Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

In happy news, the club has ended up with a 3-wheel recumbent that is surplus to requirements.

It's a Catrike purchased from the very generous donations of club members to assist in Greg Pankhurst’s rehabilitation from a terrible accident in February 2013.

The truly wonderful news is that the proper order has been restored and Greg is back on 2 wheels!

So the Catrike is no longer needed and the committee is pondering what to do with it. The options we have thought of include:
- sell it and either return the funds to those who helped buy it or use the funds for the Juniors. We don’t know what the second hand market is like for these but suspect it is small.
- Keep it in case someone else has another horrible accident and needs it for rehab. Awful thought. Plus nowhere to keep it because it’s bulky.
- Donate it to a rehab centre. The main rehab centre at Ryde, where Greg was, has at least one already.
- Some brilliant idea thought up by one of you.

What do you think? Especially those of you who donated funds to purchase it in the first place.

Hanging onto it in case someone else in the club needs it is good if you are superstitious.
Selling at least ensures it goes to someone who wants it - put funds to the clubs general revenue.
Donating to a rehab centre if one of them needs it is the best option IMO

I'm also for donating it to a rehab centre... If not Ryde perhaps we could look at sending it elsewhere or interstate. Obviously costs involved with that but we can cross that bridge when we come to it?

A couple of suggestions:
1. we could do an auction at a DHBC function (pity we just missed the Xmas party).
2. fundraiser auction or raffle at the Sydney Classic Bicycle Show in March.

I have a friend who works with the (private) rehab centre at Petersham. I could get her to sound out some interest from some rehab centres.

Another thing we could try is renting the Catrike out. Contact the various rehab centres, Cycling NSW, different clubs around Sydney, and spread the word. Money could go to the juniors, club bike maintenance, velodrome maintenance, etc.

I would be keen to see the trike used by as many people in need as possible.

If Ryde don't really need it maybe they know of another facility who do - maybe one in regional NSW.

Weren't excess finds raised at the time which could cover the freight cost?

If that doesn't work try a private sale - gumtree / eBay? And reinvest in a new club track bike / parts?

I'm not expecting any return of funds and I doubt that others would.

Just thought I'd add a couple of things.

*Having joined the recumbent set, I've learnt a bit about them. The 2nd hand market is indeed mall though seemingly rather fluid. There's a paucity of good offerings on the market, and a Catrike is a rather highly regarded species. Near new, and well maintained. I think it would sell quite easily.
*Ryde do indeed have a couple of recumbents in their arsenal, but none of them is available for loan. It's strictly only laps of the local oval. Perhaps we could donate it with the idea that this becomes their loanable machine?
*I'm fairly sure there are other rehab centres out there in regional NSW and beyond who would would love such a beast at their disposal.

If we'd like some guidance, I can speak to the therapists at Ryde.

Thank you again to the people who contributed to this. It was awesome to get riding again. Thanks so much to Pete and Michelle for lugging me and the trike out to CP most Saturdays as well. I'm all clear now for two wheels, and after a couple of mountain bike missions, I'm back on the roadie. Not on the road mind you, but it is something I'm working toward. Hopefully a full slowies mission starting at the cafe isn't far off.

A couple of thoughts on this;
1. I'm not aware of any other club rider for any local club being in the same situation as Greg, so I question the probability of needing it for rehab
2. Keeping it depends on a suitable location to store, if this is not resolved, then keeping it is not an option
3. How much financial loss did Greg incur? If sold the funds could go to Greg
4. Greg's post above questions how much it will be used if donated. If we donate we need to know how useful it will be
5. If we keep it, then I'm sure there's a number of members that would love to take it for spin, say on Saturday Slowies (me for one), accompanied with the appropriate donation

I'm going to go out on a limb here.

If there are no rehab centre's that want it, would it be possible to donate it to someone who's disabled and can't ride a normal bike?

Before we get rid of it, hill climb challenge, or a velodrome hot lap.

5. If we keep it, then I'm sure there's a number of members that would love to take it for spin, say on Saturday Slowies (me for one), accompanied with the appropriate donation

I would like that option , and find out if it's true that recumbent lower aero profile + the way the body is aligned transmits more power and hence whips traditional bikes in the speed stakes.
Let's do this for science.

More than happy to facilitate a velodrome/CP/hill climb shoot out, albeit I'm not road legal (by car or bike) so I'll still need a hand to get the trike to venue X. And I'm away this weekend.

