OT: Cycling w/ a Child w/ Disabilities

[Hoboken Biker]

I'm looking for any and all advise regading cycling for my brother & his 4 yr old Autistic son. Daniel seems to really get a kick out of going for a ride but has outgrown a regular kid's seat, a trailer is an option but we came upon this wacky looking bike called a BuddyBike www.buddybike.com which really seems like the perfect idea. Since Daniel couldn't ride on the back of a tandem this bike puts him in front of you. Does anyone have any experience with it? Seen it? Have any + or - thoughts? Or does anyone have any experiece with other options? The bike is $1,300 with $170 worth of shipping & I'm looking into have the LBS get set up as a dealer. The bikes ship from Chino CA. I'll take any info, since we are going to get Daniel on a bike one way or another. The shot attached is Daniela & I in his TeePee.

There are a number of upcoming events where the bikes can be ridden if there is any chance that any of you Serotta brethren are near one of these events & could check it out we would be very greatful.

Buddy Bike Group Ride, Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, FL, 4/22/07

AAIDD Annual Meeting & Exhibit, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, GA, 5/22/07 - 5/23/07, www.aaidd.org, [NOT CONFIRMED]

The Family Cafe Annual Conference, The Family Café, Inc., The Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, FL, 06/08/07 - 06/10/07, www.familycafe.net

INTERBIKE International Bike Expo, Bootleg Canyon and The Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas, NV, 9/26/06 - 9/29/06, www.interbike.com

The World Congress & Expo on Disabilities, Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C., 11/15/07 - 11/17/07, www.wcdexpo.com

[rwsaunders]

There is a gent (from Boston?) that makes the world news on a regular basis as he has been pedaling his disabled son on his bike for years. Let me do some research and hopefully I can find some information. Hopefully some other Forum member knows who I am talking about and can beat me to it.

[ada@prorider.or]

http://home.versatel.nl/rsdevos/
http://www.auto-zeeland.nl/Fietskarren/040%20De%20FollowMe/040DEF_1.HTM

in holland we see this alot
http://www.jonico.nl/index.html?lang=nl&target=front.html

[rwsaunders]

Perhaps contacting them might give you a lead on the cycling gear that they use.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9911/29/hoyt.family/index.html

[JasonF]

I have a 7 year-old autistic son who loves to go riding in a Chariot Cougar trailer. We have an amazing 70-mile canal towpath that connects the Delaware and Raritan rivers in central NJ, so I pull him using my IF Planet Cross.

You probably know that autism is a spectrum disorder, so there are children who are very high functioning, and children who are not. My son falls into the "moderate" category, and can not ride a bike yet. I would also be concerned about him falling off of one of those mini-bikes that attach to the rear of my own bike. For these reasons, I pull him in the trailer. He loves it, and I get one heck of a workout. Between my son and the trailer, I'm pulling about 100 pounds. My son is very small and skinny for a 7 year old, so the trailer is still roomy. I haven't considered the Buddy Bike, but at least with my Planet Cross I can go on solo rides.

In the future, I would like him to get more involved in the exercise aspect of cycling; but for now he is very content letting me do all the work!

[Hoboken Biker]

Thanks for all the responses, please keep them coming, we'll get little man Dan on a bike yet.

Jason - Thank you for being so open about your boy. The canal paths are a great place; I've ridden them myself many years ago, thanks for the reminder. Our idea behind this BuddyBike is that the child is a bit more engaged & getting some exercise for him is important added compenent. Our fear is that Daniel would most likely tend to just zone out in his own world if he was sitting in the trailer, but it sounds like your boy is a bit more engaged & enjoys the ride.

[Ozz]

Funny....I think I just saw one of those "buddybikes" yesterday on my ride.

I passed a rider who had his son in front of him and his older daugher (6+) was on one of those "third wheel" attachments off the back. They all looked to be having fun.

[bluehorseshoe]

Hoboken,

If the Buddy Bike turns out not to be suitable, consider Bilenky's viewpoint tandem, which also seats the stoker (passenger) in front of the rider.

I hope all of you enjoy the ride, often.

Best regards.

[Hoboken Biker]

At another forumite's suggestion I investigated Hase Bikes from Germany, they've got a pretty cool set up for a tandem with the kid in front, http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/pinoontour/index.php
As well as the coolest trailer I've seen http://www.hasebikes.com/ens/trets/index.php

Anybody know anything about these folks?

[Joel]

Hoboken,

We have a 13 year old severely autistic son so we've been through all of this. We ended up getting him a very cool trike so he can ride by himself (when he's in the mood-of course!)

I'll get the name of it from my wife when I talk to her tonight and will post a picture of it for you when I get back home on Sunday. This trike is impossible to tip over and its really easily adjustable. There are a couple of sizes. It's another alternative to the tag-on approach. Stay tuned.

Best,

Joel

[goldyjackson]

Hi there,
I have nothing really to add to the bike part of this other than to say that I have a 6 year old who was orignially diagnosed with autism (he didn't speak until he was 3), but he is doing so much better he no longer qualifies for any sort of diagnosis. He's unrecognizable in many ways compared to his former self. I think it's great to try and find a way to give your nephew the enjoyment of riding a bike. I often think that my own enjoyment of riding a bike now takes me back to a much younger time... Anyway, rambling aside, I wish you all the best, and I hope you find a suitable solution. This is certainly a place where people are generous.

Best,

Jon

[Joel]

The trike our son uses is made by Trailmaster. When we bought it, they did not do much direct to consumer sales. You'd need to have him go through their local bike shop. Feel free to PM me if you/they need more information.

Best,

Joel