handicapped unicyclists

General
1

> I was wondering if it is possible for a person with artificial limbs (from the
> knee down–both legs) to ride a unicycle. A friend of mine who’s teaching
> unicycling and other basic circus skills at camp posed me with this question.
> Apparently the kid wants to learn, is a quick learner and can ride a bike
> (though bending the knees is limited).

To ride a regular unicycle, your knees have to be able to apply force in both
directions (quads and hamstrings). If these legs do not allow that, a workaround
has to be found. Bill Jenack wrote about a one-legged man who learned to ride by
using his upside down crutch on the empty pedal. An idea like this might be
modified to allow the arms to help in the pedaling process.

I’m sure it can be done, but the method will depend on the specific abilities of
the legs involved.

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone http://www.unicycling.com

“The airlines won’t let their planes crash. They’re way too expensive!” –
Bradley Bradley, talking about flying to/from the wedding

2

RE: handicapped unicyclists

Sem brought a “Hands - driven” unicycle to UNICON IX and demonstrated how to
ride it in the upside - down position.

It had a 20" wheel with pedals in the normal place. It had no seat but instead
two padded shoulder braces.

Sem succeeded in riding it, and even allowed the H.K. Eagles to try for
themselves. It was a crowd-pleaser for sure but I couldn’t see anyone doing
this for long!

We all watched as SEM turn RED !!

I don’t recommend this for people who have capable UNI legs. It’s a
“TOUGH” skill!

Steve

At 08:04 PM 7/16/00 MDT, you wrote:
>If they are really keen and it does prove impossible to use their legs they
>could learn to ride with their hands. This is quite possible either using your
>hands on the wheel or the pedals. It is also considered a fairly difficult feat
>but I don’t believe it would be necessary to learn normal riding before
>attempting this.
>
>You might be able to customize a unicycle so that they can sit in a normal
>position but pedal using their arms. This would require a chain from the wheel
>up to some pedals within easy arm reach, maybe by attaching a seat at normal
>height to a giraffe unicycle. Has anyone built a unicycle like this yet? I can
>imagine it being quite popular at conventions if someone built one.
>
>
>Unilady@aol.com wrote:
>
>I was wondering if it is possible for a person with artificial limbs (from the
>knee down–both legs) to ride a unicycle. A friend of mine who’s teaching
>unicycling and other basic circus skills at camp posed me with this question.
>Apparently the kid wants to learn, is a quick learner and can ride a bike
>(though bending the knees is limited).
>
>I told her it may be possible (though you might have to modify the unicycle, ie
>shorten crank arms & use a smaller wheel? to reduce bending of the knees) but i
>don’t know anyone who has succeeded.
>
>Any suggestions or experience?
>
>Uni-versally yours, Unicycle lady http://users.aol.com/unilady/
>
>
> o o Peter Bier o O o Juggler, unicyclist and mathematician.
>o/|\o peter_bier@usa.net
>
>____________________________________________________________________
>Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1
>

3

Re: handicapped unicyclists

trdwnds@asiaonline.net wrote:

> Sem brought a “Hands - driven” unicycle to UNICON IX and demonstrated how to
> ride it in the upside - down position.

Or, a better idea…he should learn to ride by hand wheel walking. :slight_smile:

– Matt

4

Re: handicapped unicyclists

Although we’d like to believe that anyone can do anything if they put their mind
to it, sometimes there are limiting factors that we have to acknowledge. While
this specific person may have enough flesh and bone beyond the knee, I think it
may fruitless. But hey, they can sure try. There’s really nothing wrong with 2
or 3 wheels and this person, if interested, could become very proficient on a
bicycle or specially-adapted road trike.

If they just want to unicycle for the novelty of it - well…I think the road
trikes are novelty enough. You know what I mean? I’m talking about a hand
crank bike. Or maybe a recumbant would work well? Here’s a link to what I’m
talking about. http://www.freedomryder.com The riders who complete events on
these command as much respect or more than those on 2 wheels. here’s another
link http://www.ushf.org/ Both of these sites have links to dozens of other
similar sites.

I don’t want to discourage unicycling but that’s what I would recommend if this
were my own child, etc.

If he REALLY wanted to learn unicycling (I use the masculine pronoun out of
laziness), here’s what I’d recommend: First, learn to ride the bicycle very very
well with no hands.

