NL DE INT EN FR PL

Here you see a direct copy of a mail, which Paul has sent to one of the guys at the spinal unit, although they never met.

 

  

Subject: FES Bike

Paul is testing the FES bike, which is placed in the hometrainer frame

  

HI Craig I have been asked by Dr XXXX  to send you some info on FES bikes. When I was looking at FES bikes I went for the BerkelBike for the following reasons:

 

Its the only one in the world that combines both hand and leg action at the same time
You can ride it outside
I met the owner of the company (Rik Berkelmans) and he knows his stuff!
The product is well made and well supported
It works really well indoors when combined with the rolling road and PC software
Its the only one I could find which had the electrodes built into shorts (The others are all stick on peel off!)
You get your own training plan (Supported by BerkelBike)

 

Why did I want to use FES?
To keep fit and control my weight
Reduce the possibility of pressure sores (Give me some bum cheeks to sit on!)
Improve bone density
Reduce spasm
To be able to ride a bike with my kids

 

 

    

Down side
Its not cheap!
The shorts are a good idea but they are still a pain to get on (But still better than sticky pads!), they are not cheap and I am not sure how long they will last!
BerkelBike are based in the Netherlands. I received my consultation with the owner first hand (Very impressive guy). You now have to go threw UK distributors and they are still going up a product learning curve. I should add the support I received from Da Vinci was very good. 

 

I have been using the product for about six weeks and i love it! I can set up and use the bike on my own, I have lost weight, I can see from my training plan that i am getting fitter, my spasm is less. The hardest thing is having the discipline to only doing what my training plan outlines (I always want to use it more!)

 

This is the web site, its a good site that should tell you everything about FES and the product www.berkelbike.com

 

Cheers
Paul

   Dual handbike: voluntary arms and stimulated paralysed legs

 

 

Some quotes from his later e-mails:

April 24th 2010: "Training is going very well on the bike, i am very much stronger and have lost about 43Lbs in weight!"

   June 17th 2010: "The cycling is going well, The summer is here at last and i am now riding my bike outside and it is fantastic! I am now riding the bike around our village lanes and i love it."