This evening i’ve gone and picked up an oldish steel racer that I won on ebay for the princely sum of £25, it’s intended for the missus…

Whilst talking to the guy I said what bike do you have now, but he said he had MS at the moment, cue a slightly awkward moment until it dawned on me that he was referring to a disease he was battling and not a make of bike he was pedalling! He had not had the bike all that long and it had been his intention to do it up and ride it, but that was now not a priority,… in so many words.

Of course, not knowing the guy, I didn’t pry. He mentioned he used to ride to Wales etc, so obviously he was no lightweight in his day.

On leaving with said bike, I suddenly felt that maybe I could do it up for him on the quiet, get it all ship shape and shiney so that he could get back out on the roads. That was before I googled MS, a lack of balance, unclear vision and fatigue are common symptoms, so that sounds more like an accident waiting to happen than a return to the joys of cycling…?

Anyone out there cycling with MS? Or is this a potentially good deed, dead in the water before it starts?

Cheers

Keith

Fix it up and take it on a charity ride in aid of MS.

nice idea, cheers.

MS society do organised rides etc.

One of these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Rare-Vintage-Holdsworth-Racing-Tricycle-/271901745950?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f4e9b631e#ht_768wt_1275

An ex colleague of mine’s boyfriend got injured falling off a ladder at work and broke his pelvis. In hospital, she was ushered away while he tried to take a dump in a bedpan, so started a conversation with the bloke in the next bed.

“What are you in for?”
“MS”
“What, you fell over in Marks and Spencer’s?”

Apparently trying to shit in a cardboard pan with a broken pelvis while doubled up in laughter at how dumb your girlfriend is, is very painful.

I think doing it up and taking it on a charity ride somewhere is a great idea.

A friend has MS and a fine collection of bikes. He rides an ICE recumbent trike now his balance had deteriorated. I’ve worked on MS. It is a dreadful disease.

Nice to see there are still some thoughtful people around.

Regardless of what you end up doing, nice one OP.

My grandad was a keen cyclist before he got MS in his 30s. He managed to walk with a stick until his late ’70s, then a wheelchair in his last years. Awful disease.

Anyone out there cycling with MS? Or is this a potentially good deed, dead in the water before it starts?

Yeah, I am (I’m 28 and only been diagnosed since 2012). Potentially a good deed that /could/ work IMO. My MS doesn’t, yet, hinder my riding much at all, my legs are just stiffer than they were. The symptoms do vary quite a lot from person to person in which you have and how bad they are. For me the worst symptom I have is that it’s messed up my bladder somewhat. Whether or not it would work out well really does depend on his symptoms really, certainly a nice thought regardless.

I ride in mid Wales (live in Aberystwyth) and did 100km on the mtb a couple of weeks ago and intend on doing the transcambrian in August, just for reference. Make hay whilst the sun shines n that!

EDIT: as wanmankylung below says there are different types, I have relapsing remitting so whilst a few symptoms are permanent, most come and go again.

Anyone out there cycling with MS? Or is this a potentially good deed, dead in the water before it starts?

Why dont you do it and offer it to the guy. There are a few different type of MS – you never know, he might have the type that will allow him to get use out of it.

A couple of years ago I had a patient in their 40s who had MS. Consultant said that she would be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life. He was pretty stunned to see her doing walking laps of the ward a couple of weeks later.

a few ms sufferers use these attachments for wheelchairs;

from this rather nice hampshire company

teamhybrid

Thanks for all the feedback, will keep you informed.

As chvck said there is no clear cut thing with MS.

My wife was diagnosed in 1989 but sadly seemed to skip the relapse phase and go straight into secondary progressive. Since 2008 she has been unable to walk and since 2010 not weight bearing. Just back from 2 weeks “holiday” in Northumberland which if I’m honest has been anything but a holiday for me as its involved day & night care & lifting 🙁

I can cope with the physical side of things, though its not doing my body any good but the mental decline is heart breaking. She’s gone from someone way more intelligent than me to a slightly naughty 10 year old.

If you do something for charity I’ll sponsor/help you

Overshoot my good man,… you have my sympathies. My mother, for all intents and purposes became my Dad’s carer during his final few years, so, be it under different circumstances, I can comprehend what a strain that can be both physically and mentally. You have my utmost respect.