Then spend around $40 and have a direct-drive rear wheel built and installed on
the bicycle (like on a track bicycle). have them get very good at riding this
with and without hands.

Replace the bike seat with a unicycle seat.

Try to pop lots of wheelies on the bike.

Gradually replace the front wheel with smaller and smaller wheels which should
make the wheelies on a direct-drive easier and easier.

If he really gets no hands down and wheelies down on a direct drive bicycle,
then I’d feel comfortable placing them on a unicycle.

Best of luck to them!

Brian

<Unilady@aol.com> wrote in message news:30.7998561.26a2c879@aol.com…
>
> I was wondering if it is possible for a person with artificial limbs (from the
> knee down–both legs) to ride a unicycle. A friend of mine who’s teaching
> unicycling and other basic circus skills at camp posed me with this question.
> Apparently the kid wants to learn, is a quick learner and can ride a bike
> (though bending the knees is limited).
>
> I told her it may be possible (though you might have to modify the unicycle,
> ie shorten crank arms & use a smaller wheel? to reduce bending of the knees)
> but i don’t know anyone who has succeeded.
>
> Any suggestions or experience?
>
> Uni-versally yours, Unicycle lady http://users.aol.com/unilady/

5

Re: handicapped unicyclists

Hi,

I’ve thought a bit about whether it would be feasible to make a wheelchair with
one central wheel under the seat. Cone shaped rails could come out from this one
central wheel that could be gripped like an ordinary wheelchair. Would this be
feasible? I’ve seen some pictures of parapalegic wheelchair athletes doing some
pretty awesome trials and flatland wheelchair tricks- I bet that at least a few
of them could master this as well(?)

-Kris.

— Brian Berlin <removethis.brian@techsyswebworks.com> wrote:
> Although we’d like to believe that anyone can do anything if they put their
> mind to it, sometimes there are limiting factors that we have to acknowledge.
> While this specific person may have enough flesh and bone beyond the knee, I
> think it may fruitless. But hey, they can sure try. There’s really nothing
> wrong with 2 or 3 wheels and this person, if interested, could become very
> proficient on a bicycle or specially-adapted road trike.
>
> If they just want to unicycle for the novelty of it
> - well…I think the road trikes are novelty enough. You know what I mean? I’m
> talking about a hand crank bike. Or maybe a recumbant would work well?
> Here’s a link to what I’m talking about. http://www.freedomryder.com The
> riders who complete events on these command as much respect or more than
> those on 2 wheels. here’s another link http://www.ushf.org/ Both of these
> sites have links to dozens of other similar sites.
>
> I don’t want to discourage unicycling but that’s what I would recommend if
> this were my own child, etc.
>
> If he REALLY wanted to learn unicycling (I use the masculine pronoun out of
> laziness), here’s what I’d recommend: First, learn to ride the bicycle very
> very well with no hands.
>
> Then spend around $40 and have a direct-drive rear wheel built and installed
> on the bicycle (like on a track bicycle). have them get very good at riding
> this with and without hands.
>
> Replace the bike seat with a unicycle seat.
>
> Try to pop lots of wheelies on the bike.
>
> Gradually replace the front wheel with smaller and smaller wheels which should
> make the wheelies on a direct-drive easier and easier.
>
> If he really gets no hands down and wheelies down on a direct drive bicycle,
> then I’d feel comfortable placing them on a unicycle.
>
> Best of luck to them!
>
> Brian
>
> <Unilady@aol.com> wrote in message news:30.7998561.26a2c879@aol.com…
> >
> > I was wondering if it is possible for a person
> with
> > artificial limbs (from the knee down–both legs) to ride a unicycle. A
> > friend of mine who’s
> teaching
> > unicycling and other basic circus skills at camp
> posed
> > me with this question. Apparently the kid wants
> to learn,
> > is a quick learner and can ride a bike (though
> bending
> > the knees is limited).
> >
> > I told her it may be possible (though you might
> have to
> > modify the unicycle, ie shorten crank arms & use a
> smaller
> > wheel? to reduce bending of the knees) but i don’t
> know
> > anyone who has succeeded.
> >
> > Any suggestions or experience?
> >
> > Uni-versally yours, Unicycle lady http://users.aol.com/unilady/
>
>

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