Handcycles, trikes, and tandems are now part of the Biketown mix.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland now operates the nation’s first partnership between a private bike shop, a bike share system and a city government to provide access to adaptive bicycles.

Adaptive Biketown is the latest evolution of our bike share system. But more importantly, adaptive bikes and the people who ride them are now a part of our city, our bikeways, and our community in a way they weren’t before.
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More rentals options for these bikes are coming soon!
(Photo: PBOT)

One year ago Portland was readying for the big debut of its Nike-sponsored bike share system when a thorny issue popped up: The 1,000 Biketown bikes were useless to those with disabilities and who otherwise are unable to ride a standard bicycle.

Instead of ignore the problem, PBOT put their heads down and got to work. They launched a survey to garner feedback from people with disabilities (192 people responded) and convened a task force to figure out how the program could work. The result is a new bike rental system that will be separate from — but complementary to — the Biketown system. It’s set to launch next Friday July 21st.

The new program isn’t fully fleshed out yet; but based on the survey and interviews with adaptive bike users, PBOT has figured out enough to launch a pilot.

The city will work with two existing shops: Kerr Bikes, a rental company; and Different Spokes, an adaptive bike specialist. Each of them have agreed to provide a selection of handcycles, trikes, and tandems to registered users for short-term rentals. Kerr has locations on the Esplanade (near OMSI) and at Salmon Street Fountain in Waterfront Park. Different Spokes is located at SE 4th and Ivon, just steps away from the entrance of the Springwater Corridor.[Read more…]

Biketown program manager Steve Hoyt-McBeth (right) at an Adaptive Bike Clinic in June 2016.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Portland took another step today toward fulfilling a promise they made last summer: To make the Biketown bike share program more accessible to people who are unable to ride conventional bicycles.

If all goes according to plan, adaptive bikes should be available for use by this summer.

To refresh your memory, this issue caught the Portland Bureau of Transportation off-guard last summer, just weeks before the scheduled launch of the Biketown program, when a local advocate for people with disabilities began to question the equity of a bike share system that wasn’t accessible by all of Portland’s bicycle riders. That advocate was Chloe Eudaly, who notched a victory on this issue when PBOT promised to find a solution and then went on to earn a victory at the ballot box when she became a Portland City Commissioner.

Eudaly’s prodding set PBOT on the path toward researching options and gathering information from adaptive bike users.

Today PBOT launched a survey to garner focused feedback on their plan. According to a press statement, PBOT will make adaptive bicycle rentals available through existing bike rental businesses that located near popular bike paths. Once the system is up-and-running, people who ride hand-cycles, three-wheeled trikes, and side-by-side tandems, would be able to rent one of the bikes near paths like the Eastbank Esplanade or the Springwater Corridor through a City-subsidized program.
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These “therapeutic tricycles” can change lives — but not everyone can afford one.
(Photos courtesy Portland AMBUCs)

It’s often assumed that cycling is only something that strong and athletic people can do. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Not only do people with all types of different abilities enjoy cycling, they do it on all types of bicycles. But for many of them, the barrier to bicycling isn’t physical, it’s financial.

Now there’s a Portland-based nonprofit that’s putting a dent in that problem by raising money to buy “therapeutic tricycles” for people who are unable to ride two-wheeled bikes.
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Participants in the June 5 adaptive bike clinic where the city gathered suggestions for an accessibility program.
(Photos: J.Maus/BikePortland)

After taking criticism from local accessibility advocates and from the transportation commissioner’s political challenger, Portland says it’ll fund a discounted rental program for handcycles and trikes.

It seems to be the first such program in the country, though city staff couldn’t say for sure.

The goal is to make it possible for more people with disabilities get access to bicycles, in the same way that most other people will have an option to use Biketown, the publicly backed bike sharing system that launches July 19.

[Read more…]

Adaptive bikes allow people to ditch their walkers and wheelchairs for something a lot more efficient and fun.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

“Demo days” are a common thing in the bike industry. It’s where a company parks their truck and tent at a trailhead and offers free test rides. They bring all the sizes and models so that everyone can try out a bike. But as we’ve learned recently in a robust conversation about access to the city’s bike share program, “everyone” often only includes people who are physically able to ride a common, two-wheeled bicycle.

On Sunday a host of organizations — including the City of Portland — hosted the 12th annual Adaptive Bike Clinic. It was an opportunity for anyone — including people with disabilities — to test ride the bike of their dreams.
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David Griffiths has developed a concise and compelling way of talking and thinking about bicycles as a metaphor for life.
(Photos: M.Andersen/BikePortland)

For years, as deeply as he loved language, David Griffiths thought social media wasn’t for him.

[Read more…]

Portland resident Ian Jaquiss and his handcycle.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland International Raceway (just north of the Kenton Neighborhood) is set to host yet another type of bicycling to its schedule. I’ve recently reported on the mountain bike and road bike racing that happens out there and I’ve also shared the annual human powered vehicle event that takes place each year.

Now handcycling has find a home out at PIR.

Last week, disabled persons non-profit Incight and Oregon Disability Sports announced their first annual Summer Handcycling Series that will begin this coming Tuesday (7/10) and will run through August 28th.[Read more…]

I tried out a hand-cycle a few years back.
(Photo: Seven Corners bike shop)

On May 16th, Portland Parks and Recreation will host their annual Adaptive Bike Day Clinic. It’s a very cool event that doesn’t get much publicity, so I thought I’d share it here on the front page.

After being in local specialty bike shop Coventry Cycle Works to snap some photos for a story the other day, I was reminded that people who love to ride bikes come with all types of physical abilities. Seeing the flyer for this event in their window also made me recall a story I did back in 2007 after going on a ride with Southeast Portland resident Ian Jaquiss.

Ian Jaquiss riding his handcycle.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Jaquiss was hit by someone driving a car when he was two years old. A resulting spinal cord injury left him without the use of his legs; but thanks to a handcycle he’s able to get around the city by bike just like anyone else.

At their event next Sunday (5/16, which also happens to be Northeast Sunday Parkways) Parks will have a variety of two, three, and four-wheeled bikes for people to try out. If you know someone who isn’t able to ride a regular bike for whatever reason, consider taking them to this event. For more information call Portland Parks and Recreation at (503) 823-4328.

Adaptive Bike Day Clinic
Sunday, 5/16 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Eastbank Esplanade (under the Hawthorne Bridge)

13 year-old Leo Westwind, just
minutes after getting his new bike.
(Photos © J. Maus)

A very tough year for 13 year-old Leo Westwind was made a bit brighter on Friday.

Leo suffers from a genetic liver ailment known as Alagille Syndrome and last winter his condition worsened severely. In December, his mom Kyrstin (owner of a bike-powered smoothie business) rushed him to children’s hospital in Seattle where doctors told her Leo needed a new liver.

Fortunately, with fundraising help from the community and from Southeast Portland-based non-profit Free Geek (where Leo’s dad Michael works), Leo received a new liver on December 18th. [Read more…]