Hip Replacement - Recovery Steed

[Waterbunny247]

Hi, new here. I’m looking for some ideas for a suitable bike for my dad. He is 71, fit and active but recovering from a hip replacement. He cannot lift his leg over a high cross bar.
I found a Specialized Roll Elite low entry on a local selling site that looked perfect, but the seller looked dodgy as hell and I won’t fuel the stolen bike trade. I can’t find any new, they seem to be discontinued.
He needs something comfy, low step over and a hybrid style for use on hardcore cycle tracks and a bit of road riding.
Any ideas on other bikes I can look at please?

 

[Cycleops]

There should be quite a range of step through bikes available. Have a search. This one looks reasonable;
https://ezego.bike/step-nx-low-step-over-electric-bike
Raleigh have some which might be suitable at Halfords;
https://www.halfords.com/brands/raleigh
You might like to shop locally so that you get full support should you run into problems.

 

[vickster]

Don’t discount some of the women’s bikes assuming he’s not 6’4. Trek fx and specialized Vita have step through variants for example

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Ladies framed Raleigh Pioneer from the 1990's. There's more of them around than the men's frames, and they tend to be even cheaper secondhand, which means dirt cheap. The frames went up to either 20 1/2" or 22" depending on exact model, and the bars will go fairly high so the riding position is comfortable so long as they are not way too small a frame. 15 or 18 speed models will climb anything a mountain bike will get up gradient-wise. Often available in good useable condition for £20 or less! Might need a new tyre at worst, due to age. Cheap as chips and well made.

 

[simon.r]

“...something comfy, low step over and a hybrid style for use on hardcore cycle tracks and a bit of road riding.”

Brompton would work I think. Very low step over and the rear ‘suspension’ makes them fairly comfortable.

 

[vickster]

“...something comfy, low step over and a hybrid style for use on hardcore cycle tracks and a bit of road riding.”

Brompton would work I think. Very low step over and the rear ‘suspension’ makes them fairly comfortable.

Pretty costly though...even used (or stolen!)

 

[simon.r]

Ladies framed Raleigh Pioneer from the 1990's. There's more of them around than the men's frames, and they tend to be even cheaper secondhand, which means dirt cheap. The frames went up to either 20 1/2" or 22" depending on exact model, and the bars will go fairly high so the riding position is comfortable so long as they are not way too small a frame. 15 or 18 speed models will climb anything a mountain bike will get up gradient-wise. Often available in good useable condition for £20 or less! Might need a new tyre at worst, due to age. Cheap as chips and well made.

Good call. My Men’s Raleigh Pioneer, 1993 model, cost £18. Even with new brake blocks and a few other bits it was well under £50. I’ve now added a new set of alloy rimmed wheels, front dyno-hub and lights, but still a really good value runabout.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That's a big one! You were lucky to pick up a 25" frame as they were dropped fairly early on. Yours is probably one of the last made if it's a '93. Worth hanging on to as you won't easily get anything similar in lugged steel.
I do more miles on my Pioneers than any of my other bikes, and consider them a good ride. I've always found it odd how underrated they are, and how little money they go for on the used market. I suppose the multi-colour schemes of the earlier ones, combined with the solid construction, scares off all the weight weenies and cycling fashion victims who only want ugly, matt black, and carbon....

 

[Waterbunny247]

Thanks all for the ideas, very much appreciated.

 

[biggs682]

@Waterbunny247 where are you based ?
As there may be a fellow cc who is local and could help
@SkipdiverJohn coment re the older ladies Raleigh's makes a lot of sense

 

[Pale Rider]

Hi, new here. I’m looking for some ideas for a suitable bike for my dad. He is 71, fit and active but recovering from a hip replacement. He cannot lift his leg over a high cross bar.
I found a Specialized Roll Elite low entry on a local selling site that looked perfect, but the seller looked dodgy as hell and I won’t fuel the stolen bike trade. I can’t find any new, they seem to be discontinued.
He needs something comfy, low step over and a hybrid style for use on hardcore cycle tracks and a bit of road riding.
Any ideas on other bikes I can look at please?

If the hip replacement rehabilitation goes well as it usually does, your father will have close to full movement in the hip within a month or two.

I suspect he will then have no problem throwing his leg over a crossbar bike.

 

[youngoldbloke]

If the hip replacement rehabilitation goes well as it usually does, your father will have close to full movement in the hip within a month or two.

I suspect he will then have no problem throwing his leg over a crossbar bike.

Pretty much my experience. Used a stool to get on the turbo bike, and the kerb to get on the outdoor bike. Getting on the turbo was the biggest challenge!

 

[simon.r]

At the risk of derailing the thread slightly (sorry @Waterbunny247 ), I realised I didn’t have an up to date photo of my Raleigh when I posted yesterday. The photo below was taken after this morning’s shopping trip. I’ve replaced the rack with something sturdier, changed the wheels and tyres and added dynamo lighting. Total cost approx £150 - a bit difficult to justify £130 of upgrades on a £20 bike but I think the end result is worth it.

Well worth looking for something like this for anyone who wants a cheap runabout, IMO.

 

[Oldfentiger]

I’ve been struggling with hip pain recently and found that if I lean the bike over towards me (45 degree angle), I can just swing my leg over the back of the bike without having to actually lift it unduly.

 

[sparker]

I had the same problem before I had my hip done in May. By September I was doing 80 mile club runs through Snowdonia. I may be non-typical but I recovered very quickly and now it feels perfectly normal with full movement (for a 66 yr old who was never very flexible anyway).