The Great Trike Experiment

I decided to get an adult trike because I realized that I will not be confident on a regular bike for some time, due to issues of strength and balance. An adult trike or tricycle is a full-sized bike with two rear wheels and just one gear. Adult trikes are designed for easy cruising along flat pavement. The large basket on the back makes trikes ideal for schlepping groceries or other loads, and the three-wheel configuration makes it possible for persons with impaired balance to ride a bike. Thanks to Craigslist it was a simple matter to find and obtain a lightly used trike in just a few days. In this video you can see me giving it a test ride.



I am still pedaling rather slowly because going fast is uncomfortable for my knee. That said, I have noticed marked improvement in my knee over the last month and I am hopeful that in a short while I will be able to pedal much faster and at a constant rate. By then I should be used to the trike, which I will use to commute to school once I start teaching again in late August. The main thing you have to learn about trikes is that the two rear wheels closely track any slope in the pavement – if the road has a slope you will feel it as the bike leans in that direction. This feels weird at first but I learned to lean in the up-slope direction when on significant slopes. Also, if I need to turn across any change in elevation I make sure NOT to go obliquely, but perpendicular to the greatest shift in slope. This is important because if you get one of the rear wheels up high and one down low, you might tip over! I think the trike will be my training wheels for transition back to my regular bike sometime in the fall…unless I get addicted to the using the trike to haul all my books!

Forever Rehab

I used to marvel at persons who recover from a horrible injury or complex surgery and go on to run marathons, climb mountains, etc. I still do but I am beginning to understand part of how they do it. I am at the stage in my rehab where I spend several hours a day lifting weights, stretching, riding a bike, swimming or some other activity. I will most likely have to keep up this activity for at least a year just to keep the gains I have made. By that time I will be in the habit of doing so much physical activity that if I keep it up beyond a year then I will be in top shape. Perhaps persons used to such a routine keep it up beyond their full recovery, leading to increased athleticism and ultimately, marathons. I do not see myself attaining amazing heights in sports, but I do believe I will have to keep up regular physical activity just to keep my knee from stiffening again. Before my injury I was active because it was fun. Now I am active because it is necessary to gain and maintain a basic level of movement. Hopefully as I recover I will eventually get back to the fun part…