Father cycled -- managed to get confused (6)
I believe the answer is:
addled
'confused' is the definition.
(addling is a kind of confusing)
'father cycled managed' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'managed' could be 'led' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'led' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'add' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'to get' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for addled that I've seen before include "Confused like infertile egg" , "Of egg, rotten and producing no chick" , "Scatterbrained like bad egg" , "spoiled" , "Completely confused" .)