Handcycling - Crossing the Finish Line
By Laird, Kerry; NCHPAD News, Vol. 8, No. 3Publication Date: March 2009
Article describes the sport of handcycling, or riding a cycle propelled by the rider’s arms and hands. The author, a paraplegic who participated in wheelchair racing before turning to handcycling, finds the latter easier than the former in that pedaling and using gears is easier on the shoulders than pushing a racing chair, and handcycles are easier to transfer onto, faster, and more comfortable. On the downside, handcycles can be more expensive and cumbersome. The author describes how he engaged the services of a trainer, implemented a workout plan, and joined a local cycling club to prepare for a 50-mile ride in mountainous terrain. The account of the ride, on a 100-mile course with a 50-mile and a 62-mile turnoff, includes the details of missing the 50-mile turnoff, forcing the author to complete the 62-mile ride, a feat he barely accomplished.
Published by: National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) (Website:http://www.ncpad.org )
Link to text: http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=688
