Videos: Electric bicycles for wheelchairs

Carlos de Albert Ysamat used to drive everywhere in Barcelona. But when he got what he calls his “electric bicycle for wheelchairs,” and discovered the network of protected bike and roll lanes across the city made it far more convenient and pleasant to leave his car at home. Carlos uses a Batec Mobilty handbike, which clips onto the front of his wheelchair (Batec is headquartered in Barcelona). There are now many brands of clip-on handbikes / handcycles for wheelchairs, and Batec seems to be one of the best.

Electric bikes for wheelchairs (handbikes / handcycles or whatever you want to call them) are a gamechanger for wheelchair users, with the capability to go over 20 km/hr they can easily keep up with typical city bicycle traffic.

Check out my 3 minute video interview with Carlos:

Carlos isn’t unique in making the comparison with bicycles. CBC Toronto interviewed Oda Al-Anizi about how his handcycle “transformed his wheelchair into a bike” and allows him to use the bike lane network:

“Al-Anizi, who works for Spinal Cord Injury Ontario, outfitted his wheelchair with a special attachment that transformed his wheelchair into a bike. This allowed him to navigate the city as a cyclist, and he says it’s been a game changer.

“I’ve been able to go all over the city, explore the trails, I’d never done that in all my years of being here,” he said, adding it’s done wonders for his mental health and made him much more social.

Like Carlos, Oda values the bike and roll network in his city:

“Al-Anizi participated in a large protest last week in support of bike lanes, and he’s hoping their voices are heard.

“Having Bloor Street ripped up and having me use alternate routes, I feel like my safety is not being taken into consideration as a citizen, a person with a disability,” he said.

“It makes me feel dispensable, like they don’t care.”

I also went to London and interviewed clip-on handcycle user Isabelle Clement, who is the director of Wheels for Wellbeing

Clement explains that in the UK the electric hand cycle she uses falls into a legal grey area, and “some people are very nervous about buying equipment which is not clearly officially legal, even though it’s not illegal either.” It is also completely unclear what kinds of bike and roll infrastructure wheelchair and mobility scooters are legally allowed to use.

Our discussion covers the fact that France cut through the confusion there by publishing new guidance interpreting the pre-existing legislation, rather than delaying action given the time pressure of the Paralympic Games. Many people in the UK do use wheelchairs and mobility scooters on bike and roll routes. “The people who feel confident use the right bit of infrastructure for themselves.” But others are intimidated by the uncertainty.

The video shows people using clip-on hand cycles and mobility scooters on cycling infrastructure in the UK, as well as in Amsterdam, Paris, and Cadiz, Spain. “We just need to find a way to cut through all of this and let people who are using healthy and green modes of transport . . . let people use it as much as possible on dedicated infrastructure.”

Clement also discusses how Wheels for Wellbeing works with cycling organizations to get quality bike and roll routes that work for all, not just people who ride bicycles. She notes that people using cargo bikes to carry children, or for commercial purposes, need smooth wide bike and roll routes just like wheelchair and mobility scooter users do.

Clement asserts that cycling groups are starting to understand that they can get more done if they work collaboratively with disabled people who want quality bike and roll infrastructure. “What we request is pretty much what every other cycling campaigner of requests as well”

In Canada, only Quebec has clear legislation that welcomes the use of wheelchairs and mobility scooters on bike & roll routes. In BC and other provinces, the traffic legislation seems to clash with human rights legislation creating a legal grey area.

Check out my Youtube Playlist – Accessibility – Bike & Roll for more videos about people who roll with wheelchairs and mobility scooters on bike and roll routes.