Hello from Germany - I donīt have arms but still ride my bike.
11-28-19, 09:34 AM
#1
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Hello from Germany - I donīt have arms but still ride my bike.
I am a 36 years old woman who lives in Germany.
1,5 years ago I divorced my husband and now I am single.
I have a great job and live alone in a wonderful house in the woods near the sea.
Like my username and the headline to this thread says, I donīt have arms
I was born without them so I have been armless all my life.
When I was very young (1-2 years old) I started to use my feet and toes to do everything, so my feet are my hands and my toes are my fingers.
I can do everything with them including cooking, eating, writing, driving, put in and take out my contact lenses, etc, etc, etc
However riding a bike is a little tricky, because I only have two feet. If I were to put my feet on the handlebar I wouldnīt have any feet to pedal me forward - and visa versa
For fun and for very short distances I can ride my bike with one foot one the pedal and one on the handlebar.
But when I need to ride longer distances I put on a special harness on my shoulders. On each shoulder a 2 foot long piece of wire is attached. The wires end with a loop that I put around the handlebar and then I can steer by moving my shoulders back and forth.
My bike has a foot brake and the gear selector is placed on the frame just above the pedals, to make it easy for me to operate with my toes
I joined this forum because I would like to ride more than I do now, and I hope to get tips and tricks to help me do this.
Also I would like to inspire others, by showing that nothing is impossible and where there is a will there is a way
(ought to be a big-toe-up emoji 
)
So donīt be afraid to ask if you are curious or if there is anything you want to know
1,5 years ago I divorced my husband and now I am single.
I have a great job and live alone in a wonderful house in the woods near the sea.
Like my username and the headline to this thread says, I donīt have arms
I was born without them so I have been armless all my life.
When I was very young (1-2 years old) I started to use my feet and toes to do everything, so my feet are my hands and my toes are my fingers.
I can do everything with them including cooking, eating, writing, driving, put in and take out my contact lenses, etc, etc, etc
However riding a bike is a little tricky, because I only have two feet. If I were to put my feet on the handlebar I wouldnīt have any feet to pedal me forward - and visa versa
For fun and for very short distances I can ride my bike with one foot one the pedal and one on the handlebar.
But when I need to ride longer distances I put on a special harness on my shoulders. On each shoulder a 2 foot long piece of wire is attached. The wires end with a loop that I put around the handlebar and then I can steer by moving my shoulders back and forth.
My bike has a foot brake and the gear selector is placed on the frame just above the pedals, to make it easy for me to operate with my toes
I joined this forum because I would like to ride more than I do now, and I hope to get tips and tricks to help me do this.
Also I would like to inspire others, by showing that nothing is impossible and where there is a will there is a way
(ought to be a big-toe-up emoji )So donīt be afraid to ask if you are curious or if there is anything you want to know
Last edited by Armlesscyclist; 11-30-19 at 12:59 AM. Reason: Forgot gender.
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11-28-19, 10:28 AM
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Welcome to the forums.
11-28-19, 11:20 AM
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Very cool Armlesscyclist! Welcome to bikeforums.
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
11-28-19, 12:41 PM
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Glad to have you join BikeForums. Your explanation of how you steer with your shoulders led me to think of a recumbent with stick steer. Lo and behold, curbtender already posted a picture of that set up. Maybe you could get someone to take some pictures/video, you probably already have, and post them when you get to 10 posts. I know there are many cyclists that would like to see you on a bike.
11-30-19, 04:33 AM
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Hi all.
Thank so much for your sweet comments and greetings
Jessica Coxīs recumbent is very smart. Do you know if it has been modified ?
I use flat pedals because I wear Vibram Fivefingers EL-X (canīt upload picture, but try google it ...) when I ride my bike. These toe shoes are perfect to me, because I can still use my toes when I have to wear shoes. Of course jobs that demands fine motor toe skills canīt be done (it is probably like if you are wearig very thick gloves), but I can easily operate the gear shift and so on 
Maybe I will upload some pictures later when I get to ten posts.
Thank so much for your sweet comments and greetings
Jessica Coxīs recumbent is very smart. Do you know if it has been modified ?
Maybe I will upload some pictures later when I get to ten posts.
11-30-19, 11:32 AM
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Made by Scarab trikes, which I see is out of business. I would guess it was custom built.
12-01-19, 05:28 PM
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Awesome to have you join the Bike Forums! Very cool video, too. The BF is a great place for people all over the world to contribute, learn, share stories and advice on where and what to ride. Hope that you enjoy it as much as the rest of us.
Big Toe Up!
Big Toe Up!
12-01-19, 08:28 PM
#11
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Welcome. Inspiring indeed!
12-02-19, 03:58 AM
#12
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Big Toe Up![/QUOTE]
Hahaha - you are completely right
I use the 'big toe up' sign very often and it almost always makes people smile when I do it
Very often people get a little uneasy on how to deal with my missing arms, but as soon as I use my feet to do signs like 'big toe up' or I joke about my missing arms, they are much more comfortable about being around me.
Often I also modify words that contains 'arm', 'hand' and 'finger'
Fx in english I would call a 'handle' for 'footle', or I will 'foot' something to another person rather than 'hand' them.
I am sure you english-speaking persons can come up with many more examples, and I would love to know them, so please write
And if someone should know how to get a 'big toe up' emoji, I would be very happy.
Hahaha - you are completely right
I use the 'big toe up' sign very often and it almost always makes people smile when I do it
Very often people get a little uneasy on how to deal with my missing arms, but as soon as I use my feet to do signs like 'big toe up' or I joke about my missing arms, they are much more comfortable about being around me.
Often I also modify words that contains 'arm', 'hand' and 'finger'
Fx in english I would call a 'handle' for 'footle', or I will 'foot' something to another person rather than 'hand' them.
I am sure you english-speaking persons can come up with many more examples, and I would love to know them, so please write
And if someone should know how to get a 'big toe up' emoji, I would be very happy.
12-02-19, 10:46 AM
#13
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My favorite, "Pull my toe..."
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12-09-19, 02:34 PM
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Welcome from SoCal.
01-01-20, 03:22 PM
#17
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A retro visit to this thread via your recent post "I am armless and hope for tips and tricks"
I am para and I am in awe of your independent spirit and commitment to a full life.
My handcycle is an older Quickie Shadow by Jim Martinson circa 1996.
I am para and I am in awe of your independent spirit and commitment to a full life.
My handcycle is an older Quickie Shadow by Jim Martinson circa 1996.
01-01-20, 04:32 PM
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Thank you for your kind words.
I would like to write you a Private Message, but it is midnight and I have to go to bed.
I will write you tomorrow - hope it is ok
01-01-20, 05:28 PM
#20
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No worries at all. The time difference is 12 hours?
I will check in this mid evening
I will check in this mid evening
Last edited by slow_runner; 01-01-20 at 05:31 PM.
01-05-20, 07:18 PM
#25
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Yeah. Thank you so much for asking, bush fires here are horrible I'm a bit far away from the fire. My place is in north of sydney and quite near to the beach maybe that's why its not too hot in here.
