A lady with MS and her husband ride their tadpole trikes in rural Utah. Doctors told her she would be in a wheel chair for the rest of her life, but she does fine pedaling her tadpole trike. She shares her testimony about being paralyzed from her neck to her feet, but with sheer determination she is now walking and able to ride her trike. She contributes it all to her trike as it gave her back so much that she had lost. WOW, you go girl!
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
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Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
The picture above is definitely out of focus. I am thankful that my current vision is not this bad, but only a few years ago it was this bad if not worse. That was before cataract surgery. So I know what it is like to ride with poor eyesight. It certainly can be quite dangerous. I have had serious vision problems for quite a few years now. It runs in my family (my mother’s side). Her mother went blind and my mother nearly went blind toward the end of her life. And I am totally blind in my left eye for several years now. I go to a specialist eye doctor frequently to get an injection of medicine in my right eyeball to help retain what sight I have left in it. I usually have 20/30 vision in my right eye when reading the eye chart but sometimes it in 20/40 or worse. It makes for interesting trike riding. My eye plays tricks on me. I see something off in the distance which I think is a person on the trail. As I get closer I see it better and realize it is not what I thought it was.
Dealing with this problem brings to mind a bible verse where Jesus heals a blind man … Mark 8:24-38 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
24 Looking up he replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” 25 Then He (Jesus) laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.”
When I think of this subject of riding with poor vision I think of the late David Goldman who is well known for his many YouTube videos … David Rides a Trike. He had poor vision and mentioned it sometimes. I could identify with what he shared and described.
I already had poor vision but it was made worse by a cataract. It was really bad then. Once I was crossing a busy 6 lane highway. I thought there was a break in the traffic and I could safely cross so I took off. I got about half way across when suddenly a car sped by me just inches away. I braked hard and avoided getting hit, but it was all too close and scary. I almost ran off of trails a couple of times when I could not see it well enough. Fortunately at the last second I realized my situation and managed to stay on the trail. One time I was riding along a highway when it was raining and I had rainwater in my eyes when the berm I was riding on suddenly ended. I did not see it in time to avoid riding on into the grass and hitting a bit of a hill launching me up into the air and landing on the left side in a grass filled ditch full of water. A McDonald’s restaurant was right across the street and surely someone saw it happen but no one came to see if I was alright and see if I needed help. I didn’t get hurt, but it sure was embarrassing. I had cataract surgery and can see much better now.
I still have good and bad days where my vision comes and goes, but it never gets any where near being good like it used to be. At least I can see well enough to be safe when I ride.
Poor vision is a problem for me when I try to do mechanical work however. It is a real struggle trying to work on my trike. At least 3 times I have cut wires in two when I thought I was cutting a plastic cable tie. And many jobs I do take me several times longer than it would have taken back when I had good eyesight. Sometimes I have to do the job over 2 or 3 times as I discover I messed up not being able to see well enough as I did it.
In this life on earth I think it is safe to say that my best days are behind me. I am very thankful that I had really good vision for many years.
I was a weldor and welding requires good eyesight. My first experience of vision problems happened when I was out on a portable welding job. I was inside a building welding. It was fairly dark inside as it was a building under construction and there were no lights. I was welding when I noticed that suddenly things appeared slightly different. I stopped welding and raised my welding helmet up. It was then that I noticed my vison was very blurred in my left eye. I had no idea what had happened to cause it, but upon going to my eye doctor I was told that I had a vein inclusion and had bleeding going on in my eye. Basically I had a stroke in my eye. Later I found out that this is what happened in my mom’s and her mom’s eyes. When this happened to me there was no treatment available for it. The prognosis was not good. I was told that this seldom improves and is likely to worsen as time passes. And that is exactly what happened. My vision in my left eye got worse until I was totally blind in that eye. I found out about a year later from my initial vein inclusion that they now have a treatment … a medicine that is injected into the eyeball.
Life went on and I just had to adjust to my new norm in my eyesight. That meant depending upon my only good eye. Manual arc welding involves having good depth perception as the weldor must maintain a proper distance of the welding electrode (rod) as it is fed into the molten puddle and arc. Depth perception involves the use of both eyes so welding with only one eye is challenging. I learned to do it and still was able to do good welding for awhile. But as the years passed by it became more challenging.
