Towards the end of 2008 as I lay on my bed in the rehab centre in Dunedin following being stuck down with Meningitis on the 26 September which left me both deaf and blind along with being paralyzed from the st down, I was trying to work out how I could get my legs moving again. As I tere, I came up with the idea of a bed bike, I said to myself,,, “my arms are still working erill, why can’t I use them to somehow propel my legi around”and so I dreamt up a ststem where by a hand bike was connected to feet pedals via a belt driven system.
I asked the Physio’s in the GYM at the rehab centre if there was anything like this around that I could possible get my hands on, they said there was nothting like that around. When my brother Clem came to visit me from Wellington, I told him about my idea and asked him if he could build me one, he went away and got a mate to build one in his garage and had it sent down in bits to reassembled when he next visited me several months later. It was a pretty mbasic setup and with the help of staff at the centre they managed to get me into it as my poor legs were so heavy and stiff and achy. Well I managed to get it working and for a short while it worked very well but I broke the Velcro straps holding my feet in place within a short time.
Well since that day till now, there have been a further three more bikes designed and built till the one we currently hve now. It has been refined by a number of engineers and had input form a number of people within the rehabilitation sector. The be now can be used in a wheelchair of on a bed, has adjustable height, a built in computer for read outs. My brother entered it into a competition here in Wellington caleed; “Grow Wellington”and this was for home made inventions, there were 1500 entries and the You bike made it into the top 50 inventions. It was originally nick named; “The Phil bike”.
In a few weeks time it is to be showcased to the world at an expo for rehabilitation in Germany, from there it makes it’s way to the USiK to be showcased to a large GYM franchise and from there to LA to be shown to another franchise. It is an incredible story suuounding the whole design and development and my brother Clem deserves a lot of credit for believing firstly in the idea and taking it to where it now sits. I believe the idea came from my Heavinly Father as there is nothing around like it at all. There is something a little similar, but requires two people to set it up and weights 52 kg’s. Check out the websie I have put on this blog and make your own mind up about it.I cant wait to hear some of the stories that will come as a result of people using it and the impact it will have on their bodies. Not only will it be a great tool for people in wheelchairs and the likes, but also for sports people recoverying from injuries and even for general exercise as it really give you a great all body workout.
Kind regards,
Phil Thorn
Don't forget to check out my blog phillywonka.blogspot.com
'To achieve great things you not only need to act but also dream,
you not only need to plan but also believe'
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