Right Arm project

01/31/2023

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesApology · Billy Martin, John Medeski · William Martin , John MedeskiMago℗ 2007 Amulet RecordsReleased on: 2007-...

10/04/2016

I will be at Brown county state park this weekend Friday -Sunday helping out with MTB skills clinic. I will also be tweaking my prosthetic set up. Going to try a more aggressive position. The goal is improvement on technical trails. I am trying to adjust my set up to match my newly acquired MTB skills from Sundance Mountain Bike clinics I have been attending. I am working towards schooner trace trail.

05/19/2016

Chest harness is back at Dr. Rocco's. getting much needed repairs and making a cast so we can test out some ideas to improve fit and my over heating.

10/19/2015

I am chatting with A Step Ahead prosthetic. I am hoping they have some ideas for connecting my arm. They do some crazy stuff like implanting titanium into bones. http://www.weareastepahead.com/

10/15/2015

I need a harness like this. Over heating is an issue with my current set up. Every one seems to know somebody that weaves carbon or has a 3d printer, but do you know someone that knows how to create things rather than run from a template?

10/05/2015

I had a great day of test riding with my new Thompson Elite Dropper post. We did just over 17 miles at Versailles. Lots of high speed thrills. my new POC elbow and knee pads were also put to the test. happy to report all smiles and no blood.

09/30/2015

Dropper post installed. I am also going to try a 1x. All thanks to Matt. After installing the post, I want to put one on my arm. I want to instal it upside down

09/23/2015

Yes please! No cables means it's an option for my prosthetic. my hope is to be able to move into a better position for climbing and descending. Anyone have a hook up at Magura? or 400 euros burning a hole in your pocket.

The wireless, electronic Vyron seat post might sound like it's from the future, but it turns out the the future is now.

09/04/2015

Update: I will be adding a dropper seat post to my set up. Thanks to Thompson bike I have the chance to test out the seat post before I shell out big bucks. I am curious to see if I can push the button at the end of a race. I have problems with hand fatigue and usually can’t shift after a couple of hours of technical riding. The folks at Reser Bicycle Outfitters Outfitters are also working with me to see if we can add a dropper post to my prosthetic. The goal would be to have more movement and positioning on the bike. The big hurdle now is the cable. I fear breaking the cable if it’s attached to me. If anyone can dream up a quick release, for a dropper post that would be my right forearm that would be sweet.

08/25/2015

08/24/2015

08/20/2015

The Right Arm Project. Building a prosthetic for Mountain biking with above elbow dis-articulation. There are currently no viable prosthetic solutions for above elbow dis-articulate riders. I have been developing a prosthetic for myself for more than a decade. As a result I have a chest harness and a prosthetic right arm that attaches to the harness and a hand that attaches to my bike. The hand attachment allows for quick release from the handlebars.
The purpose of this page is to share resources, network, design, and test as well as seek funding for research and development of “The Right Arm”. This is not a left vs. right thing. It’s a Right tool for the job thing. My goal is not just to have a good time on my bike, but to bring forward a commercially viable product to market.
Since receiving the arm I have spent a few seasons trying to learn how to ride with two arms. As my skill has improved so has my performance on the bike. Most notable with descents on off camber sections.
After two years of testing the arm on cross, road and mountain, we have observed some design limitations of the set up. The set up can be easily broken into four components. The Arm, shoulder attachment/connection, the chest harness and the hand.
The Arm
The Arm was designed for a below elbow amputee. This point is a big deal. At first, my thoughts were that we could just add on to the set up. We did. We created a chest harness and shoulder socket to receive the arm. Then we created an addition that would attach to the arm and shoulder socket. This addition led to two issues. First, the below elbow design was intended to be articulated with the remaining stub/arm allowing the rider to push and pull the handlebars. The arm has a fox ctd for an elbow. When we added the extra length to allow for proper fit the socket/harness, the shock was rendered ineffective. We also have issues with placement and movement of the arm. It is practically an alloy stick connected to my chest harness that is capable of delivering fantastic blows to my face and neck via my chest harness.
Shoulder
The shoulder is an aluminum bracket that allows the arm to be inserted. The Shoulder is connected to the chest harness with aluminum straps pop riveted into the plastic composite harness. There is a lot of movement in the shoulder. It can get into positions that change the geometry of the arm making it difficult to move around and handle the bike.
Chest harness
The chest harness is made of a plastic composite. I allows for the arm to be connected to me. The harness is hot and restricts my breathing. It also has a lot of room for movement when I have it on. The movement’s works against articulation of my arm. The chest harness also restricts my torso movement and flexibility. The harness also covers my kidneys contributing to overheating while riding.
The hand
The hand allows for my arm to attach to the handlebars. The hand allows for wrist flex. It has a cord to operate the quick release. The quick release doesn’t dis engage when I go over the bars. I think a pedal cleat solution may allow for better release and weight savings.