# Cycling with a disabled child



## ScotiaLass (8 Jul 2014)

My son is 13. He has Autism as well as dyspraxia and a medical condition called CVS (this one doesn't affect his cycling but if he gets stressed it can bring on an episode).
The issue is really his lack of confidence. He only learned to ride a bike last year.

When on holiday a couple of weeks back I took my MTB with me and hired him one. 
He did really well on the wide paths, but anything else he was a nightmare! He wouldn't go up or down hills, on roads or trails in the woods.
He wobbled a lot and panicked, and spent most of his time cycling around the caravan park.

I tried again today, taking him with me and my older son, for a short ride to the local reservoir, about ½ a mile from the house.
He walked down the hill from the house...he wobbled his way through the supermarket car park then walked down the street. We got to the start point of the woods and he freaked out and had a total meltdown.
I had to walk him home, crying. He just kept saying that he's scared of falling off 

What can I do? I've tried everything I can think of. 
I even thought about a trike or something, but are they expensive. 
I want him to enjoy cycling and gain confidence on his bike but he's really struggling.
Ideas?


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## AndyRM (8 Jul 2014)

No personal advice, but these seem to be well thought of - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adult-Bike-Stabilisers-Fit-Wheels/dp/B0082A6SYC

Considerably cheaper than a trike as well.

Good luck!


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## welsh dragon (8 Jul 2014)

Hey SL. The bottom line is Josh may not want to cycle. I know you would like him to but perhaps it really isnt for him. Maybe you will just have to do nothing. Leave him to it. Maybe take him for a walk along the route a few times. Maybe if he does that, it will give him the confidence to ride his bike along the route. 

Apart from that, there isn't much you can do is there? Have you asked him if he wants to ride a bike?


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## ScotiaLass (8 Jul 2014)

welsh dragon said:


> Hey SL. The bottom line is Josh may not want to cycle. I know you would like him to but perhaps it really isnt for him. Maybe you will just have to do nothing. Leave him to it. Maybe take him for a walk along the route a few times. Maybe if he does that, it will give him the confidence to ride his bike along the route.
> 
> Apart from that, there isn't much you can do is there? Have you asked him if he wants to ride a bike?


He does want to ride a bike and sees us going out and wants to come, or asks me to take him out.


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## Cold (8 Jul 2014)

With my son who has a physical disability and was also terrified of falling off every time he mentioned falling I never said anything when he did eventually fall off all I said was see it wasn't so bad and he has never mentioned it again.
Everyday we went out and did something different braking, turning and so on he is still shaky but getting better every week.
As your son was happy to cycle around the caravan park which I am guessing was flat then maybe going somewhere flat is a good place and try and build his confidence then introduce small lumps and roads.


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## djb1971 (8 Jul 2014)

Maybe if he had his own bike and kit you could keep doing the rides he likes until he gains more confidence. Get him a helmet and elbow pads for when he's on his own mtb.


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## fossyant (8 Jul 2014)

A little at a time. At first my daughter wouldn't ride down our hill, but they will eventually get it. Maybe more riding on open spaces, then try the track again.


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## welsh dragon (8 Jul 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> He does want to ride a bike and sees us going out and wants to come, or asks me to take him out.



At least he wants to go. Andy had a good idea about the stabilisers? They might make him feel more secure. Worth a go anyway.


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## ScotiaLass (8 Jul 2014)

fossyant said:


> A little at a time. At first my daughter wouldn't ride down our hill, but they will eventually get it. Maybe more riding on open spaces, then try the track again.


Yes...he looked pretty confident going around a circuit on a large, wide paved area. Still wobbled but didn't freak out.
It may be that he never really gets into it, I've found that there's things he wants to do at the time, but has no real interest in. 
Cycling maybe one of those things - I just want him to be happy in whatever he wants to do.
If it continues to cause him stress then we'll have to try something else.


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## Ganymede (8 Jul 2014)

Hi ScotiaLass - I was at a farm where disabled adults live today - my friend works there - and saw one of these:

http://bikeclub.org.uk/category/southend-on-sea/

Too unwieldy for "proper cycling" but it made me think, and I remembered these people: http://www.wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/about-us. These guys are in the south but I wonder if there is anyone doing this up your way? It might be worth ringing them or doing some further googling. They specifically say they help with both physical and mental barriers to cycling. You might be able to improve your son's confidence this way and it may support his cycling on a regular bike.

Just a thought, I'm no expert!


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## byegad (8 Jul 2014)

Maybe a KMX trike would suit. hard to fall off unless you go mad and they do come up second hand from time to time.

