Good and bad news

[neil earley]

Bad news first! after havin fusion to my top of spine C5-6 tried to ride my musashi catbike but it was causing my left arm and hand to go numb, due to my arm position to be near shoulder height also my neck was painfull. Good news though I will give 3 wheels ago as my arms would be in a more comfortable position and no balance issues as well. Talked to Ian at wheels NV who I had purchase my musashi from [he has my new frame in candy red ready for exchange } who was sympathetic and we discussed some options on catrikes. Was looking at the speed and 700 model as I would need a light trike and a hill climber as I live near Swansea in S. Wales, so just because you dont have the greatest of health Dont give up !! there are people who will help as on this forum and I believe exercise and getting outdoors and enjoying riding any form of bike, trike etc is so beneficial makes me smile again. 5 procedures on my spine in 3 years as taken a bit of getting used too ,but not ready to give in yet. Big thanks to Ian for his advice and on a sad note his dad past away funeral this thursday and condolences to his family
Big thanks to everyone on here for your advice and expertise , Neil

 

[squeaker]

Neil
A couple of thoughts: check out the seat recline angle of the 700 and Speed: is your neck mobility sufficient (maybe part of the problem with Musashi) - would more upright (Road) be better?
As well as the USS steering, the trike enables (almost requires) a relaxed 'hand on the tiller' which might also help with neck.
Hope you can work something out.

 

[arallsopp]

Bad news first! after havin fusion to my top of spine C5-6 tried to ride my musashi catbike but it was causing my left arm and hand to go numb, due to my arm position to be near shoulder height also my neck was painfull.

I understand there is no Under Seat Steering option on the catbike at present, but don't forget this is an option on many other two wheelers. If USS is the main benefit of switching to three wheels, it might be worth thinking about another model. If the balance issues are dominant, then I can certainly see the attraction of the extra wheel.

Glad to hear you're still rolling though. I had L4/5 fused a few years back, and have a very healthy stable of USS 2 wheelers (and one very special three).

Andy.

 

[markg0vbr]

i have the speed with the 451 rear wheel the ride is reasonable on race tyres, i live where it is quite hilly and the 19" lowest gear will get me up every thing around me.
the road is almost identical to my ice-q this has a less reclinde seat than the speed, you can afford to go quite small as there is no stall speed a 14" to 87" gear range which is easy with a 406 rear wheel, i can climb any thing fully loaded with camping gear as long as i can get traction.

with your neck problems the seat angle will be the biggest factor, ride comfort and gearing come next.

 

[byegad]

The Road is 406 rear wheel. Unless you changed it!

 

[Mozzy]

Fair play Neil, keep at it. Had L1 L2 and L4 sorted 8 years ago; now dripping with bling under the skin. L2 had vanished completely and worked its way down to the sciatic nerve and required some serious digging out. It was all panicky and surgeon said my bladder was not going to work and that I may not walk well either. Six months after being screwed together I was back running and dead lifting; all-be-it of a lesser degree; oh, and peeing quite normally

Sometimes these things take time. Just had left shoulder rebuilt and right to be done early next year. It'll not beat me.

All the very best to you.

Mozzy

 

[sunnyjim]

All that trouble just to find an excuse to buy a trike!

Just the thing for someone who wants to keep smiling.

 

[neil earley]

naughty naughty sunnyjim lol, need a light trike as all the metalwork in my back and therapy to me is trying to get back to some sort of normality once again , ok I confess you bentnaughts influenced me too!

 

[riggsbie]

Hi Neil,

Same the Musashi does not work for you after your surgery........Just when I found another Musashi owner

I hope you can find a trike that works, I really like the look of the ICE FS trikes.......the folding Vortex full suspension gets me rather excited but just can't afford one

Hang in there fella !!

Riggsy (Down Under)

 

[Bill B-J]

I have a prolapsed C5/6 disc, giving paraesthesia in C7 dermatome; and a L4/5/S1 fusion as of May 2010.

I ride an Ice B1, no problem. It has hamster bars. I think the tucked in arm feeling helps with cervical alignment. I make a point of trying to look down my nose, to moderate cervical flexion, (and build a feeling of superiority

,) and look for a feeling of head comfortably balanced back between shoulders. Works for me!

I think the suspension helps to.

Also ride a fully suspended QNT. Floating on a polymer bed feels comfy. If you can't ride up it, it would be difficult to walk up directly.

QNT may be looking for a new home, as the aspiration for a velomobile progress.

(Most of us seem to be srewed up one way or another on this thread.) Well I can only speak for myself of course!

When I could get out for a ride, life did seem to make a large improvement.

All the best Neil

 

[sunnyjim]

Progress report?

 

[neil earley]

My progress! have decided on a catrike 700 , mostly for these reasons 1. lower seat angle which will help my poor posture. 2 advice fom Ian from wheels NV as he is aware of my medical condition and he has offered me rides on various catrike models 3 and most importantly all your advice from trike owners on here, Def will miss riding my catbike Musashi as it is with reluctance that I give up riding two wheel bents, has been a very enjoyable learning curve into recumbent experience for me. My ongoing spinal problems seem to be hopefully stabilising and I must be sensible and try and ride safely so cant wait to go on 3 wheels, you trikenaughts have led me down the path of silly grins and and lots of enjoyable rides to come. Thank you all once again for all your help and advice Neil

 

[ianrauk]

The 700 is an awesome machine Neil. If I had the space for a trike it would be my choice also.

 

[andytheflyer]

Hi Neil,

I had a triple decompression and fusion C4-7 last November (and had similar at the bottom end in 2007!). I still ride a road bike - but not as much as I did - but that's another story.

I too now have a stiff neck - as you'd expect, and need to have my computer screen right down on the desk top level, looking over my right shoulder is tricky, and looking up above the horizon is also a problem - but I've become used to it. I also had a problematic right shoulder after the surgery, couldn't get my arm up above the horizontal. I used to go numb in the right arm too - but the decompression has at least cured that. The medics diagnosed calcification in the tendons, which exercises and some physio has 90% cured - but before surgery it was much less of a problem. Why the decompression and fusion should have anything to do with the shoulder movement is beyond me - but I've had all sorts of odd effects associated with the cervical compression - so I've given up trying to explain to myself why a number of things don't work as well as they did. Suspect age )at least in my case!) has something to do with it! Maybe investigate the calcification possibility?