I’m going to contact the guy tomorrow to see if I can gauge, what he is, and therefor isn’t able to do in the regard to cycling.

…in due course I’ll keep you and everyone informed.

The charity idea is great, also… you are an example for the rest of humanity. Great post. WIll be happy to sponsor. MS is a shit disease that no one should have to suffer.

Thanks for putting a smile on my face!

As above, each case is different. Some can do quite a lot, at least for a while

http://www.wpxi.com/videos/news/champion-runner-with-ms-can-feel-no-pain-in-her/vCSbSs/

Big thumbs up from me Op, great to hear good people doing nice things for those in difficulty. Offering the guy the bike or the charity ride both sound great ideas, I’d chip in too for sure.

I used to run\ride with a guy who had MS I think he had the relapsing type when he was good he’s was really quite good. He always said he felt his exercise helped.

So the guy might be bad now and early on in his diagnosis but be able to ride again in the future.

Mr overshoot have you tried and respite care places for the both! of you? I’ve randomly just been to a friends wedding at what is normally a respite centre, all of the rooms have tracks and hoists etc and it was in a beautiful location.

I would go with the charity idea. I also have ms and still ride, like chvk my symptoms are limited to some spasticity in my legs and a drop foot. I can’t run anymore and can only walk limited distances but have no real problems on the bike. Epic Highland hike a bike efforts are out now though. Without knowing the guys disease progression, or indeed without really knowing him I wouldn’t return the bike. He may or may not be able to ride and may also be a bit offended at being seen as a charity case, I probably would be offended even though it’s a great gesture, may be different if I loose more mobility but then a donation of an off road electric wheelchair may be more appreciated!

Edit- just noticed your post on trying to gauge his ability to ride etc. Good on you.

Maybe this is one of those situations where an E-Bike would be justified?

Not if balance is affected though , as crashing out at speed hurts

I can’t run anymore and can only walk limited distances

This sounds a bit like me *

* (don’t have MS, just a fat lazy ****)

My brother was diagnosed early last year. He went from being a motorcycling heating engineer to being unable to walk in about 3 months.

With treatment he can get about slowly, with a stick, but he’s in no way ‘right’

The motorbike has gone, the clay shooting is gone. It turns your life upside down.

my old man has MS, horrible disease, was 51 when diagnosed now 74. Just a shadow of the man he used to be, the physical issues I could deal with, the mental issues are soul destroying for him and the rest of us. My mum has the patience of a saint.

Idea of a charity ride is a good one, post up a justgiving link if you go that route. I had a friend who suffered from early onset MS and it killed him by the time he was 25.

Mate of mine has MS and does a lot of cycling, kayaking, coasteering, etc. He’s always been an outdoors type, but I think he’s got even more so since he got diagnosed.

I know it affects him physically (more so at times) and I strongly suspect that a lot of the stuff he does is his mental attitude rebelling against the illness. He’s always had a very strong mind and it would be just like him to hold two fingers up to it, oddly like a lot of the people on here…

Whatever you do, be it doing it up and giving it back, or doing it up and doing a ride for MS, I think would be very decent.

Top idea Whathaveisaidnow 😀 As above, please keep us updated and post a link if you go the charity route.

If the wheels need rebuilding or new rims drop me a line and I’ll rebuild them fella I’d suggest do a charity ride on it and then present him with his bike back and some photos of the ride you did as keep sakes.

Do something for charity. Great idea.

I think id be offended if you gave the bike back.

29erKeith, respite care is on the agenda now as my wife’s social worker says she can see the caring & working full time are taking a toll on me & I need some “Me time”

Whathaveisaidnow what bike is it as if you need 80’s or 90’s parts I have a fair selection of stuff I would donate to a worthy cause.

My mate has MS diagnosed couple of years ago, he is 35 and doing the mega in couple of weeks do some people can still do a lot, very varied illness. He has good and bad periods.

My mate has MS diagnosed couple of years ago, he is 35 and doing the mega in couple of weeks do some people can still do a lot, very varied illness. He has good and bad periods.