Adaptive Bike Demonstration

11th Annual Tour de Whidbey: Saturday, September 22, 2012

Tour de Whidbey
Adaptive Bicycle Demonstration

AN ACCESSIBLE OPTION

The Rehabilitation staff of Whidbey General Hospital hosts an accessible and free option to the Tour de Whidbey bicycle event. Thanks to a partnership between Whidey General Hospital Foundation and outdoors For All an adaptive bicycle demonstration is held from Noon - 4pm the day of the Tour, in the corner parking lot at the Performing Arts Center of the Coupeville Middle-High School at South Main Street and Terry Road.

Participants have the opportunity to try out a variety of adapted cycles including hand cycles, recumbent tricycles, side-by-side recumbent tandems, and stick steering trikes. Rehabilitation therapists from the hospital are available alongside Outdoors For All staff to assist with helmets, straps, and fitting of the cycles. Everyone, whether they were born with a disability or became “differently-abled” due to an accident or injury, illness or age, have an opportunity to experience cycling. Adaptive bicycles allow anyone to reap the benefits of cycling (improved strength, flexibility/range of motion, endurance, sensory/movement, increased sense of well-being, tremendous social implications) and to participate actively with family and/or friends.

“Do you know how much I LOVE to bike?” exclaimed 18-year-old Eva as she pedaled around the adaptive bike demonstration track with an enormous grin. Eva is developmentally delayed and though she can independently walk around her environment, she is not stable enough to ride on a 2-wheeled bicycle. At the event, however, Eva pedaled confidently and independently around the track on a 3-wheeled cycle. With a helmet sized to her head and a brief training on how to use the brakes, Eva felt stable and secure enough to cycle on her own.