Upcoming events to help people with disabilities discover biking
- pjdoehring
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Two upcoming events will help people with disabilities - and those who care for them - begin to imagine riding on two (or three) wheels.
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Many of my happiest memories involve biking, whether wandering all day through Montreal suburbs as an adolescent, or exploring London with Nicholas in his toddler seat and Monique riding behind. So it is no surprise that Margot and I have logged thousands on miles together over the past 15 years, from the snowy Petit Train du Nord in Quebec (left) to the sultry Great Dismal Swamp in North Carolina.
None of it would have been possible had we not discovered the specialized equipment that broadened our horizons, from our Wike trailer (now paired with an E-bike as illustrated above) to our Hase tandem (pictured right), and now our Trio pedicab and Tender cargo bikes (pictured below). So we are very excited to be able to offer other parents a chance to see - and in some cases try out - these and other specialized bikes at two upcoming events.
The range of adaptive biking options is truly incredible (see examples from a previous blog). Those like Margot not ready to ride independently can still feel the wind in their hair in the Wike Special Needs Trailer, the Hase Pino Tandem, or Van Raam bikes that accommodate a wheelchair. More options are available for those riding independently, including trikes and handcycles, with innovative remote braking as an extra safeguard. And our customized Urban Arrow Tender cargo bike (pictured above) opens still more possibilities for bicycle-based deliveries.
The first event will take place at the Chester Valley Trailhead at Exton Park on September 26 from 10am to 3pm. with Kennett Outdoors and Lancaster Recumbent, a specialty bike shop in Marietta. Lancaster Recumbent has been holding an annual series of Recumbent Rehab clinics in partnership with Spokes Fighting Strokes. We worked with Lancaster Recumbent to help move this year's Chester County clinic targeting veterans from Coatesville Hospital to the Chester Valley Trail to offer a better setting to try out bikes. As a result, Lancaster Recumbent has added 2 hours at the beginning to accommodate adolescents and adults with disabilities (and their caregivers) to see and perhaps try out some of their bikes. We will also attend, offering trials of our Wike/Ebike pairing, the chance to see our tandem and Urban Arrow Tender cargo bike, and maybe catch a ride on our Trio Taxi (see below).
The second event will be part of the 2025 Kennett Bikefest at 600 South Broad St in Kennett Square on October 11 from 1 to 5pm. In addition to bringing our bikes listed above (and perhaps some others), we are co-sponsoring two unique additions for all riders. The first is a pilot of pop-up traffic garden. Traffic gardens are miniature cityscapes, in this case made with chalk paint and temporary signage in a large parking lot. The goal is to create a circuit 100-200 yards long to give novice riders a chance to practice riding a safe environment. The second is a pilot bike bus ride in which a group of riders hits real trails and streets in Kennett. If successful, we hope to support other events focused on riders with disabilities that also include bother Traffic Gardens and Bike buses. While we are waiting to confirm if we can offer rides on adaptive bikes other than our own, parents are welcome to bring their own bikes, try our Wike trailer/E-bike pairing, or hitch a ride on our Trio Taxi.
At these and other events, we will be taking the first steps towards a possible adaptation of the inspiring Cycling Without Age program for children with disabilities. First developed in Europe to provide rides to seniors, there are now more than 3500 chapters across the world, with many in the US. At the events in September and October we will be offering short rides in our Trio Taxi (like that pictured left) for caregivers with and adult or child with a disability (as long as their combined weight does not exceed 300 lbs). If successful, we hope to extend the pilot to include longer rides on some of our beautiful local trails, like the Jack Markell Trail, the Enola Low Grade Trail, the Schulkyll River Trail, and others, once we have identified partner programs willing to connect us with families of those with disabilities.