Irulan, we have many different types of adaptive bikes at the center where I volunteer. Downhill without hand pedals, downhill with hand pedals, hand steering, chest steering, four wheels, tadpoles with two wheels in front and one in back, deltas with one wheel in front and two in back, hand bike, pedal bikes, head first, feet first...so many configurations. We have a tandem (tadpole) and snow bikes (four wheel) as well. It's been very educational (and fun) to try them all out.

By far the biggest challenge for someone like me who is used to riding a two wheel stand up bike is not being able to use your body weight when on a recumbent mountain bike the way you do on a stand up bike. For feet first bikes (which are the most common--this is sitting in a seat with your legs out in front of you), there isn't a lot of weight over the front wheel(s), so going uphill can be very difficult (spin out because not enough weight). An issue with bike design mostly. Additionally, a rider's particular condition might make it very hard if not impossible to put weight forward. These folks all have incredibly strong cores but if you can't bring that core forward, you will spin out. Adding weight to the front of the bike isn't typically an option. While that might stabilize it a bit more, that's another chunk of weight that the rider has to take up the hill.

This dilemma isn't an issue with the purely downhill bikes like the ones used at the resort for lift-served riding. For the most part, all the rider has to do is hold on and steer (they are strapped in). They can go ridiculously fast. They usually need a sweep rider, though, because they can't always get over little humps and if the bike doesn't have hand pedals, they have no way to create their own momentum. A sweep rider can often help with this by riding up behind and bumping the adaptive bike but the sweep rider often has to get off his or her own bike and give a push. Good quick reaction skill training on the fly!

It's a blast. And the joy on the part of everyone--riders, assistants, people watching--is tremendous. I've been riding with the mountain bike and road bike groups a lot this summer and it has been nothing short of life changing for me. I'm doing a 52 mile road ride with a paraplegic rider tomorrow as a buddy rider. That's 52 miles on a hand bike (I will be on my regular road bike). I am in awe of these folks and am learning a lot from them.