For those interested parties (one armed rider update)

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For those interested parties (one armed rider update)

136 posts & 54 voices | Started 3 years ago by TN | Latest reply from molgrips

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TN - Member

Hi all,

I know a few of you wanted to know how J got on with his riding after the arm bit the dust. Well, he's doing pretty well.
8 months on and still all clear. He's back at work part time and bitching because it is playing havoc with his social life.

We rode Newborough Forest at Christmas - very scenic but, to use his words, 'a bit flat'...
Then a bit of a break while his ribs recovered (he went 'exploring' derelict pubss and got stuck half-in/half-out on a wide windowsill...)and now he's back on the bike.
If any of you know Stannington in Sheffield, you *might* know Catty lane - it's pretty steep and gravelly at the top so quite a good candidate for airtime. I was quite apprehensive about him trying but it's not up to me - anyway, he cruised it...

He hasn't fallen off recently, which is great.

No sign of a prosthetic arm yet but the prosthetist has made him a great piece of 'ribcage armour' that has yet to be tested in anger. (where was it when he was dangling out of a first floor window though?)

I am going to try to post some photos below, it may not work...

Redmires to Stanage in the remains of the snow
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1722644&l=4b13b00875&id=527320465

This is our local ride out from home. Not very exciting, but good practise
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2251118&l=ca6da90986&id=527320465

(Can't work out how to get the photos to post in-line, if anyone can help?)

Posted 3 years ago #
joe1983 - Member

Who needs a second arm when you've got balls! Good luck to him, think the fact he is back on a bike is class.

Posted 3 years ago #
Pieface - Member

Where's the 2nd pic took? Amd where's Catty Lane?

I live in Hillsborough and am always interested in new places to play

Posted 3 years ago #
Pieface - Member

Oh and good work for getting back out on the bike. I never think I'd have the spirit to get on with my life if I lost an arm

Posted 3 years ago #
foggy - Member

As Stouffer would say, respect due...

Posted 3 years ago #
MrNutt - Member

nice one!

does he use SPD's or flats?

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

Pieface, I think you'd be surprised what you can do when faced with it. Seriously. You have 2 choices - you sit and mope, or you get on with it. You're allowed to do the first for a bit, but then hopefully you move on to the second option.
I emailed the surgeon the other day to fill him in on the past 8 months and he summed it up pretty well - he said "somehow I didn't think Julian would be the kind of person to sit back and take it"

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=stannington%2C+sheffield&countryCode=GB#map=53.38855,-1.58573|17|4&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:53.38855:-1.58573:17|long%20lane,%20stannington|Long%20Lane,%20Stannington,%20Sheffield,%20South%20Yorkshire,%20England,%20S6%206

The second photo is taken on the bit of 'unnamed road' the carries on opposite Beeton Green - where that, Rod Side and Long lane meet is actualy a cross road junction. Go down that missing bitt, then turn left back along to Flash Lane and the on to Riggs High Road, head toward Stannington a bit and then drop down onto Catty Lane (the left turn between the first and second 'Riggs High Road' labels) and back out onto Stannigton Road.
It's not exactly exciting but it's a quick fix.

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

V8 flats, MrNutt.

Posted 3 years ago #
retro83 - Member

Amazing, thanks for the update!

Posted 3 years ago #
Smee - Blocked

There was a guy at the Puffer this year had one arm and one leg - he did a good few laps too - on a cx bike.

Posted 3 years ago #
eckinspain - Member

f*** me!

Well done that man

Posted 3 years ago #
Pieface - Member

Is it here?

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=427637&y=387547&z=120&sv=427637,387547&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=828&ax=427637&ay=387547&lm=0

Posted 3 years ago #
Pieface - Member

And is this Catty Lane?

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=428919&y=388344&z=120&sv=428919,388344&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=828&ax=428919&ay=388344&lm=0

Posted 3 years ago #
stratobiker - Member

You have 2 choices - you sit and mope, or you get on with it.

You've hit the nail on the head there.

Chapeau Julian!

Posted 3 years ago #
PeterPoddy - Member

I feel respect is due, a LOT of it!
Well done fella and thanks for the update!

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

PieFace - the second one is Catty Lane, yes. My PC is going so slow so I haven't opened the first link, but it's the track that runs down to Ronksley Hall Farm, and in fact that is where you'd turn left, at the farm.
Like I said earlier, the usual 'not very exciting' disclaimers apply...
And watch out for pedestrians and dogs on Catty Lane.

Posted 3 years ago #
warton - Member

brilliant stuff!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
Hewey - Member

Good stuff. Maybe now I'll stop whinging about my broken wrist and get on with life!

Posted 3 years ago #
iseeadarkness - Member

See, we told you he could do it.

Nice to see him giving it though. Total 100% respect.

Not letting the bastards grind him down!

Posted 3 years ago #
eckinspain - Member

Can I ask a couple of set-up questions - I was wondering all evening!

Does he single-speed or run a 1x9 set-up maybe? and what about brakes - both brakes feed into the same lever?