About ten years after my left eye had the vein inclusion the same thing happened to my right eye. Fortunately the treatment I mentioned is available so eye doctors have been able to treat it and so far save what vision I have left. Slowly my vison in my right eye improved. I have had several eye surgeries over the years … mostly trying to reduce the pressure in my eyes. Yes, I have glaucoma as did my mom and her mom. I also have had cataract surgery in my right eye which brought vision in that eye back to 20/30 on my good days. As I said previously, I have good days and bad days with my vison. I think a lot of it has to do with blood sugar levels as I am type 2 diabetic. Both of my parents were as well. I have been getting injections in my right eyeball for many many years now and slowly things have improved. The bleeding has finally stopped and the eye doctor gives me a good report every time I go there. He says it is likely I will have to continue to get the injections for the rest of my life. I know it sounds absolutely horrible to get an injection in the eyeball. The first time I heard the doctor say it I cringed. However, after getting my very first shot I was quite surprised and relieved. There was nothing to it. It was not as bad as an injection in the arm. It is a small price to pay for saving my vision. I would be totally blind without this treatment. The medicine is very expensive … over $2000 per injection. Thankfully help is available and I only have to pay $10 for the medicine per injection.
Well, I may not have the vision I once had but while I have what vision I do have I am heading out the door to go for a trike ride. Hey, maybe I will see one or more of you out there. Take care and …
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
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Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Hey, I really like this. I am not in need of it but if I were I sure am glad that it is being offered. It is called Velochair. It is an upstart company which I would think will be successful as surely there are lots of folks who could put this to good use in everyday life. They call it a recumbent wheelchair hybrid. At first glance I assumed it was electric motor assist. I was wrong. It is strictly pedal powered.
“The Velochair was developed by founder Kenneth Simons after he was diagnosed with Ossification Posterior Longitudinal Ligament, or OPLL, in his early 50s.
A lifelong runner and downhill skier, Simons could no longer bear weight on his legs for an extended period of time .
He found that most current mobility devices did not promote his activity, which prompted him to create the Velochair and restore his sense of independence.
This innovative solution can be operated by people with a variety of mobility challenges, providing indoor and outdoor flexibility to those who struggle with balance, strength, or walking.
The Velochair is a fun and safe way to exercise muscular, cardiovascular, and neuro systems.”
It looks to be well engineered which impresses me.
No doubt there will be many who will “cheat” using this when they don’t really need to.
The Velochair can be operated by only one hand.
As you can see the rear wheels do the turning/steering.
A word of caution … with a short wheelbase and rear end steering … definitely do not try to turn sharp at too fast of a speed as you will likely tip over.
Built for the Future
Designed and Manufactured in the U.S, the Velochair is built out of custom handmade printed carbon fibre components. Weighing around 42 pounds, the Velochair can be folded for easy transport and is light enough to be lifted into the back of a standard SUV or hatchback for transportation. The chair is also entirely customizable and adjustable to each user’s specific needs.
It’s All In The Details
1 – Steering
Steering tillers are what guide the Velochair directionally left and right. Tillers control the rear wheel steering allowing for tight turns increasing maneuverability. The Velochair can be steered with one or both tillers allowing for left or right hand operation. There is a quick release to remove either tiller to provide side transfer, if desired.
2 – Pedals
The Velochair comes with comfortable platform pedals that can be modified with the addition of different straps and leg supports as needed.
3 – Boom
The Velochair boom is adjustable in length and angle to provide the user with the optimum pedaling position.
4 – Seatback
The Velochair seatback folds for transport and locks in place during use. The seatback is adjustable to help the user find the optimal angle for their comfort.
5 – Brakes
The brake levers are located on the steering tillers. Either side lever will control the brake. Brake levers lock to park the Velochair in place and are also used to control speed while going downhill.
6 – Seat
The Velochair comes with ergonomically designed seat cushions that provide comfortable support.
This innovative product can be operated by people with a variety of mobility challenges, providing indoor and outdoor flexibility to those who struggle with balance, strength, or walking. The Velochair is a fun and safe way to exercise muscular, cardiovascular, and neurological systems.
$5,499 price includes shipping costs to lower 48 states.
Right now their Velochair is constructed of carbon fiber and titanium … both are expensive materials. They are looking/wanting to migrate to aluminum which should lessen the production cost.I hope they can bring the price down as $5500 is quite a lot for a wheelchair.I think this would sell but it would sell even better at a lower cost. That would be good for them and for the customer. BTW, they are looking for a Designer and a Fabricator.
