Best Bike for Balance

[Jeff Grippe]

As some of you know, because of my accident I now have balance issues.

It will be many years (if ever) before I try to ride something with two
wheels again. It may be that I should just stick to three or four but here
is my question.

What is the easiest bike to get into and out of and what is the easiest bike
to balance?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Peter Clinch]

Jeff Grippe wrote:

> What is the easiest bike to get into and out of and what is the easiest bike
> to balance?

For balance, the rule of thumb is that higher is better, so an
old-style Ordinary/Penny-farthing is probably the easiest bike to
balance. Of course, it'll fail hideously on the ease of
mount/dismount side of things... ;-)

But an upright should be slightly easier than a 'bent to balance
(and if you've a problem then a little can be a significant
amount), and an open frame is easiest to get in and out of.

If you want a 'bent, then a relatively upright riding position will
probably help, something like a BikeE or an HPVel Spirit (I've
never tried a BikeE myself, but the Spirit was the most immediately
easy, accessible and comfortable 'bent I've ridden. Not that fast
and wouldn't be as good as my Streetmachine for touring, but for an
urban runabout struck me as a great bit of kit. Personally I
prefer to use a Bromton folder around town, as the fold makes it a
lot more flexible overall, but if I had an urban 'bent it would
probably be a Spirit).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Victor Kan]

On Jan 28, 5:39 am, "Jeff Grippe" <[email protected]> wrote:
....
> What is the easiest bike to get into and out of and what is the easiest bike
> to balance?

I don't own one, but when I test rode it, I thought the Bacchetta Giro
(aka the Giro 20 these days) was one of the most stable bikes at low
speed I've ever ridden, DF's included.

With its tilt stem, getting in and out isn't too bad, though since
it's a high BB bike with a stick frame SWB, it'll have a higher step
over than something like a low BB LWB.

 

[[email protected]]

Jeff,

I find swb bikes much harder to get into and out of than lwb. New
riders jump on my Tour Easy and have little trouble riding, but if
they get on my V-Rex it's kind of scary at first. It's also scary
watching them stop the V-Rex but they just naturally put their feed
down when stopping the Tour Easy.

If balance is an issue I would make sure I have mtb cranks so I could
spin at slow speeds. We've found spinning is the key to riding slow.

Of course we never have had a problem getting into, out of, or
balancing our WizWheelz's.

Enjoy,

Perry B

On Jan 28, 4:39 am, "Jeff Grippe" <[email protected]> wrote:
> As some of you know, because of my accident I now have balance issues.
>
> It will be many years (if ever) before I try to ride something with two
> wheels again. It may be that I should just stick to three or four but here
> is my question.
>
> What is the easiest bike to get into and out of and what is the easiest bike
> to balance?
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on 28 Jan 2007 06:02:55 -0800
Victor Kan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I don't own one, but when I test rode it, I thought the Bacchetta Giro
> (aka the Giro 20 these days) was one of the most stable bikes at low
> speed I've ever ridden, DF's included.

I find it stable although tight turns take practice.
>
> With its tilt stem, getting in and out isn't too bad, though since
> it's a high BB bike with a stick frame SWB, it'll have a higher step
> over than something like a low BB LWB.

I am really unsure how someone with bad balance would manage any
bicycle because I can't work out how the bad balance would manifest.

When getting onto the Giro I don't move the stem forward, I left the right
leg, insert it in the gap between stem and seat, and slide onto the seat.
When I get off, I push the stem forward, stand, and lift the right leg,
bent at the knee, over the seat, body leaning forward.

I think both of those would be difficult for someone with poor
balance.

Probably a better way to get on would be to sit bum on seat, tilt stem
all the way forward so it rests on the frame, and swing leg over the
stem. That way the whole plot, self and bike, is supported on the
triangle of leg and wheels. get out the same way. I'll have to try
it and see if it's doable.

Zebee

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on 28 Jan 2007 21:06:48 GMT
Zebee Johnstone <[email protected]> wrote:
> Probably a better way to get on would be to sit bum on seat, tilt stem
> all the way forward so it rests on the frame, and swing leg over the
> stem. That way the whole plot, self and bike, is supported on the
> triangle of leg and wheels. get out the same way. I'll have to try
> it and see if it's doable.

A quick test seems to show that it is better to stand next to it, put
a hand on the seat back and swing a leg over forward that way, using
the seatback to brace.

To get off, stand up, lean forward and put a hand on the framespar.

But as my balance is good I can't tell if either would work for
someone with poor balance.

Zebee