Hey MSers, if you have difficulty walking or fatigue easily but still want to get around on your own locally to run errands, get some exercise, etc., consider picking up an adult tricycle. Pic attached is of me and Miss Lemon, a Schwinn 1973 Town & Country TriWheeler. Miss Lemon was a garage trike I picked up cheap and reconditioned earlier this year, total cost once reconditioned = $300.
The 3-wheel format gets rid of balance issues that bicycles present, and allows you to stay seated for starts and stops. And if you get drop foot in one leg like I do after a few hundred steps, you can let your lame leg "freeload" as you pedal around on the strength of your good leg.
This tool changed my daily unassisted mobility range from 1/2 mile walking to 5, 10, even 15 miles on a good day and lets me run small errands on my own and on my schedule. The rear trike basket is perfect for hauling groceries, boxes to the post office, gifts for friends, etc.
Feel free to drop me a line and pics of you and your trike. I love to hear tales from other trikers adapting to MS's challenges.
TrikeMan
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TrikeMan
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Hi TrikeMan - I live in a community with bike paths all over town and I've lamented that I could participate. Then one day I saw someone going down my street on a trike. I didn't even know those existed for adults. I immediately went to a local bike store and there they were. I splurged bought one. I felt a little guilty spending the money at first but I'm so glad I made the investment. It's been an investment in my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. I love it. It is so much fun to be outside with the wind in my hair again. I can go so much further on it than I can walking. Since I bought mine I've seen 3 other folks that look about my age (60) out riding trikes. It's given me a sense of adventure and freedom I have felt for a while. I highly recommend it for MSers who can pedal but don't feel they can balance well enough to ride a bike. Thanks for posting.
Hi, Kerry, thanks for sharing about your trike experiences. Sounds like you might have the core of a triking club out there! we started a small riding club where I am, for cruiser-speed riders, named after the island where we live, called the Wilmington Island Wheelers. Very informal and casual, we get together from time to time for rides, or just meet up and ride to get a coffee or a coke, that sort of thing.
Please do stay in touch, maybe post a pic of you and your trike sometime - ???
If I can figure out how, I'll post a picture. My husband has been delighted at my discovering the trike. He took a bunch of pictures of me taking off on it but I have downloaded to the computer yet. I'll work on that!
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