Video: This Bike Has MS

You know how annoying it is when your bars aren’t straight and you haven’t got the tools to stop and fix it? Or something is out of line but you just can’t quite figure out what? You pedal along, and the bike doesn’t quite do what you want, but it takes ages to figure out just what is wrong…eventually you realise your tyre has a bobble. Easily fixed, right?

But how about if you couldn’t just fix these problems with the help of a multitool? Apparently having MS can feel like having a wonky bike that you can’t fix. Australian Paralympian Carol Cooke has teamed up with a group of physiotherapists, neurologists, mechanics and people living with MS to build a bike that simulates the symptoms of MS in an effort to raise awareness and understanding of the disease.

Can’t see the video? Click here.

The bike’s accompanying Owner’s Manual explains that MS is a disease that interferes with the nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It is unpredictable and can be progressive and severely debilitating, with no known cure, just treatments to help manage the symptoms.

To simulate the fatigue of MS, the bike has been built with heavy components and wheels. Mismatching pedals limit the power a rider can put into the pedals. To simulate the spasticity of MS, the cranks are mismatched and the gears are deliberately unpredictable. Lack of balance and dizziness are created by a twisted frame and fork, bent crank, and buckled wheels. Pain comes from a BMX saddle (not designed to be sat on for long periods), set at an awkward angle, and additional discomfort comes from thin bar tape under which lurk ball bearings.

We all know the discomfort that a relatively minor problem on your bike can cause, so this bike certainly gives pause for thought. Next time you whip out your multitool for a quick fix, count yourself lucky.

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

More posts from Hannah