The latest model is here. https://www.kmxkarts.co.uk/Recumbent-Trikes/KMX-Kidz/KMX-Kompact--R-.aspx


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## ScotiaLass (8 Jul 2014)

byegad said:


> Maybe a KMX trike would suit. hard to fall off unless you go mad and they do come up second hand from time to time.
> 
> The latest model is here. https://www.kmxkarts.co.uk/Recumbent-Trikes/KMX-Kidz/KMX-Kompact--R-.aspx



oh oh....just showed him this and his face lit up. I asked him if he'd ride something like that and he said yes and it was cool lol
There is a place near us that does disability bikes etc, maybe I'll see if he can have a ride on something similar


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## Ganymede (8 Jul 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> oh oh....just showed him this and his face lit up. I asked him if he'd ride something like that and he said yes and it was cool lol
> There is a place near us that does disability bikes etc, maybe I'll see if he can have a ride on something similar


Yay! (I keep saying that to you recently!)


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## Pat "5mph" (8 Jul 2014)

Take him on a day out in Glasgow at Freewheel North, they specialize in cycling with different ability groups.
He could have supervised fun on the track on a specially adapted bike, while you could go on a short led ride, or around the park - diffuses the tension of having Mum there while trying to learn 
You don't need to bring your bike, you can borrow one of theirs.
It only costs a pound for the day.
Led rides leave on a Tuesday at 10.30 or on a Friday at 10.
Contact them first if you want to borrow a bike.
Freewheel North is open every day during the summer (apart from Saturdays) from 10.30 to late afternoon, supposed to be till 2.30 but if the weather is good they stay open longer.


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## annedonnelly (8 Jul 2014)

In the short term is it worth putting his seat so low that he can easily put his feet down if he feels he might fall. Once he's more confident you can sneak it back up bit by bit.


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## ufkacbln (8 Jul 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> oh oh....just showed him this and his face lit up. I asked him if he'd ride something like that and he said yes and it was cool lol
> There is a place near us that does disability bikes etc, maybe I'll see if he can have a ride on something similar




Byegad beat me to it

The KMX are brilliant for kids.

There are other options such as a trailer bike, tandem etc, but IMHO these are not going to reinforce the independence that you seek, and he needs

All I would say is that if you go down this route, be careful how you "sell" the idea


KMX were designed as robust kids trikes and NOT as disabled equipment

For this reason there is a lot of footage on YouTube and the likes of kids simply having fun on these machines

Selling it as a fun and cool trike would be more of an incentive than a "Disabled" aid

Unfortunately, you cannot reclaim the VAT as (from what I understand from your posts) the machine will be standard and can "be ridden by a non-disabled rider"

The same problem I had when I bought my wife's Gekko


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## Dave 123 (9 Jul 2014)

There is an organisation called Charlottes Tandems who loan tandems to disabled people for free.
This may not be what you're looking for exactly, but they might just know a few people who have to deal with issues such as this.
I would also get onto British Cycling (quickly, whilst you still qualify......!!!) as they should know how to help.


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## MikeW-71 (9 Jul 2014)

A Trike seems an excellent solution to me.

The issue seems to be his balance and hence a huge fear of falling off. He either has to defeat the fear by practice, (and progress may be so slow as to put him off completely) or remove the fear by using something that he can't fall off.

IMO the trike wins. He can come out cycling with you, he has no balance issues, you don't have to worry about him falling off, he gains confidence by being more independent. Everyone's a winner 

He can always try an upright bike again when he's older.


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## Learnincurve (10 Jul 2014)

I'm in the same boat, I bought him a bike but he's scared of trying to ride it, I know he wants to though. I'm going to try the adult stabilizers but when he gets older it's going to be a tandem so he can't ride away from me.


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## rvw (10 Jul 2014)

Not sure I can help a great deal, but just a couple of thoughts from a tandemist's perspective (as a stoker): 

- the balance thing may be an issue, as a wobbly stoker is the last thing a captain wants. @srw finds it hard if I so much as wriggle a bit without notice!
- would your son be happy to have less control? Being unable to stop at will, when he sees something which he doesn't like, could be quite frightening.
- from the back, the restricted view might mean that he is taken by surprise by oncoming traffic - again, this might be disconcerting. 

None of these are reasons not to try - but hiring or borrowing first would definitely be good, to get some idea of whether it would work!


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## Eagone (10 Jul 2014)

Can't offer any more advice than already given, apart from don't give up!

Small steps - your'll get there!