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Definitely e-assist has really caught on. Of course, there are those who still resist the idea and speak out against them. That is the way life is. People have resisted just about anything one can name in the early days of its introduction. In fact, I was not in favor of e-motors on trikes unless one truly needed one. Even until this day I still somewhat feel that was believing that if a person is able to ride without one they should not take the plunge until they really need one. But I don’t make an issue of it with anybody. I believe in just leaving people alone and let them do what they want. Anyway, this video touches on the subject of getting e-assist.
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You may be asking … “is a recumbent trike for me”? Keep in mind that one does not have to be old or disabled to ride a tadpole trike. But if you happen to be old or disabled recumbent trikes are likely your answer. They are highly modifiable and can be equipped to meet the needs of nearly everybody. From a basic tadpole trike to a FAT trike to a sophisticated velomobile there are lots to choose from. When it comes to riding on thru the winter most definitely 3 (or 4) wheels are far better and safer than only 2.
That is how I got started with tadpole trikes. Winter was fast approaching and I wanted to keep riding … riding safely. I knew 2 wheels were unsafe as a bicycle goes down readily on slippery surfaces. I had already experienced that more than once. Fortunately I never received any serious injury, but I was well aware it can happen. So I built me first tadpole trike and rode it thru the winter. I fell in love with riding a tadpole trike. It is so much more fun than riding a bicycle and it is much much safer. When Spring time finally came around I tried switching back to a 2 wheel recumbent bike, but quickly discovered that I much preferred riding the trike so I sold my bike which I didn’t care to ride anymore. That was in the winter of 2007-2008. So for 16 years now I have had the infamous “recumbent smile” on my face and never a moment’s regret. Recumbent tadpole trikes are difinitely for me. I bought a 2009 Catrike Trail and sold my homemade tadpole trike. I now ride a 2013 Catrike Trail.
Recumbent trikes come in two completely different design builds … a Delta with one wheel in the front and two wheels in the back …. and a Tadpole (originally called a Reverse trike) with two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back.
Although my personal preference is a Tadpole design you may find you prefer (need) a Delta design. A Tadpole is like driving a sports car (Corvette) while a Delta is like driving a family sedan (Rambler). Not everybody is able to get in and out of the low seat of a Tadpole trike so for them the Delta is the only way to go. In all fairness there are some Delta trikes which are made low to the ground and built for speed and cornering.
These videos address these subjects:
As shown in the video above there is a lot of difference between a Delta recumbent trike and a Tadpole recumbent trike. I fully agree with the thumbs down for the Delta and the thumbs up for the Tadpole.
One last comment … I have found that riding a tadpole trike brings a whole lot more respect from motorists than one gets riding a bicycle. That, of course, adds greatly to the safety factor.
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I came across this brand of electric trike as the result of the owner of the company requesting to join the Facebook Tadpole Rider Group.
Unfortunately their website does not offer English. However, the Google Chrome browser will translate it. I don’t normally use Google nor do I recommend it as they are just too big for their britches and are up to no good with all their power and money.
To the best of my understanding Dekers presently produces 3 models and they custom build trikes to meet their customer’s personal needs. They cater to those with disabilities.
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I was under the impression that I had covered this subject before but upon conducting a search I did not find anything other than an article on new handlebars I bought that came with the mount for the wrist wrests. Since I had the mounts for them I went ahead and bought them. WOW, what a difference they make! That being said, now that I have been using them for a few years I find them a bit uncomfortable and wast to make a change in them. Catrike uses a pretty firm rubber compound. I want to find something softer to use to replace them. BTW, I am open to ideas/suggestions.
There are a lot of different brands of tadpole trikes on the market but only a very few that I am aware of offer wrist rests. There is good news however. Trike owners and trike dealers have been using the wrist rests that are available and installed them on trike brands that don’t offer them. Utah Trikes installed Catrike handlebars with wrist rests on a Sunseeker FAT Tad trike.
That is one solution. Below is another solution.
As you can see in the picture above of the HP Velotechnik wrist rest they have a removable mount which would be used on other brands of trikes. Yep, both HP and ICE wrist rests can be installed on most trike brands. And, of course, there is always the option of a person making their own and saving the money involved in buying them. Of course, rarely do they turn out looking as good as the ones that can be purchased.
Yes, wrist rests make a big difference in comfort. I would have to say that adding them to my trike was some of the best money I ever spent to improve my ride and personal comfort.
I would have to say that this is one time ICE and HP outdid Catrike in the design of their wrist rests. That is so hard for me to admit as it is so rare in my opinion. The man said it in the beginning of the video … recumbents are all about comfort and wrist rests add greatly to any tadpole trike.
