Manchester to become a hub for disability cycling

Rathfelder wrote:

Will anyone help to remove the barriers which litter Manchester's cycle paths preventing anyone with a non-standard bike from using them?

These are enough of a pain for an able-bodies person on an upright bike, navigating them on a recumbent trike with a disability would be nigh-on impossible. I guess they had scallies on motorbikes in mind when they put them in, but you're right.

The issue with things like recumbents and Ice trikes, etc is that they are not Paralympic disciplines. There is no structured racing for them and BC won't support something (at least at the higher levels) that doesn't fall into the right 'areas'.

Majority of Disability funding comes from the Paralympic program so the resources go towards developing Paracycling at all levels.

It's like complaining that they don't support unicycles or scooters - technically they are wheeled, cycle sports, but there is a limit as to how far their support and scope should go.

I'm sure that may rub some people the wrong way but it's also the reality of the situation.

Colin Lynch wrote:

The issue with things like recumbents and Ice trikes, etc is that they are not Paralympic disciplines. There is no structured racing for them and BC won't support something (at least at the higher levels) that doesn't fall into the right 'areas'.

Majority of Disability funding comes from the Paralympic program so the resources go towards developing Paracycling at all levels.

It's like complaining that they don't support unicycles or scooters - technically they are wheeled, cycle sports, but there is a limit as to how far their support and scope should go.

I'm sure that may rub some people the wrong way but it's also the reality of the situation.

I understand the point you're making - and that as far as paralympic/olympic events they are limited in what's covered -but without recognition by the uci, bc etc it'll stay that way - and I'm not just talking about paralympic/disability support

Several things you may wish to consider

1) Recumbents, in one form, *have* in the past been part of the sport. One of Mochet's designs was *ratified* by the uci in the 30's, and successfully raced. Lobbying by upright manufacturers led to redefinition of the bicycle to effectively ban them in 1934.

2) I don't recall exactly when things changed - in the 90s mebbe - but mtb racing, whether XC or DH wasn't originally recognised/supported by the UCI.

3) Similarly BMX..things change !

4) A unicycle's just a cut-down Ordinary ;)..and a scooter isn't a bicycle

5) In theory recumbent *trikes* are permissible within tricycle T1-T2. However, this only applies below national championship level - tho' on the face of it BC is supporting disabled cyclists to 'compete at some level' according to its Paracycling blurb. AFAIA the effect of this is any kind of trike racing is of the upright variety - tho' this could explain my surprise at seeing them on at the Invictus Games. From a search on the BC website I can find 1 'bent trike competitor in 2012, and pretty much ittle mention other than a few skyrides..

6) Take a look at the 'different types of cycling' section on the BC website or try searching for 'recumbent'- its almost as if they don't exist.

7) There *is* recumbent racing in the uk (via the BHPC) or worldwide (IHPVA) and it covers several classes, but it's relatively low-key/small numbers. Why ? Well, lack of visibility and conservatism of the cycle industry and the (inter)national sporting bodies is part of that. Again, back at the BC website -no mention at all.

8) Women's football was well-supported and popular with spectators prior to 1921, when they were banned by the FA from using grounds used by members of the FA. The ban was lifted in 1971 but it put women's football back decades. See the parallel ?

9) I - like some, but not all 'bent riders - don't have a formal disability -so I wouldn't come under paracycling qualifying rules anyway. In my case neck problems prevent me riding a road bike and sometime my more upright mtb. Even *if* I wanted to race currently, it'd have to be circuit racing via the BHPC, despite the fact that all my social/club cycling is with uprights. There were some proposals within TTing to allow 'bents - mainly to allow former/older/injured TT competitors to continue - but AFAIA those were chucked out, I gather it depends very much on the local organiser for the event. Some sportives (tho perhaps not many) ban recumbents..including RideLondon initially but I understand that's more of a slow introduction -likewise tandems - rather than a blanket ban.

(Oh, and ICE is a manufacturer of tadpole trikes, it's not a type of trike).

It's easy to be dismissive when you're part of the existing 'norm'..