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## ScotiaLass (10 Jul 2014)

Im


rvw said:


> Not sure I can help a great deal, but just a couple of thoughts from a tandemist's perspective (as a stoker):
> 
> - the balance thing may be an issue, as a wobbly stoker is the last thing a captain wants. @srw finds it hard if I so much as wriggle a bit without notice!
> - would your son be happy to have less control? Being unable to stop at will, when he sees something which he doesn't like, could be quite frightening.
> ...


 not going the tandem route.
He likes the look of the trike so we're going to try and get him a trial on one first


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## Nigeyy (12 Jul 2014)

Just want to add my best wishes and good luck -keep us posted with how it goes. Seems to me you have a pretty good attitude to this already. Not that I'm an expert at all, but it's nice to see the suggestions too.


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## young Ed (13 Jul 2014)

AndyRM said:


> No personal advice, but these seem to be well thought of - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adult-Bike-Stabilisers-Fit-Wheels/dp/B0082A6SYC
> 
> Considerably cheaper than a trike as well.
> 
> Good luck!


a amazon customer review that sounds like it could almost be @ScotiaLass !


> i brought these for my sons bike as he has balance problems and cant ride a bike with out them was a lot cheaper than buying him a 3 whealer trike


Cheers Ed


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## Charlotte's Tandems (6 Oct 2014)

Tandeming is the way forward.

We've had lots of children, like you have described, riding our tandems nice and safely.

Charlotte's Tandems is nationwide and we lend tandems for FREE for two months at a time.

See lots of feedback from past Borrowers on our website, CharlottesTandems.co.uk


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## PaulSB (20 Oct 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> Im
> 
> not going the tandem route.
> He likes the look of the trike so we're going to try and get him a trial on one first



Could I suggest you don't rule out tandems completely, especially in the future.

My middle son Tom has Downs Syndrome and dyspraxia, his balance, in cycling terms, is non-exsistent and basic road sense, in terms of learning to cross the road unaided, has not proved possible to date. Consequently cycling alone, i.e. on his own bike, whether escorted or not, is not achievable. Tom will be 26 this year and is leading a very full life with Supported Living in the Community.

We used child seats and when Tom became too heavy I used a variety of what I'll describe as "tow-a-bikes" - it's a while ago now and I can't remember the specific ones we used. We reached a point when it be came too dangerous, weight and stability became a problem, to use these and Tom's cycling with myself and his brothers had to stop. We then found ourselves on holiday one summer in Cornwall and got the chance to hire a tandem for use on a local traffic-free route - again can't recall exactly where. This was an immediate hit with Tom, sometime after the holiday ended I was able to buy a very good secondhand Orbit tandem which is still in use today.

I fully understand every parent wants their child to achieve as much independence as possible, especially those of us privileged to care for special children, and if your son can learn to ride solo safely this has to be the right route. However this was never achievable for my lad and the tandem is the answer. A local cyclist has become a volunteer to take Tom cycling every Wednesday, so successful has this been Tom's shared house has been able to borrow a second tandem from a similar organisation to Charlotte's Tandems (might even be one of hers) for another young man from the house to join these rides.

Tom shares with three other young men, one who cannot go on a bike, another who rides solo but must be escorted, another who is good on a tandem. Using the tandems, one carer and one volunteer three of these young men can get out to the shops, local rides and full day rides.

The next target is a tour!!!! The plan is to take two tandems, one bike, and two carers on bikes and head off for a 25-30 miler, overnight stay and then home the next day!!


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## Chopster (31 Oct 2014)

good luck with the trike! I have a son with disabilities too, started out on a mission trike, then once he had got the hang of steering and pedalling and built up confidence he did eventually move to two wheels. He still lacks stamina, strength and is a bit nervous and lacks road awareness, but he does enjoy it now. I think the trike is def the way to go.


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## jack smith (1 Nov 2014)

Any update on this @ScotiaLass im rather interested


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## Big Nick (2 Nov 2014)

My mate has a son with some mental and physical disabilities and bought a tandem!

His son absolutely loves it and being effectively joined to his Dad overcame his nervousness


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## mickle (2 Nov 2014)

Talk to me @ScotiaLass, I sell bikes for people with disabilities for a living. And I've got some used Kmxs for sale. And I'm visiting Scotland soon.
Mick.allan(at)getcycling.org.uk


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## ScotiaLass (2 Nov 2014)

mickle said:


> Talk to me @ScotiaLass, I sell bikes for people with disabilities for a living. And I've got some used Kmxs for sale. And I'm visiting Scotland soon.
> Mick.allan(at)getcycling.org.uk


Thanks Mickle. At the moment he is totally off the idea of cycling at all 
I shall ask him again and see if he has changed his mind. He is 14 and well aware of his disabilities which makes it more difficult.


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