There isn't much to riding one of these trikes, so it lends itself to something such as this. Being down low does make one less visible though, so I would suggest off roads will be a better bet whatever format gets chosen. Shimano SPD shoes will also be important (or pedals, matching cleats and the kit to change pedals), particularly in a competitive format where people are pushing hard. If your foot comes off the pedals one can suffer leg suck (where your foot gets wrenched under the bike) - doesn't sound like much fun.

find out if it's true that recumbent lower aero profile + the way the body is aligned transmits more power and hence whips traditional bikes in the speed stakes.
Let's do this for science.

My 2 cents on such things. Don't expect miracles.

Best time I could manage on the Trike round CP was 9.15 according to strava, vs a pb of 6.28 (albeit that was probably set in a bunch). Granted a coma & 4 month hospital stay wasn't the ideal run in for setting PBs, but two weeks ago I hit CP for the first time on a bike (a heavy sprung mountain bike running knobbly tyres) and managed 9.33

Hills were evil. CP - loch ave. Best time on trike: 3.05. Return to mountain bike: 2.49. (PB: 1.24). God knows how a proper climb would be.

Greg, you forgot to mention that beards are mandatory

Surely that goes without saying?

FWIW the guys at Ryde have advised they would certainly get plenty of milage out of another trike for both programs on site and off site (which isn't an option at the moment as demand is too high). I made it clear we were still looking at a range of options, so nothing is confirmed or locked in, but there is certainly an appetite from Ryde Rehab.

I would be keen to see the trike used by as many people in need as possible. If Ryde don't really need it maybe they know of another facility who do - maybe one in regional NSW. Weren't excess finds raised at the time which could cover the freight cost? If that doesn't work try a private sale - gumtree / eBay? And reinvest in a new club track bike / parts? I'm not expecting any return of funds and I doubt that others would.

BIG +1 from me

I draw your attention to the front page of our website.

"The club was formed in 1908 and prides itself on offering fellowship among cyclists, regardless of experience, ability, aspirations, or the equipment you own."

I am of the opinion that via a combination of the Council, the local media and our local health professionals we make it available to "get me people riding, more often"

I don't know that we'd be doing our fellow citizens a favour by encouraging them onto a recumbent.

I vote that we sell it and buy something useful, like a proper derny.




Maybe we could put an engine in it....

If Ryde Rehab can get good use from it then that seems a great outcome.

The Committee meets next Thursday 13 Feb. We'll be making a decision then. Can those who might be able to find out further info, do so before then? And post here please.

Any other ideas?

If people are keen to look at options beyond Ryde Rehab apparently the Ceberbral Palsy appliance https://www.cerebralpalsy.org.au/ and Minimbah (http://minimbah.org.au/) were suggested alternatives. I've not made contact with them however.

Only other thing that came to my mind is perhaps we could look to setting up a formal relationship with a bike rental mob like Livelo (which I understand may already have some DHBC connections), and perhaps make the trike available via them? That way the club might be able to derive some ongoing revenue from the trike, and it can remain available for anyone stuck in an ugly rehab situaton.

In my mind, that infernal contraption is yours, Greg. Whatever you think is best done with it is fine by me. As a fellow shareholder, you can have my proxy vote.

Just had a message from a friend of mine who is the Chef de Mission for the Paralympic team (though is not in Sochi due to maternity leave). The NSWIS Para cycling head coach, Tom Skulander, may have an athlete who is in need of it.

What are the thoughts to that?

I'm not really happy with it going to the Para Olympic team - they have their own sponsors and can surely raise $2k or whatever it cost themselves? I'd much prefer to see it go to a rehab centre or other worthy cause. I also liked the rental scheme idea.

So I today met a guy in one of my therapy groups who has a disturbingly familiar tale. He came off his bike in June (admittedly a mountain bike not roadie), landed heavily face first, spent a couple of weeks in a coma, and is slowly fighting his way back.

He's a Czech lad. Nice bloke, probably mid 30s. Married but otherwise no family here. Lives on Broadway.

Super keen to get back on the bike and follows road cycling avidly.

I've mentioned the recumbent option, and he's going to try get the OK of the docs. His neck if a bit naff, so that's not a certainty. But if he does get the OK, I'd like to loan him the recumbent (in the absence of any firm decisions). Perhaps we could get him to join the DHBC as part of the deal. Thoughts?

sounds good to me

I forgot to update the forum or follow up. The committee decided to donate it to Ryde Rehab. Greg - can I ask you to help line that up?

Will do. The Czech lad may well end up being the first beneficiary via Ryde so win win

So the recumbent has a new home having been handed to Royal Rehab at Ryde.



The guys up there were super appreciative, and the new building & surrounds up there makes jumping on a recumbent far easier for all parties. It's gone to a good home.

Again, thank you all for helping me out with this. Hopefully others can now benefit as much as I did.

Why don't forums have "like" buttons

Nice one Greg! Thanks for the update.