Author Topic: Adult bike with stabilizers (Read 3112 times)

velosam · « **on:** 31 May, 2020, 02:06:51 pm »

My elderly aunt wants to ride, however she feels unsafe and wants stabilizers. I suggests a trike and she said no

Any idea if anyone does anything?

Thanks

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 May, 2020, 02:24:18 pm »

We’ll ignore all the normal reasons to avoid training wheels for now.

Most of the adult training wheels are crap with brackets that easily bend up (therefore useless) and too narrow for stability in corners and with crossfall (therefore useless). As a young bike mechanic, I worked for a bike shop that produced adaptions for disabled folk, including wonderfully wide and overbuilt stabilisers with bracing loops over the back wheel. Sort of like the following but connected together as one unit. https://missioncycles.co.uk/product/training-wheels/

If anybody can produce a commercial set that are useful, the Dutch are most likely. https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-parts-city-bike/training-wheels-adult-bicycle/

Stabilisers really are the wrong solution for your relative, as you know. An electric or recumbent trike (or both) would be better.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 May, 2020, 02:25:32 pm »

I don't think stabilisers would work with adult weights and wheel sizes unless they were mahoosive and extremely cumbersome.

Stabilisers get bent outwards by kids who lean on them, rather than riding upright (and these are 15kg kids on wheels with a radius of 20cm or less).

velosam · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:17:28 pm »

Thanks all.

I have told her regarding trikes etc but she insists.

Will do some more research.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:24:49 pm »

Something along these lines would be a much better option.
https://missioncycles.co.uk/product/semi-recumbent/

robgul · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:29:30 pm »

A Pashley trike is what she wants - upright position, small wheels, wide track ... and holds its price very well.

.... whereabouts is she/are you? - there's a charity bike shop near me that sells off specially adapted bikes that have been returned by users . . . . they may have an answer that suits.

Rob

Kim · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:40:38 pm »

Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 31 May, 2020, 03:24:49 pm

Something along these lines would be a much better option.
https://missioncycles.co.uk/product/semi-recumbent/

Those aren't much good at fast cornering thobut (DAHIKT)

Given this is a persuasion issue rather than an engineering one, how about a crank-forward bicycle - something you can easily get a foot down from and control the weight of the bike, without the sudden change in handling you get with stabilisers? Presumably a CLWB recumbent would be unacceptably weird for the same sort of reasons that tricycles are...

velosam · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:45:49 pm »

She is in Kent.

Will chat to her again.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 May, 2020, 03:54:15 pm »

Something like this, Kim?
http://www.velovision.com/ftp-admin/VVArchive/www.velovisionmag.co.uk/showStorycefc.html?storynum=1219

Crank forward bikes in the UK are mostly on the secondhand market.

Anybody who chooses one of those Mission-style semi-recumbent trikes isn't interested in fast cornering at all, just easy entry and exit.

zigzag · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 May, 2020, 04:37:31 pm »

what is the reason she decided to ride a bike? getting to places, exercise? if the former, then an e-assisted full size kick scooter would be a better bet. if the latter, she either needs to learn riding a bike confidently or train on a turbo trainer/exercise bike instead.

making a contraption with stabilisers for an elderly person is a sure way to send them to a&e..

Kim · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 May, 2020, 07:12:46 pm »

This all said, an adult bike with stabilisers would be a useful tool for teaching people not to inflict stabilisers on their children...

Kim · « **Reply #11 on:** 01 June, 2020, 11:41:24 pm »

http://ajamiewood.weebly.com/disability-cycling-blog/getting-stabilised seems relevant

hellymedic · « **Reply #12 on:** 02 June, 2020, 01:16:37 am »

Damn! I was just about to post that!

Vince · « **Reply #13 on:** 02 June, 2020, 09:14:14 pm »

I was going to suggest that Tomcat have an adult range of trikes, but I would have to totally ignore the bit about Not a Trike.

velosam · « **Reply #14 on:** 03 June, 2020, 05:27:53 pm »

I think she just wants to ride because of the good weather.

Nightmare-1 · « **Reply #15 on:** 06 June, 2020, 09:35:08 am »

Tell her that a Recumbent trike is cool, safe, comfortable and you can look at the scenery easily.
Then show her some YouTube video's where the older people are praising them for giving them a new lease of 'cycling' life.

arabella · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 June, 2020, 12:25:21 pm »

I imagine the adult stabilisers are rather better engineered, but kids stabilisers used to suffer from (the opposite of) grounding on uneven surfaces - 2 stabiliser wheels touching the ground and lifting the actual rear wheel (with drive) clear of the surface so no traction/movement. If this applies to adult stabilisers it's an argument in favour of a trike.
Lockdown aside, if your Aunt is ever near Ipswich she is welcome to try my trike. But there are probably closer options!

Kim · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 June, 2020, 01:49:05 pm »

Ah yes, I remember doing that while comedy off-roading as a child. (We weren't allowed outside unsupervised, so it was back garden cyclocross or nothing.)

I think if you want them to work properly, and give consistent tricycle handling, they'd need suspension. An un-suspended 4-wheeled vehicle being a 3-wheeled vehicle under all but ideal road conditions.

If it's just to stop the bike falling over as you mount and dismount, that's less important. I suppose tilting trikes are the preferred solution for this sort of thing, but I wonder if you could design something like streamliner landing gear that was lightweight and didn't require skill to operate?

velosam · « **Reply #18 on:** 08 June, 2020, 03:02:19 pm »

Well just to add to this. I had a conversation with my aunt and now this is 'off' till next year, which means its not going to happen!! lol

fuzzy · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 June, 2020, 11:38:26 am »

A bit late to the party here Sam but, as Aunt is in Kent, consultation with Mission Cycles may be adviseable- they are in Kent also and do adult stabilisers. Not that I recommend them (adult stabilisers).

JennyB · « **Reply #20 on:** 11 June, 2020, 02:36:59 pm »

Another possibility is a sidecar. http://www.scandinaviansidebike.com/

velosam · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 June, 2020, 01:11:31 pm »

Quote from: fuzzy (retd.) AAGE on 11 June, 2020, 11:38:26 am

A bit late to the party here Sam but, as Aunt is in Kent, consultation with Mission Cycles may be adviseable- they are in Kent also and do adult stabilisers. Not that I recommend them (adult stabilisers).

Cool thanks, wiil let her know