Adaptive bikes
Introduction
This chapter explores provision within the pilot projects for children and young people who require an adaptive bike or a bike that specifically meets their individual needs. We use the term ‘adaptive bikes’ throughout this chapter to refer to bikes which are designed or modified to fit the needs of an individual.
Provision of adaptive bikes
Most projects delivered some adaptive bikes within their pilot. The pilot which exited the programme in early 2022, due to wider reasons beyond the pilot, focused entirely on refurbishing abandoned adaptive bikes and developing a hub where young people can come to use the bikes in a safe environment. When the project exited the programme in early 2022, the funding was distributed between some of the other projects to ensure inclusion of adaptive bikes.
| Project | Proposed volume | Actual volume | Proposed budget | Actual budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bike for Good | 12 | 9 | £9,720 | £14,679 |
| Cycling Friendly Secondary Schools | Not specified | 27 | £10,000 | £80,453 |
| Equality Cycles | Not specified | 0 | £20,000 | 0 |
| I Bike | 4 | 0 | £16,000 | 0 |
| Pedal Up Shetland | 3 | 6 | £7,200 | £6,660 |
| Rock Up and Ride | At least 4 | 9 | £20,000 | £8,180 |
| Angus Re-Cycles | n/a | 1 | n/a | £40* |
*This is the capital cost of the bike parts, and does not include time spent re-furbishing the bike. Note: The cost of adaptive bikes varied greatly, depending on the type of bike purchased. Barnardo’s Gearing Up and Bike Buddies did not include provision of adaptive bikes.
Five projects had either ordered or distributed adaptive bikes at the time of this evaluation. Three of the pilot projects – Rock Up and Ride, Pedal Up Shetland and Cycling Friendly Secondary Schools – were using a fleet or library model for the adaptive bikes.
I Bike included a provision for adaptive bikes and offered these throughout the year, but at the time of the evaluation had not yet had any requests for these. Equality Cycles had set aside funding for adaptive bikes but had not yet been able to progress this at the time of the evaluation. This delay was partly due to one of the pilot projects withdrawing, which focused on adaptive bikes and Equality Cycles planned to work in partnership with.
Two projects indicated that they were able to make minor adaptations to standard bikes to accommodate some needs – such as removing the pedals to turn a standard bike into a balance bike. Two partners involved in this evaluation were disappointed that a project did not have capacity to explore adaptive bikes, and did not ask about bespoke needs as part of its application process. A few project leads suggested that approaches to providing adaptive bikes may be best nationally coordinated, and administered through a centralised loan scheme.
Example: Pedal Up Shetland
Pedal Up Shetland worked with Ability Shetland to develop a system for loaning adaptive bikes. Ability Shetland will manage the loan system and will run a booking system on their website for this, with bikes stored in existing storage facilities at an adjacent sports centre. The project found it challenging to source adaptive bikes and ordered three hand bikes and three adapted trikes which had not yet arrived at the time of this evaluation due to long lead in times for manufacture and delivery of adaptive bikes.
Example: Cycling Friendly Secondary Schools
Schools were able to identify children who were in need of adaptive or bespoke bikes. As a result, 27 adaptive cycles were funded across 11 projects including handcycles, side-by-side bikes and tricycles. The average cost was £2,980 per cycle. Bikes were sourced by the schools, and allocated on the school sites.
One school involved in this evaluation had ordered and received four adaptive bikes through the Cycling Friendly Secondary Schools pilot, as well as funding for a Gold Velotech certificate for the teacher. The school felt this was particularly important as maintaining the adapted bikes is very different and is vital, particularly when the young people have additional needs. The bikes are stored in a classroom as they are very large. The teacher reported that the young people are very happy with the bikes and excited to use them.
Another school was successful in receiving funding for two bikes accessible for young people who are in wheelchairs. The bikes are used in school and out in the community. The wheelchair can come off the front, which means that young people can go out in the community on the bike and then go in to go for an ice cream or a coffee on outings. It also means they can lend the bikes to families during holidays as the bikes can be more easily stored.
By getting out and about more, the children have the chance to engage more with local people. They are having fun and the bike looks cool, which is a great talking point.” Teacher
The cycling opportunities are helping to build communication skills – working on words like “ready, steady, go”, “faster, slower and stop”, and building stamina and fitness. The bikes are also helping to empower young people, and give them control over their lives.
Example: Rock Up and Ride
Rock Up and Ride worked with local clubs, schools and Active Schools to make clear that they can meet a range of needs. The project sourced two adaptive bikes for children with additional support needs. One was a new trike at a cost of £1,248, with a back rest and platform pedals. The second bike involved modifying a Frog bike by fitting Mission Cycles mobility wheels at a cost of £155 for the wheels, plus the cost of the bike.
