcycle. I’ve owned one for ten years A popular recumbent racing handcycle is website provides details of their full range of and, since my account of a C2C in Cycle the Quickie Shark S, retailing at £2,972. The handcycles and a list of approved stockists: a few years ago, I’ve fitted a Schlumpf soon-to-be-introduced Shark RS will cost topendwheelchair.co.uk. Mountain Drive to supplement the hub about £4,500. Racing models from Top End Alternatively, a machine like the gears. This provides an ultra-low range of include the Force R at £4,295 and the Force K Kettwiesel Handbike will provide its owner gears to tackle the Lake District hills. I prefer kneeler at £3,200. For those with very deep with a very usable handcycle not only for hub gears for touring because I can change pockets, the fabulous, futuristic-looking commuting but many other pursuits too. gear while stationary – and I never mess up Carbon option is in the region of £6,500! It has a seating position higher than most the shifts and grind to a half on a steep hill. A Again, Bromakin are agents for all of these, handcycles and can be fitted with a crutch Varna II costs around £2,250 in the UK. and you will have the benefit of the advice holder or a trailer hitch. A standard base Alternatively, a Quickie Shark, such as the of top handcycle racer, Rob Wickham. See machine will cost around £4,055 (subject one that Alan Rayment completed a LEJOG bromakin.co.uk to currency variations). But with so many on in 2008, might fit the bill just as well. options available, including hub dynamos Base Price: £2,231. The Top End Force 2 or Off-road and a Rohloff hub, London Recumbents’ XLT Pro and XLT Jr models are also worth Although an off-the-shelf handcycle with

Top left:Top Forestry Commission, Coed y Brenin © Crown copyright right: . Tp Oliver Gary Jackson Taylor advises to contact him directly considering. Prices start at £1,995 and £2,695 knobbly tyres can cope with regular cycle

cycle extra 3 Go handcycling If you would like to try out a handcycle, various organisations offer ‘taster sessions’ and support information.

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7 XCR cross-country handcyle 8 Gary on his Varna II on a Coast to Coast trip

CTC’s Inclusive Cycling Forum is a good source of information on adaptive or all ability cycling. The information sheet is particularly useful. Go to inclusivecyclingforum.org.uk More information on CTC projects is at ctc.org.uk > Projects > Disability. Other useful sites include: www.handcycling.org.uk handbikescotland.co.uk spanglefish.com/wheelhigh mbwales.com handcyclingni.com

8 Photos: Gary Jackson

trails, an off-road or all-terrain handcycle For more extreme use off-road use, but a serious bit of kit. Paraplegic adventurer (ATH) is designed to have the strength, machines such as the American Titanium and ParalympicGB athlete Karen Darke used durability and ground clearance to cope Inc. One-Off Handcycle, Reactive her Greenspeed recumbent tandem, ‘Green with much tougher terrain. Some, like the Adaptations Bomber, and the Polish-made Beast’, on tours of New Zealand, Spain, and Alaskan Lasher, the Sport-On XCR and the Explorer II push the boundaries further still. Asia, including the Karakoram mountains Top End Force CC are of the familiar front- These tadpole handcycles are made for even and the Himalayas. wheel drive delta type but with the seating more hard-core off-road use and give people Australian manufacturers Greenspeed designed to be more upright and forward, with disabilities the opportunity to be a part make special trikes to order. Director Ian placing plenty of weight on the front drive of a full-on mountain biking community. Sims tells me that the standard ex-works wheel for greater traction . The rider sits in a bucket seat just in front tandem price is $9,990 AUD (£6,444) and Bill Lasher Jr says that his machine will of the rear wheel, with legs folded back onto the supplement for fitting stoker hand- perform exceptionally well when trail riding supports. A forward leaning position, with cranks is $500 AUD (£325), and for the with friends. Steve Hodges traditional handlebar and also chest steering, captain’s hand-cranks is $950 AUD (£619). can confirm this, having used his both in the are characteristics of these machines. Although Greenspeed have a UK dealer in Alps and on the roller coaster trails at Coed- Rear-wheel drive and multiple gear and Westcountry Recumbents, Ian suggests y-Brenin. Base Price ex works: $4,995 USD suspension options combine to give these that anyone interested in a special trike (£3,203). For more details, visit the website handcycles great climbing traction and should email him directly at ian@greenspeed. lashersport.com and contact Bill directly. tremendous off-road capability. These are com.au to discuss individual handcycle A Sport-On XCR Handcycle is a well- the handcycles that have ascended major requirements. See greenspeed.com.au. specified machine that includes front and mountains in the USA and Europe as well as Varna manufacture a tandem handcycle/ rear hydraulic disc brakes and a choice Mt Fuji and Mt Kilimanjaro. So they’ll be a bit cycle in which the front end pedals, steers of or internal hub gearing as handy on trails here in the UK! and leans independently like a while standard. The XCR is also available with the The One-Off and Bomber are the rear, based on their Varna II model, is options of its own trailer, for carrying an approximately £4,000 ex-works in the powered by hand-cranks and does not lean. expedition pack, or an electric drive system. USA. The Explorer II, with full independent POA from Bromakin: bromakin.co.uk. Available in the UK from £2,995. suspension, is priced from £5,700 in the UK. The Kettwiesel Handbike can also be The Top End Force CC is a fusion between See teamhybrid.co.uk. converted into a tandem by fixing one their Force R and Force handcycles but with Kettwiesel to another. This requires a greater ground clearance. It’s currently Mixed-ability tandems tandem coupling costing around £100. See £3,999 in the UK. An interesting hybrid is the tandem londonrecumbents.com. Demonstrators of both the XCR and Force handcycle/cycle combination. Differing Whatever type of handcycle you prefer, it’s CC are available at Team Hybrid (teamhybrid. frame designs allow the handcyclist to be a great way to get outdoors and have some co.uk) and Draft (draftwheelchairs. captain or stoker, according to preference. fun. If you’re in the Lake District and you see com) respectively. It’s not an eccentric contraption either, me out there, give me a wave!

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