Cycling with disabilities and health problems

The benefits of cycling are the same for everyone, regardless of physical ability or condition - it is fun, healthy and enables people to get around effectively and sustainably. These benefits may even be magnified in those with disabilities and health problems, as there may be fewer other opportunities for exercise and mobility. With adaptations to bicycles and riding technique, cycling can be enjoyed by people with a wide range of disabilities. 

There are a number of organisations in existence to support disabled cyclists and people with disabilities who are interested in investigating or trying out their cycling options. See the links on the right for more information.

For those who would like to take up competitive cycling, the organisation British Cycling are the UK governing body for cycle sport for people with disabilities. There are 3 categories of competition - visual impairment, cerebral palsy and loco-motor (limb). 

Cycling with mobility problems

Bicycles can be adapted or made for people with a wide range of physical disabilities and mobility problems, ranging from the now reasonably common tricycles, recumbent bicycles and handcycles for those without the use of their legs, through to completely bespoke systems for individual conditions. These may be designed for individual cycling or to attach to the bicycle of an able bodied companion. A great benefit of an adapted cycle is that it can greatly extend the speed, range and flexibility of travel compared to a wheelchair, giving the user much greater independent mobility.

Bicycles that are adapted to carry wheelchairs are also available. These allow a disabled user to accompany a cyclist, but without contributing physically to the pedalling or steering.

 Velovision Magazine guide to adapted bicycles - Sept 2005

Velovision Magazine guide to adapted bicycles - Sept 2003

Cycling with Visual Impairment

Cyclists who are visually impaired can enjoy cycling with the aid of a sighted companion to steer and negotiate traffic. Most often, a tandem bike is an ideal option. However, if the sighted partner is not a confident cyclist, or is much smaller than the visually impaired companion, he/she may struggle to control the tandem adequately as the extra weight makes the steering and braking heavier. Often this is resolved with a bit of practise in a quiet place and there are a number of organisations who can support visually impaired cyclists (with or without a companion rider) to ride a tandem, including Lifecycle UK, based in Bristol. Their Two's Company project runs free monthly tandem rides for visually impaired cyclists with trained co-riders.

If a tandem is not suitable, there are other bicycle options available, including side-by-side models and tricycle tandems.

Access issues

All cyclists suffer when obstacles such as gates, posts, holes and debris block their path. Disabled cyclists may suffer more than most, however, as they may be less able to negotiate these obstructions and their bicycles (e.g. tandems) may be larger than a standard bicycle. For an easy and pleasant ride, good route planning and preparation is desirable to avoid the need to negotiate steps, barriers, gates and other features. Our Where to Cycle page offers guides to quiet, signed and off-road cycle routes across the county, although sadly many of the off-road cyclepaths do have access controls at certain points to prevent abuse by motorists and motorcycles. These can prove awkward for disabled cyclists.

The Disability Discrimation Act of 2004 places a requirement on local authorities and landowners to make "reasonable adjustments" to physical features to enable easy access for all users. If you come across any barriers to access on the public highway network in Somerset, please contact us using the link on the left so that we can investigate if changes can be made. If the problem is on privately owned land, it may be worth speaking to the landowner about possible alterations.