With so many adaptive bikes out there, it’s hard to know which one is the right fit for you! Let us teach you about the different types of adaptive trikes, bikes and handcycles on the market and where you can find new and used bikes.

This post was created by Spinal Cord Injury BC and Handcycling BC. Like the Handcycling BC Facebook page for updates and more information.

Last updated: April 2024

Do you know of a resource that’s not on our list? Please email Jocelyn at jmaffin@sci-bc.ca.

Jump to a section:

• Know Your Bike
• Other Types of Adaptive Bikes
• Where to Buy NEW Adaptive Bikes
• Where to Buy USED Adaptive Bikes
• Grant Funding for Adaptive Bikes

Know Your Bike Types

1. Wheel arrangement (trikes)

• Delta trike: a three wheeled bike (hand or foot powered) with one wheel in front and two wheels behind the rider. (Front wheel drive, usually).
  • E.g., TopEnd Force 3, SportOn XCR, Bowhead Rogue, Hase Kettwiesel
• Tadpole trike: a three wheeled bike (hand or foot powered) with two wheels in front of the rider, one wheel in the rear. (Rear wheel drive, usually).
  • E.g., Greenspeed Hand Magnum, Sport-on Jeetrike, Bowhead RX
• Clip-on: handcycle, hybrid or powered drive shaft attachments for manual wheelchairs that allow the wheelchair to be propelled as a handcycle, hybrid or scooter. “Front drive” is a type of clip-on attachment that is powered only, no cranks.
  • E.g., Batec (powered, hybrid and cycle), DaVinci, RioMobility Dragonfly

Other variations:

• Hand and Foot cycles:
  • BerkelBike Pro
  • Varibike Recumbent and Upright models
  • Custom hand/foot trikes like: *Utah Trikes’ Sun HT3 hand and foot trike
  • AmTryke STANDARD Special Needs Tricycle (also in kids sizes)
• Quad/4-wheel: These are older, passive downhill adaptive mountain bikes, often with 2- or 4-wheel suspension, handlebars for steering and hand cranks for propulsion.

2. Seating style (trikes or bikes)

• Recumbent: Reclined seating position seen on handcycles and many foot powered bikes and trikes. Rider is seated semi-reclined, with legs outstretched in front, astride or over top the front wheel (on a delta trike) or between the front wheels (on a tadpole). This is one of the most common handcycle configurations, and also the name of an entire category of foot-powered bike/trike.
• Upright: This type of bike or trike usually describes the rider seated on a seat or saddle with legs below them, either on pedals or in a traditional seated position (as opposed to recumbent, with legs outstretched in front).
• Prone/kneeling: 3- or 4- wheel handcycle in which the rider takes a kneeling position, leaning the trunk on a chest bolster that may also control steering. These are most often downhill adaptive mountain bikes.

3. Drive type (all bikes)

• Front wheel drive: This is common for longer bikes, clipons and delta trikes. It’s the easiest/most economical to build and allows the most direct steering but on a delta handcycle can interfere with leg positioning. Traction isn’t as good due to the centre of gravity being further away from the drive wheel and can result in a longer wheelbase and a wider turning circle.
• Rear-wheel drive: The norm for 2-wheeled bicycles, also seen on tadpole trikes. This is a superior drive type as it doesn’t interfere with leg placement, and is quite stable with a shorter turning circle. Excellent combination with a rear hub motor. Better traction because the drive wheel is closest to the centre of gravity of the rider.
• Hybrid (or e-bike): Crank or pedal drive plus electric assist.
• All electric/4-wheel drive e-bike: E.g., Bowhead Reach, Quadrix Axess E3, Outrider Coyote

Other Types of Adaptive Bikes

Tandem Bikes

• Serial or 1×1: this is a bike or trike with one rider (the stoker) behind the other. E.g., Hase Pino and Performer Cycles Tandem (both semi-recumbent 2 wheeled bikes), Freedom Concepts ET2611 Tandem trike, the Buddy Bike, or recumbent tandems from TiTrikes Tandem and Hase trikes connected for tandem riding.
• Parallel or side-by-side: Van Raam side by side or Worksman cycles.
• Companion bikes: These are technically tandem bikes but are only propelled by one rider. Van Raam Companion Bikes oPair and VeloPlus; Surrey Bikes, a type of bike built for 2 or 4 riders propelling the bike with steering available for 1 or 2 in front, also available in electric assist.

