#handbikes

Handbikes were designed for people with limited leg strength or function if I remember correctly, so I believe they count as aids. For the purpose of this blog, handbikes definitely count.

Paraciclismo e o uso de HandBikes

Paraciclismo e o uso de HandBikes

  O Ciclismo Paralímpico ou apenas Paraciclismo é uma categoria ciclística para

pessoas com deficiência física. A história do paraciclismo tem origem na década de 80 com o

uso de Tandem Bike por deficientes visuais acompanhados de um guia. Com o passar do

tempo a partir de uma conscientização processual, outras adaptações do paraciclismo

começaram a ser feitas…

From the Wall Street Journal.

Multiple sclerosis forced Helene Hines to stop running marathons, but it didn't keep her from entering them.

The sport of handcycling is growing across the country. Many competitive athletes turn to handcycling after being forced to give up their favorite sport for medical reasons and it's also an alternative way for older Americans to keep in shape.

At last fall's ING New York City Marathon, Mrs. Hines, age 63, sailed across the finish line in two hours and two minutes, the best time among women in the race's fast-growing hand-cycling category. "I yelled: 'Grandma won! Grandma won!' " says Mrs. Hines, a Garden City, N.Y., grandmother of two who started hand cycling in her 50s.

Hand cycles are tricycles, often recumbent, powered by hand cranks. In recent years they've become increasingly popular for racing, exercising and recreation. They're a good option for anyone whose lower body is compromised but who retains good hand and arm strength, says David Lee, assistant director of the University of New Hampshire's Northeast Passage, a facility that provides recreational sports programs for disabled people.

Early adopters in the 1990s were primarily people with spinal-cord injuries, but today the cycles also are being used by people with age-related leg and hip problems, others sidelined by injuries—and even able-bodied people who just like the idea of spinning along on hand power. Last year more than 100 hand-cycle racers registered for the New York marathon (which doesn't allow able-bodied hand cyclists), up from only about 10 a decade ago, says Bob Laufer, the race's coordinator for adults with disabilities.

There are no nationwide statistics on hand cycling, but Bike-on.com, an online store, sold more than 300 hand cycles last year—about double the figure of five years ago, says owner Scott Pellett. The cycles start at about $1,500 for wheelchair-height models suitable for riding around the neighborhood and can hit $4,000 or more for sleek, low-to-the-ground performance cycles. High-end racing equipment can run $6,000 or more, Mr. Pellett says.

Mobility and More

Recreational recumbent models place the cyclist comfortably on a cushioned seat with a back rest, legs extended, with foot rests on either side of the front wheel. Racers often prefer kneeling models, which provide superior leverage on the cranks; another racing style involves positioning the athlete nearly horizontal, face up, for aerodynamic advantage.

Bill Schwarz gets plenty of reactions while hand cycling, including 'Nice bike, mister!' from children

Most hand cycles are steered like traditional bicycles, by moving the front wheel. Others, such as the Freedom Ryder from Brike International Ltd. in Tualatin, Ore., are steered by leaning in the direction you want to go—a feeling the company likens to turning while skiing.

Given its similarity to bicycling, hand cycling is often a choice for cyclists forced to give up their favorite sport for medical reasons. Former long-distance bicyclist Bill Schwarz, 66, of Kinderhook, N.Y., switched to hand cycling in 2003 due to numbness in his feet and legs caused by an autoimmune disease.

Mr. Schwarz not only welcomes the opportunity to stay on the road, but also embraces the novelty of hand cycling. As a bicyclist, he says, he drew little attention, but when he's on a hand cycle "heads rip around." He adds, "My favorite is the responses I get from children. It's like, 'Nice bike, mister!' "

Riders have discovered other benefits of hand cycling as well. Nadine McNeil, a New York City resident in her 40s, says hand cycling has helped her build strength in her right arm, which was weakened by a stroke. Ms. McNeil, who rides with Achilles International, a New York nonprofit that works with disabled athletes, still needs to tape her right hand to the crank to keep it in place, as she has since she began hand cycling five years ago. But while her weak arm at first was just carried along by her strong one, she says that now both arms can propel the cycle. Hand cycling "has done more for me than any other therapy in terms of strengthening my right arm," Ms. McNeil says.

And Joe Dowling, a 71-year-old polio sufferer from Old Greenwich, Conn., who competes in both hand cycling and wheelchair races, says the low-lying design of the hand cycle he rides brings you closer to nature. While hand cycling, he says, "you never know when a rabbit is going to jump over your front wheel."

Caution and Cash

On the other hand, that low-slung design means hand cycles might not be seen by cars. "If I were to take it on the road [in New York] I might as well kill myself," says Mrs. Hines, who instead works out in Central Park when it's closed to cars. Some hand cyclists stick to parks, bike trails or country roads, while others put a tall orange flag on the back and hope for the best.

How to Get Rolling

Find a hand cycle that fits your style of riding. If you like to go slow and enjoy the scenery, consider a chair-like "upright" model for comfort. For a vigorous workout, get a low-to-the ground recumbent style.

Start with short distances and work up gradually. Four miles is a great first-day workout. Arms aren't as strong as legs; shoulder injuries are a risk with overtraining.

Use a flag on the back of the bike to make yourself more visible—particularly if you are riding a recumbent cycle.

Stay on flat ground at first; hills can be strenuous. As you build arm muscles and riding skill, you'll be able to tackle progressively steeper slopes.

Practice turning in a parking lot before you hit the trail.

Keep to pavement unless you are using a hand cycle intended for off-road use.

Mixed-use recreational paths and rail trails—generally flat, paved and traffic-free—are great for hand cycling.

A bigger issue for some people is the price of hand cycles. Eileen Granahan, a 54-year-old pediatrician in Kingston, N.H., rented a hand cycle from Northeast Passage last year when she broke her foot. Happy with her stronger upper body after three months of hand cycling, she looked into buying a cycle, but she balked at the price. "Cost is the only reason I haven't gone on to continue hand cycling," she says.

Another drawback to hand cycling is that arm muscles are smaller and therefore less powerful than leg muscles, which can make even small slopes a major endeavor for some riders.

The Big Payoff

Still, competitive hand cycling is becoming more popular, in part because it's less punishing than wheelchair racing, athletes say: Wheelchairs require a lot of hunching over, and the racer's hands take a pounding as they leave and return to the moving rims.

Hand cyclists race in separate divisions both at bicycling events and at marathons. The U.S. Handcycle Federation, an Evergreen, Colo., nonprofit, sponsored 19 events at bicycle races last year, involving 167 different hand cyclists, says director Ian Lawless. In the federation series, racers are grouped into four levels of disabilities, he says, and able-bodied people can race with the least disabled.

There has been some debate in the racing community about whether hand cyclists belong at marathons, because the cycles' gears mean that, unlike wheelchairs, they don't derive all their power directly from the racer. That distinction is sometimes reflected in a big disparity in the prize money for hand cyclists and wheelchair competitors. At last fall's New York marathon, for instance, the top male and female hand-cycle finishers received $500 each, compared with $15,000 each for the wheelchair winners.