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I was looking thru David Goldman’s videos and found this one I thought I would share here with you. He explains why he rides as well as why he doesn’t ride. That may not make much sense to you now but watch the video as it explains it.
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As the saying goes … “been there, done that”… and have the surgical scars to prove it (as well as the Xrays). Knee joint replacement is a very common thing. However, I think it is safe to say that nothing man made can compare to what the Lord Jesus created when He designed us. I am quite thankful for my man made knee joints, but they don’t measure up to what I was born with. Anyway, here is a fellow triker sharing with us about what he experienced.
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There is a Facebook group for Cycling with Disabilities. I know nothing about it so I can’t share much of anything more. It is a Private Group with 295 members as I write this. This is a group dedicated to cyclists with Disabilities. The goal is sharing information, tips, technical bike info, stories and accomplishments. Share your stories of overcoming difficulties and tips on what helped you.
You are invited to come join the Tadpole Rider Facebook Group. Please note that in order to join you must first answer the two membership vetting questions and agree to comply with the group rules.
You are invited to come join the Tadpole Rider Facebook Group. Please note that in order to join you must first answer the two membership vetting questions and agree to comply with the group rules.
This is a subject I can honestly say … BEEN THERE, DONE THAT! Yep, awhile back I was riding daily with extremely poor vision. It was downright dangerous and I had some close calls. I was usually riding by myself so I didn’t have anyone around to help me stay safe. I had some harrowing experiences. I am glad to say that I survived all of them and am here to talk about it. But rather than talk about my personal experiences I would rather talk about the solution two friends have come up with. One of them is legally blind and it would be very dangerous for her to ride entirely on her own. Her friend who she rides with leads the way. On the rear of her trike she has two extremely bright flashing taillights which are large in diameter and sort of a purplish pink color. The legally blind gal can follow behind her and is able to see these lights and follow her. They also employ two way radio communication which enables the lead trike to inform the other trike of any information needed to keep her safe and help her know what she needs to do or expect.
The bright taillights flash very rapidly and can be seen from a very far distance away. Whenever I see them from afar off I always know it is them as nobody else has taillights like those.
The lead trike can communicate such things as: slowing down, stopping, turning left or turning right … whatever is pertinent so that the other trike can take such action as and when needed.
I have known these two gals for several years now and we have often conversed together and sometimes ridden together. I think it is great that they have come up with this system that works so well for them. It enables the legally blind person to …
BTW, now I am totally blind in one eye but can see fairly well out of my other eye. So it is much safer for me now than it was some time back. I am enjoying daily rides feeling fairly safe out there.
I just discovered this tadpole rider, Paul Fogarty, and his Facebook page he is using as his blog. He is a disabled person who doesn’t let that stop him from riding. He is indeed an inspiration to others. With no arms and only one leg he rides a highly modified tadpole trike adapted to his needs. He is new to triking and his trike is a work in progress to get it all set up for him to effectively serve his needs. I am impressed with his accomplishments. Check out his FB blog page and perhaps give him a shout out to encourage him. And may he be able to continue on trikin’ and …
ENJOYING THE RIDE!
BTW, Paul has an ICE Adventure tadpole trike on order.
Paul also has a personal FB page for those interested in checking it out.
While riding along the Maumee Pathway this afternoon (4/27/2020) I passed another tadpole rider going in the opposite direction. We waved at each other but didn’t stop to chat. I had noticed that he was loaded down and pulling a trailer. I got up the trail a little way further and decided to turn around and catch up with him. As I came up behind him he pulled over to the side off of the trail and stopped. I did the same and we sat there talking together for about an hour getting a little acquainted. For the past 2 and one half years he has been crisscrossing the United States riding his yellow Catrike 700 loaded down and pulling a trailer. He said he is on his 6th journey at this time. He is headed back east now. He is from New Jersey. It was neat meeting up with him. He has lots of stories to tell. I told him about my having this blog and asked his permission to write-up an article about him to post. William said that he is 58 years old (if I remember correctly). He shared with me that he was interviewed by Gary Solomon of LaidBack Bike Report. HERE is that interview. Gary interviewed him when he was in Utah headed to Washington on his 5th journey crossing the nation. He had started out his 5th cross country journey in Orlando, Florida where Catrike had just replaced his original red Catrike 700 with a brand new yellow 700 as a serious mechanical problem had developed.
William told me that he is looking into adding an electric hub motor to his trike so we talked a little bit about hub motors and batteries. As you probably know adding an e-motor to a trike is not cheap. He could definitely use any help others are willing to offer.
