Temporary one handed bike after hit and run

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OneArmedBandit

Active Member
Hi all,

Apologies to jump straight in for advice.

A recently got knocked off my bike by a hit and run driver. I shattered my wrist, which is all held together by screws now.

(Very luckily it was all on CCTV so it caught their numberplate. Somewhat typically though for cyclist accidents the police don't really seem to care much.)

Anyway, I was a really active cyclist doing about 50km a day. Among the many things I can't do, not being able to cycle is one of the most painful. I've been using Zwift and a turbo trainer but it isn't the same.

Basically, at the moment I have very limited movement in my right hand and shouldn't apply twisting forces through my wrist. They are saying best case scenario I will be able to cycle in 5-6 months, worst case never, depending on how much mobility I lose.

At the moment I have two road bikes, one with Claris and one with Microshift shifters.

I've read a few threads about adapting bikes to ride one handed. But most of them seem to be permanent adaptation. I'm hoping that the adaptation will be for a few months.

I've considered recumbents and trikes. Both would be inconvenient because I don't have street access to my garden and bike store. But, I would consider that if it is the only option.

Otherwise, it seems relatively easy to add a resistor to the handlebars and put front and rear brake on the left fork. Gears would be more problematic. Or I could get a fixie with handlebar resistor and swap the front brake onto the left fork. I had a fixie in the past and didn't especially enjoy it, but something is better than nothing.

Thank you for your thoughts.
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
Yikes, that sounds a bit rubbish. @mickle is the go to person round here for bike adpatations.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Hi all,

Apologies to jump straight in for advice.

A recently got knocked off my bike by a hit and run driver. I shattered my wrist, which is all held together by screws now.

(Very luckily it was all on CCTV so it caught their numberplate. Somewhat typically though for cyclist accidents the police don't really seem to care much.)

Anyway, I was a really active cyclist doing about 50km a day. Among the many things I can't do, not being able to cycle is one of the most painful. I've been using Zwift and a turbo trainer but it isn't the same.

Basically, at the moment I have very limited movement in my right hand and shouldn't apply twisting forces through my wrist. They are saying best case scenario I will be able to cycle in 5-6 months, worst case never, depending on how much mobility I lose.

At the moment I have two road bikes, one with Claris and one with Microshift shifters.

I've read a few threads about adapting bikes to ride one handed. But most of them seem to be permanent adaptation. I'm hoping that the adaptation will be for a few months.

I've considered recumbents and trikes. Both would be inconvenient because I don't have street access to my garden and bike store. But, I would consider that if it is the only option.

Otherwise, it seems relatively easy to add a resistor to the handlebars and put front and rear brake on the left fork. Gears would be more problematic. Or I could get a fixie with handlebar resistor and swap the front brake onto the left fork. I had a fixie in the past and didn't especially enjoy it, but something is better than nothing.

Thank you for your thoughts.

This sounds awful. Maybe you can get a Di2 electronic set up to make gear changing as easy as possible. A back pedal rear brake like many everyday bikes have in Germany, Denmark, Holland and hand operated front brake? Or you could go Rohloff which has a twist gear shift on the handlebar but may mean no back pedal rear brake. There is always the option of riding a fixed gear bike with just front brake. It would be light. But hopefully you will make a pretty good recovery and your wrist so much so that you can ride again without special adaptions or modifications.
 
Location
Hampshire
Problem with a fixed is you tend to have to get out of the saddle and pull on the bars a fair bit to go up hills. A guy in our club has one arm amputated just below the elbow, he has a cable splitter on the right hand brake lever so that it operates both brakes and a special prosthetic that clips into an adaptor on the bars. He gets on well enough to race third cat.
 

Bollo

Failed Tech Bro
Location
Winch
Problem with a fixed is you tend to have to get out of the saddle and pull on the bars a fair bit to go up hills. A guy in our club has one arm amputated just below the elbow, he has a cable splitter on the right hand brake lever so that it operates both brakes and a special prosthetic that clips into an adaptor on the bars. He gets on well enough to race third cat.
I think I’ve ridden against him once or twice on club TTs. His prosthesis is a work of art. It’s carbon from what I remember.
 
Problem with a fixed is you tend to have to get out of the saddle and pull on the bars a fair bit to go up hills. A guy in our club has one arm amputated just below the elbow, he has a cable splitter on the right hand brake lever so that it operates both brakes and a special prosthetic that clips into an adaptor on the bars. He gets on well enough to race third cat.
A mate of mine who was born with a club hand has a similar cable splitter and he's also a phenomenal cyclist :becool:
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Give it time - I couldn't even get on a bike for 5 months after breaking my spine. Unfortunately things take time. If you now have the drivers details, get your solicitor to sort out rehab for you (i.e. physio etc etc). Under the rehabilitation code, the third party's insurers have to agree to fund necessary rehabilitation.
 

davidphilips

Veteran
Location
Onabike
I would be very surprised if the driver has not been charged with leaving the seen of an accident never mind being breathalyzed and perhaps charged with dangerous driving.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How road legal do you want it ??
If you keep the speeds down then both brakes off one lever will work but not 100% road legal.
Once you start high speed runs then you need to balance front/back brakes according to conditions, this is where it gets a lot more tricky.
A single speed with front/coaster brake is the easiest 100% legal combo.

The other point is can/could you let go let go of the handlebars with your left hand and still have 100% control of your steering with only your right hand on the bars.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
What about clip on tri-bars with brakes on the end? That way you have no twisting forces.

You could even bodge something like this.

maxresdefault.jpg
 
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