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-   -   Shine "i can bike" (https://www.bikeforums.net/adaptive-cycling-handcycles-amputee-adaptation-visual-impairment-other-needs/1276335-shine-i-can-bike.html)

greatbasin 06-30-23 10:08 AM

Shine "i can bike"
 

The above news story characterizes the program as for children, but the program is for people from 8 years old and up to any age and adult riders are as popular as other ages. Here is a breakdown of the demographics of recent riders: iCan-Bike-Data-Cumulative_2021-1.pdf (icanshine.org)

The roller bikes were developed by Dr. Richard Klein, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I understand he is retired now, but formerly ran rainbowtrainers.com. Use an archive.org copy from the past to see the site. The professor has articles on everything from philosophy with regard to physical education, to engineering zero-gyroscopic bikes and rear-steer bike experiments.

The workshop uses the roller bikes with progressively more tapered rollers. The bike tech can also change the internally geared hub ratio and has a wide variety of stems, handlebars, and seats to fit the riders properly. Riders get to experience riding a tandem from the front. The specially-built tandem can be steered from the front or rear (two stems are connected by sprockets and a drive chain), allowing the trainer to make steering corrections as needed while allowing the rider to control the handlebars. The tandem has two cranks as expected. Riders graduate to a two-wheel bike mid-week. They two-wheelers are cruiser-like but feature easy-to adjust seats, stems, and bars as well as a handle on the back for the assistant to help with balance when starting, stopping, or as needed. Riders graduate to their own bicycles (if they brought one) toward the end of the week.

This is an article published for parents with children with disabilities:
I Can Bike! – Parenting Special Needs Magazine

I understand that Shine has three fleets of the bikes and so could potentially hold three workshops simultaneously at various locations around the nation, but their actual schedule is here: Camp Locations - iCan Shine

If you know a potential rider, sign them up.
If you're with a potential host organization, check it out.
If you're a volunteer, don't miss it.

FWIW, I volunteered and liked it. I like to ride a bike and helping another person gain that life skill is rewarding. I also got my older children to volunteer so they could appreciate it too. I met interesting people that were socially accepting. I was a little nervous whether riders would be amenable to having a stranger help them when they're experiencing some stress, nerves, and potentially frustration when trying to learn. They were a lot friendlier than I feared. I'm not a "people person", more introverted, but some of the riders were very good at conversation and humorous, so they made up for any shortcomings of my own.


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