As we sat there talking I had to get on down the trail as I know he did so we parted company. I think we both could have stayed there alongside the trail talking for a lot longer but all good things must come to an end as they say.
Here is a video he made. There is a lot of wind noise in it so bear with it.
William made this video before I met him. In it he mentions his plan to go to Indianapolis and then onto Fort Wayne where I am at.
I had another video posted up above but YouTube shows it is no longer available so I removed it and placed this one in its place. The following paragraph was written about the video which has been removed.
I found it interesting what he said about this journey he has been on. It started out riding from the East coast of the U.S. to the West coast and then back again to get back home, but once he got back home he made the decision to just KEEP ON TRIKIN’ so now he is on number 6 crisscross of the nation. I surely wish him well and safety on his journey.
Here is a video showing several tadpole riders sharing why they ride a tadpole trike. I am sure most of us can readily identify with and agree with them.
Frequently the subject of the use of electric motor assistance on a trike comes up on a Facebook group discussion. And sadly there are always some folks who attack and criticize and pass judgement on anyone who dares to use e-assist. In doing so they usually boast about themselves being able to ride their trikes unassisted. It gets old even though I would rather imagine those same people have heard/read others say that with the use of e-assist they are able to ride further, faster and with no or greatly reduced discomfort while getting far more exercise than they can possibly get trying to ride without the help of a motor. And they greatly enjoy riding thanks to their e-assist. I know from personal experience that all of what I am saying is true. Having e-assist has made a huge difference in my life.
Anybody who has been following me thru the years and reading what I have written about motorizing a trike knows that I am against it if one doesn’t need it. That hasn’t changed one iota. Motorizing a trike defeats the purpose of a human powered vehicle … namely getting exercise. I rode for as long as I could pedaling along and as time passed I suffered more and more in pain and discomfort. Many others have the same testimony.
Those that pass judgement on those of us who have turned to e-assist need to be thankful that they are still able to ride “unassisted”. I just hope that if ever they come to the point where they too need to turn to e-assist they will wake up and understand just how wrong they have been in their stance against those who use e-assist. Hopefully they will REPENT. And may we all just …
Recently I have been coming across the term faux pedaling. I had never heard of it before so I had to look it up. It isn’t the easiest term to find much of anything out about. To start off the word faux is French and means “fake”. Here is the dictionary definition of faux:
made in imitation; artificial.
“a string of faux pearls”
not genuine; fake or false.
“their faux concern for the well-being of the voters didn’t fool many”
Basically from what I have been able to gather it is pedaling without any physical effort … not putting any pressure pushing on the pedals. With e-motor assist this is possible if the rider wants to do it. There are those who say it is cheating. It is true that one doesn’t build up leg muscle or burn as many calories when faux pedaling, but the good news is the rider is still getting exercise spinning the cranks around. And if they are spun fast enough the rider can get a cardio workout even if they are not building leg muscle. That being said, usually the faux pedaling is done slower than what the cycle is traveling so it is obvious that something is going on that just doesn’t look right. One thing I have often done with and without e-motor assist is to pedal backwards while going forward. I have tried pedaling forward while going backwards, but found that it just doesn’t work.
So what is my point in bringing this subject matter up? I don’t know. I may not have one other than to mention that I am sure there will be naysayers out there who want to sound off and protest against this. Keep in mind though that there are some folks who are not physically able to push hard enough on the pedals to propel the cycle. They are doing good to be able to faux pedal. At least they are out there getting some exercise and …
ENJOYING THE RIDE!
And they are only able to do so with the aid of e-motor assist. Yes, the motor is doing most of the work, but that is a whole lot better than being a total couch potato. So just maybe others need to be kind and cut them some slack. None of us know what tomorrow holds. We could be among those who find them self saying “Faking it here, boss!”
Need help? I am talking about help sitting down onto and getting up from your trike’s seat. There are various aids available nowadays. One of them is these custom made EZ Entry Aids made and sold by Utah Trikes. They sell for $140 according to Utah Trikes website . Although they are made for Catrikes they do work on some other brands. I like the looks and design of these. They adjust up and down, lean in or out, swivel 360 degrees and can be clamped forward or rearward on the horizontal portion of the steering bars off of the headsets. So that they can be positioned pretty much anywhere the rider thinks works best for them. You can’t “beat that with a stick”.
I just discovered this tadpole rider, Paul Fogarty, and his 
Tadpole Rider 