Re: [TheThinkTank] Serving disabled populations in your shops/orgs?

-- Adam Schwartz Program Coordinator, Renaissance Youth Bike Shop The Engaged University 6200 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, MD adamgs@umd.edu (301) 405-3213 On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 5:25 AM, Jason Moore moorepants@gmail.com wrote: > Check out the Lose the Training Wheelshttp://www.losethetrainingwheels.org/program. They are experts at this type of thing. > > Also an interesting new product is coming out soon: The Gyrobikehttp://www.thegyrobike.com/ > > My recommended method for teaching people to ride bicycles is this: > > 1. Remove the pedals of the bike and lower the seat such that the rider's > feet can easily touch the ground, this way the rider can scoot around and > get the feeling of the bicycle's dynamics. If you use training wheels or > support the rider with your hand it doesn't allow the person to feel how the > bicycle actually handles. > 2. Once the rider is comfortable on the scooter, add the pedals so they can > try self propulsion. > > People learn very fast with this method. > > Jason Moore > http://mae.ucdavis.edu/~biosport/jkm/http://mae.ucdavis.edu/%7Ebiosport/jkm/ > moorebicycles http://moorebicycles.blogspot.com/ > Bicycle Dynamics Lab http://www.bicycle.tudelft.nl/, TU Delft > Sports Biomechanics Lab http://mae.ucdavis.edu/%7Ebiosport, UC Davis > Bike Church http://daviswiki.org/Bike_Church Minister, Davis, CA > Netherlands office phone # : +31 15 278 6932 > > On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 7:16 PM, josh brown josh@communitycycles.orgwrote: > >> Howdy all. >> >> I'm wondering how/if any of you have worked with populations or >> individuals with disabilities who come into your shops or who approach your >> organization for help. We've had this type of thing happen before, where >> someone who has experienced head trauma, or has severe balance issues is >> looking for an adult tricycle, but we never seem to have any quality ones in >> the shop when they're needed, and inexpensive but decent ones are in the 6-8 >> hundred dollar range. >> >> I received the below email this morning, and while i welcome the challenge >> and experience of getting a 10 year old with CP and Autism on a bicycle, i'm >> a little overwhelmed at the prospect. >> >> What kinds of experiences have you all had? I know Boulder and Colorado >> both have some excellent non-profits that deal with folks with disabilities, >> and I'll start making phone calls to them, to see what types of things to be >> aware of. I'm interested in your experiences as community bike shop staff. >> >> If anyone reading this has some type of circumstance which requires some >> sort of modification to their own bike to accommodate balance, reflex, or a >> body that's different than most of us have (ie, amputee, etc) issues, PLEASE >> get in touch. I'm interested both in your experiences personally as well as >> resources you've found to be helpful or not so helpful. >> >> I've personally worked with folks with all kinds of issues, just not in my >> work with bicycles...looking forward to bringing those two worlds >> together... >> >> thanks! >> >> josh. >> community cycles. >> >> Hello, >>> We have been looking into your program for our son but I have a couple of >>> questions. >>> >>> Our son has Cerebral Palsy and Autism, both are mild, however he has >>> difficulty in riding a two wheel bike as he has balance problems. He is 10 >>> yrs old, (11 in June) and has out grown bikes that we can place "training >>> wheels" on. We know that there are stabilization wheels but not sure how to >>> go about working with them on multiple speed bikes. >>> >>> Do you work with children with disabilities? and Would you be able to >>> help us in getting a bicycle that would meet his needs? >>> >>> He would dearly love to be able to ride a bike and we are most happy to >>> work with him and get him the proper set up. Any help or information would >>> be greatly appreciated. You are welcome to call us at our home phone or >>> email. Your program sounds very exciting and we look forward to hearing >>> from you. >>> >>> Thank you, Sue and Paul >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o... >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to > TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org > To manage your subscription, plase visit: > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o... > >