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

eckinspain - the bike is a GT Avalanche 2.0 - the only 'extra' is a Hopey steering damper.
He currently has 3x7 gears with both changers on the right bar. He also has both brake levers stacked on the right bar so he can squeeze both at once, but because they are stacked the back is activated slightly before the front. This was a big help in stopping him going over the bars, as you can imagine.
It's a bit crowded on the right bar but I think he's actually thinking of sticking as it is for the time being.

iseeadarkness - I know, I know and you have no idea how much that helped us both! To be honest, I think my original thread was almost reassurance for me, as well as for him.

Posted 3 years ago #
mema - Member

It's great to hear that he is back on a bike. It's amazing to see and hear about people who have lost limbs and are getting back into sports. There is a guy in NZ that I met called Dave Maitland who has done the coast to coast at least 15 times and has had some really good times he lost a leg in a motorbike accident. It so put's my fitness and mind to shame!

Posted 3 years ago #
mrsflash - Member

thanks very much for the update

Posted 3 years ago #
oneoneoneone - Member

He also has both brake levers stacked on the right bar so he can squeeze both at once,

you know with hydro brakes you can link two or even more calipers together and run them off of 1 lever. you basicly you run a hose from the bleed nipple on a caliper to the other caliper but still have the bleed nipple on it. can mail you more details if you want!! mail in profile.

i used to ride with a guy with 2 arms but he could only use 1 of them (the other had to be velcroed on to his bars) he showed me the set up and i also had to Bleed them.

Posted 3 years ago #
colande - Member

amazing!!

i have been without the use of a hand recently due to cutting through tendons on my thumb, i wouldnt even attempt riding on the road let alone off road, so much respect.
but its strange/great how the mind and body adapts!

would love to see a setup of his bar controls,
just a thought maybe to make it less crowded
he could use a normal shifterpod and a grip shifter,
this means he will have instant access to both shifters

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

I thought I had a photo, colande, but I don't. Will take one when I get home and post it at some point.
A friend had a spare grip shifter setup they were going to fit to see how he got on, but it didn't fit. It's something he has in mind but isn't in any great rush for, which is cool.

I think if you are injured and recovering there's pain there and I do think it's not always wise to resume riding while there is pain, but with J there's no limb so I think it's a bit different.
(Althought there is the phantom limb and associated pain, which is utterly bizarre...)

Posted 3 years ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

Thanks for the update, TN. I recall quite distinctly your original thread on the old site.

Chapeau, indeed.

Posted 3 years ago #
iseeadarkness - Member

TN: The power of positive thinking...

Posted 3 years ago #
UncleFred - Member

There's a guy with one arm who's done the Ruta De La Conquistadores for last 8 years!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
crispy bacon - Member

Thanks for the update TN & good luck to J for his riding. He really is an inspiration to others & in particular those who are able bodied but can't be @rsed to ride their bikes.

Please keep posting J's latest triumphs & challenges on his bike

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

Some extra pics, esp for Hetty:

More Redmires - Stanage:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1722646&l=08f3f9e13e&id=527320465

Putting his trust in strangers (SUCKER!) and getting that sinking feeling.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1812583&l=773ebb5fe0&id=527320465

And this is not a biking photo but I think you might like it...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1395706&l=96510110af&id=527320465

(PS: He got an email this morning, via someone on here, from a guy with brachial-plexus injury. Thanks for passing the pics to your friend. I do hope it inspires him to get back on his bike too! J found the story about how the email came about quite funny...)

Posted 3 years ago #
Trekster - Member

Met a guy @ Mabie last week with only 1arm/1 leg. Had a serious piece of engineering for an arm, all alloy and steel. He was up for a weeks Stanes riding. He lives in Brathwaite, nr Keswick and has Whinlatter as his local.

"(Althought there is the phantom limb and associated pain, which is utterly bizarre...)"....yeah, my mum was complaing about her sore toes yesterday..lost them 4yrs ago!!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

Trekster: J has been looking at trying to get some kind of 'biking arm' but whilst there are things available, it's fixing it to his body that's causing the problem.
Some of the prosthetics you can get are amazing though, aren't they?

Re: Phantom limb pain. J has actually found that it hurts less after he's been out on the bike - not sure if it's adrenalin or some other 'happy hormone' that does it, but it is another great excuse to go riding, eh?

Posted 3 years ago #
TN - Member

Colande, here's a pic of the right bar set up.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2268201&l=cff44a3e08&id=527320465

Looks a bit crowded but I have mentioned various of your suggestions and he reckons he's quite happy with it like this, so there you go...

Posted 3 years ago #
eckinspain - Member

I had wondered, like Colande, about the possibility of one grip-shift and a normal shifter, but if the current set-up is fine then stick with it (doesn't look as cramped in the photo as I thougt it might).

Can I ask what a steering damper is? Does it just do what it sounds like it does?!! how?

thanks for the updates

Posted 3 years ago #