Lakewood resident Amelia Engle longs to ride a bike. She tried once as a child, but crashed, injuring herself, and never attempted to ride again.
She lives at Eaton Senior Communities, a complex of affordable apartments for residents age 62 and older. Eaton has joined a movement formed to bring the joy of cycling to those who cannot ride themselves.
Cycling Without Age began in Denmark. The program aims to proide three-wheeled cycles, called trishaws, to people who cannot power a bike on their own. Each trishaw has a couchlike seat wide enough for two people that is perched over its two front wheels. A volunteer cycling “pilot,” who can use an electric motor assist, as necessary, powers the trike.
Gary Harty, founder of the , learned about the program watching a Ted Talk presentation by Cycling Without Age founder Ole Kassow. The 5-year-old program started in Copenhagen and now has chapters in 33 countries. Lakewood is one of five Colorado communities registered as participants.
The Lakewood Bicycle Advisory Team advocates for better infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, Harty said.
“I thought this … would be a positive image for cyclists. It would be a positive thing for a community like Lakewood,” Harty said.
He said his biggest concern was finding a community of passengers. Eaton staff members loved the concept, he said, and it wasn’t difficult to get residents interested.
“We have residents who will try anything,” said Eaton Senior Communities foundation administrator Liz Grieser.
“I thought it was a great idea,” Engle, the Eaton resident, said.
It was no small feat for the Eaton community to buy the $8,000-trishaw. Residents live on an average of $17,000 a year, Harty said. Eaton Senior Communities and the Lakewood Bicycle Advisory Team raised $7,400 through the Eaton Senior Community Foundation. Eaton Senior Communities covered the difference. In this pilot program, Eaton residents will reserve times for trishaw rides.
Harty has been teaching seven volunteers the ins and outs of operating the trishaw, which he said “handles differently” than your typical bicycle. He is also grilling the trishaw pilots on bicycle safety.
“I want them to make sure they are aware of any hazards and not taking any chances,” he said. “There can be no mistakes. You got precious cargo up front.”
Harty and his wife have explored the area around Eaton, identifying quality routes and noting the condition of bike paths and potential problems, such as curb cuts that might be difficult for the trishaw to navigate. They’ve already identified places like the Lakewood Heritage Center and Lakewood’s Civic Center Plaza to take seniors on rides.
Harty is quick to thank Cycling Without Age founder Kassow for the idea and Eaton and the city for their support of the project. “This is a nonstarter” without them, he said.
The pilot program is open only to Eaton residents, but the city has ordered a trishaw, which will likely open the experience to other Lakewood residents.
Engle said she is most looking forward to feeling the wind in her face as the trishaw pilots give her the ride she’s dreamed about. She imagines she’ll enjoy getting outside without a routine destination such as the grocery store or doctor’s office.
“You see these bikers and everything just gliding with the wind,” Engle said.
That’s what she’s been waiting for.