Paralyzed cyclist is ‘cured’ by bike crash and now she hopes to take part in the Olympics
The headline above is really hard to believe. Monique van der Vorst was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for 13 years. She had taken up hand cycling after a routine ankle operation paralyzed one leg. While riding her hand cycle she was struck by a car, and became completely paralyzed from the waist down. Then a collision with a cyclist cured her. Her remarkable story is detailed in an article in The Daily Mail.
Conquering the World’s Steepest Street
Ryohei Oguchi is cycling around the world and in this short video he climbs the steepest street in the world with his fully loaded touring bicycle. It is remarkable to me that the camera person can’t stay with him. The heavy breathing you hear is from the camera operator.
It’s Pittsburgh: Dirty Dozen bike race
While on the subject of steep climbs, this video is long (27:44) but worth a look for the insanely steep roads cyclists climb in the Dirty Dozen bike race. The program is produced by WQED Pittsburgh.
httpv://youtu.be/Oiu-y-WxHqc
Flywheel Bicycle
When an engineering student first learns about the ability of flywheels to store energy, the concept seems irresistible and limitless. I’ve seen many attempts to implement a flywheel on a bicycle to help re-accelerate and to brake. Maxwell von Stein, a 22-year-old graduate of The Cooper Union, has designed and built and bicycle that is one of best implementations I’ve seen. The flywheel bicycle might just be practical in flat areas as the additional weight will be a in hindrance in hilly or mountainous terrain. Check out this well produced video about his design.
httpv://youtu.be/shPgLBlBABc
The Power of Music to Heal a Brain
Gabrielle Giffords survived a near-deadly gun shot to the brain and is fighting to regain the life she had. The video below is an ABC News story on her come back and the unique role that music plays in the brain.
httpv://youtu.be/0JguBqtRaQ0
This is a weekly digest of web links I think are worth checking out. Please comment on what you find interesting. If you have something to share, please submit links of interest to mike@kineticshift.com.