A new chapter of biking has begun in Central Otago that enables people who can’t ride the opportunity to share an experience with those who can.

Upcycles Charitable Trust has been overwhelmed with support for its Cycling Without Age pilot training programme, which teaches people how to ride a trishaw.

The Central Otago chapter started in June, as part of a global movement that began in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen. 

Ole wanted to help his neighbours at the local nursing home get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. 

Alexandra resident June Clarke, an abled-bodied pensioner, bought an electric trishaw in mid-winter and got in touch with Upcycles, to see if there were other keen bikers who could help take people for rides too.

Upcycles project director Chris Foggin said there were obviously some health and safety hurdles to negotiate when combining bike riders with passengers.

Chris (Foggie) will be helping train between 12 and 15 keen riders starting on September 15, through the Community of Bike Ambassadors programme.

“The handling of an E-trishaw is different to a bike and the weight distribution of the people on the front makes it tricky too,” he said.

Upcycles project director Chris Foggin gets a lift from Alexandra resident June Clarke. Photo: Supplied

The three-day programme will start with the fundamentals and bike skills - how the trishaw brakes and turns corners, and what speed they should operate at.

Chris said pilots needed to be able to handle a bike well themselves and be fit enough to take others.

The initiative wasn’t just restricted to elderly - disabled and infirm people of all ages would also benefit from being a passenger on the front of a trishaw.

“It can be lifesaving for people and get them into a better space mentally,” he said.

Peak Safety Ltd would then come in and teach first aid training out on the trail.

The Otago Central Rail Trail would be the only place the trishaw would be used around Alexandra, but eventually Upcycles hoped to have them in Clyde and Cromwell as well.

There have been other chapters started up around New Zealand, including in Napier and Te Anau, and one underway in Wānaka as well.

Long term, Upcycles was looking for somebody to co-ordinate the project, but for now it would stay under the umbrella of Upcycles, because it was already set up as a charitable trust and able to access funding.

An E-trishaw cost around $30,000 because of the complexities of the passenger bucket on the front, so future funding for additional ones or a corporate sponsor would need to be found - as well as for ongoing training of the pilots.

And one day Foggie hoped that the whole range of biking represented across Central Otago could be showcased in the Alexandra Blossom Festival parade.

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