Rock Up and Ride is also setting up an adaptive bikes library in Dundee in partnership with Dundee Dragons, which is due to open in August 2022. Young people will be able to book a session on an adaptive bike on a club led ride and return it when they are finished. At the time of this evaluation, Rock Up and Ride had provided 7 refurbished adaptive bikes to the Dundee Dragons, to develop the bike library.
Example: Bike for Good
Bike for Good worked with a family at a school for pupils with additional support needs but following exploration of needs and understanding of costs involved (£7,000 for a wheelchair bike) and timescales (8 weeks) the family decided not to go ahead. Bike for Good has ordered 9 adaptive bikes at a cost of £1,600 each through Theraplay. At the time of this evaluation the bikes were still being manufactured and had not been issued.
Learning about adaptive bikes
Projects learned that sourcing bikes could be challenging, and took longer than for standard bikes. A few projects opted to obtain refurbished adaptive bikes, as they found it challenging to source new adaptive bikes.
The lead-in time for getting adaptive bikes is much longer, as the manufacturing process is more complex, but is very important to provide access to these bikes.” Project lead
Project leads and partners found it challenging to predict how many young people would need an adaptive bike, and the type of bike required. The cost of new adaptive bikes is high and without knowing how many young people would need an adaptive bike, projects found it hard to forecast budgets.
A few project leads and partners commented that there are banks of unused adaptive bikes across Scotland, which are likely to be falling into disrepair. They felt there was scope to work with the people storing these bikes to repair them and bring them back into use, but it could be hard to access them.
There are fleets of them sitting in shipping containers, but they’re hard to access and people don’t want to give them up because they’re so expensive.” Project partner
Projects also found that it was important to think about storage. Adaptive bikes are usually larger than standard bikes, and require more space for storage. One project indicated that adaptive bikes could be equivalent to around three to four standard bikes in size and storage requirements. Project leads were conscious that a family may not have sufficient and secure storage to keep it. Distribution of larger adaptive bikes also required careful consideration. One partner suggested that the solution may be for projects to store the bikes on site for people to use, rather than expecting families to store, and insure, the bikes at home.
Projects found that regular maintenance for adaptive bikes was particularly important. A few partners (community bike projects and schools) indicated that specialist skills would be required to maintain adapted bikes.
Lastly, a few project leads highlighted that it was important to think about how young people would use adaptive bikes, which cannot always be used on the road, and the best way to provide bikes and safe cycling opportunities.
Participant experiences
The evaluation involved speaking with a small number of parents whose children had the opportunity to use an adaptive bike through one of the pilots. Researchers also visited the school involved and observed bike sessions with pupils with additional support needs. These pupils were not able to communicate verbally, but demonstrated their enthusiasm for the opportunity through their clear enjoyment of the bike sessions. The pupils were able to use adaptive bikes while at school, during supported and supervised bike sessions.
Example: Adaptive bikes in school
The evaluation involved discussions with two families of young people who were able to use adaptive bikes at school. The school received funding for adaptive bikes through the Cycling Friendly Secondary Schools pilot. Initially, parents were asked if their child was interested, and had to sign off on certain health and safety aspects like lifting and handling. Parents also visited the school during bike sessions, to see how the staff worked with the young people during the bike sessions. Parents also had the chance to sit in and ride the bikes, and make sure they were happy with the level of safety. Initially, the staff rode with the young people in the bike within the school corridors, and then in the playground.
Parents reflected positively on the experience. One boy now uses the bike several times a week, at school and in the local area – with support and supervision. His family are pleased that he has the opportunity. He had previously used a tricycle with his family, as it is good for him to keep his hips and legs moving, but he had outgrown it. His family felt that the opportunity made a big difference to his health, wellbeing and happiness.
It’s an avenue for happiness. It makes him feel a bit chuffed with himself, he’s up high so he feels like he’s king of the castle. It’s emotional therapy for him. He’s going out and about and hearing things, seeing things. It’s bringing on his language and stimulating him in new ways.” Parent
“It’s super to see. It just brings happiness, joy. It brings glee! That’s definitely the word I would use, glee.” Parent
Another family felt that the opportunity helped their son to see what was possible, and had helped the family to expand the types of things they can do together.
I thought it was brilliant. My son can’t use a standard bike, so it gives him the chance to get out and know what it feels like to be on a bike. And that’s amazing.” Parent
This family said that if there was a possibility of being able to use the bike occasionally at the weekend this would be very highly valued, to be able to go on family trips and do things as a family.
As a family it’s had an impact. It makes us realise that there are things available for him to experience. We’re so used to thinking about all the things we can’t do, and this has helped us to see that there are things we can do.” Parent