Electric Adaptive All-Terrain Vehicles* (EAAV)

Blurring the lines between off-road power wheelchairs and e-bikes, these are all-electric battery powered off road vehicles without a crank-and-chain powered drivetrain and operate more like electric ATVs than wheelchairs. *No particular name or term has emerged for this category. Popular models include:

• Bowhead Reach: Canadian electric off-road tadpole trike with mountain bike wheels and an articulated suspension frame for off-camber trails. Available with quad-friendly controls.
• Outrider Coyote: Heavy duty fat tire style four wheeled all terrain vehicle with a recumbent style seating position and steering/braking bars.
• Quadrix Axess E3: These are pipe framed all terrain bikes with a supportive contoured seat and harness and 4 mountain bike wheels. Steering bars or electronic steering. Well suited for people with higher level injuries and less seated balance.
• The Rig – Not a Wheelchair: Four fat tires on a platform with seat mounted controls (recumbent bike style). Room to carry a wheelchair with you, and this EAAV can handle snow, trails and sand as easily as as trails. No suspension, top speed of 12-19mph.

Adaptive Bikes for Kids

Kid-Sized Handcycles

• TopEnd Lil’ Excelerator: A smaller version of the adult recumbent Top End Excelerator delta handcycle. Offers an easier transfer and higher visibility, with 7 gears.
• Tri-Aid TriLo trikes: Mini (28-37” rider height), Standard (37-47” rider height) and Large (43-54” rider height) Tri-Lo tricycle-style handcycles for young people and small adults. Delta layout with
• The Zipper: Hands On Concepts with coaster brake, parking brake, 3 speed shimano grip shift, 20” quick release rear wheels. 10” of fore and aft seating adjustment. 60 degrees of back angle adjustment and 8” of footrest length adjustment.
• Wildkat Kids’ off-road handcycle: FWD delta handcycle from Reactive Adaptations out of Colorado, USA.
• Troublemaker: Off-road 8-speed FWD Delta handcycle for kids aged 8-14 by Sport-On (Poland) with adjustability to grow with the rider.
• Freedom Trikes: Three lines of RWD delta upright trikes designed for kids 6-adult with special seating and support needs.
• Hase Trets: Low-rise foot-powered adaptive recumbent trike for kids. Adjustable seating position options and options for under seat or standard controls.
• Mobo recumbent delta cruiser trikes: Foot-powered for kids under 12.
• JoyStar: Indoor floor handbike for kids under 5.

Adult Trikes That May Be Suitable for Older Kids

• JEDD Handcycle Prairie Velo: A small adult handcycle very similar to the HOC Zipper.
• Foldable Handy handcycle by PacificCycles: Available in electric assist and manual! Small format, high seat handcycle with a crank-mounted shift and brake and folds to fit in a car trunk. May be suitable for some larger kids 12+ years old.
• Hase Handbike based on the Kettweisel: Rear wheel drive delta trike, available with front wheel electric assist hub motor. Foldable crank boom, higher seat height and ground clearance for easier transfers. May be sold through local recumbent bike shops that sell Hase bikes.
• Bowhead Rogue: Size adjustable delta trike suitable for youth and small adults with Bosch electric assist and rear suspension.

Where to Buy NEW Adaptive Bikes

When ordering new adaptive bikes allow at least 12-24 weeks as they are often made to order. Handcycle demo models are rare in BC, but recumbent bike shops may offer test-rides. If you can’t find a demo model, your best bet is to rent or borrow first.

Handcycles are rarely available in a bike shop and are sold primarily through reps or online stores. Adaptive bikes like recumbent or upright trikes are sold at many e-bike or recumbent bike shops, though they often have to order it in.

An asterisk * below indicates a lower cost option (under CAD $3000).

Recumbent and Upright Trikes

Online and Local Stores In and Near BC

• Bike-On.com (US/online): Adaptive Cycles by Van Raam, Freedom Concepts; Recumbents like Hase, CAtrike, IceTrike.
• Citrus Cycles (Chemainus and online): Hase recumbent trikes, tandems and Fast Track recumbent trikes for road and trails.
• Industrial Bicycles: Greenspeed, ScooterTrike, VanRaam, HPVelotechnik, Sunseeker, ComfortTrike, *Sun (upright & recumbent trikes).
• Prairie Velo (MB, Canada) Adaptive bike shop: Upright & recumbent trikes, tandem.
• Renu Cycle (AB, Canada) trike shop: HP, Terra, Azub, IceTrike, TerraTrike, *Performer.
• Rad Innovations (US/online): Hase, ICETrikes, CATrike, RaceRunners, tandem bikes.
• *Sun/Sunseeker: (US/Online):  Sun Upright and fat tire trikes; Sunseeker Recumbents (variety of delta and tadpole recumbents of various heights).
• Utah Trikes (US/online): Wide selection of upright and recumbent trikes, accessories, kits, custom work. Trikes: HP Velotechnik, Sunseeker, Greenspeed, CATrike and others.

Handcycles

BC Retail Stores and Local Reps

• HME (White Rock, BC): Demo items: Freedom Concepts (Adapted bikes and handcycles, mostly for kids); Invacare handcycles.
• McDonalds Home Healthcare (Vancouver) 604-872-5496: TopEnd/Invacare, Bowhead
• National Seating and Mobility (Burnaby, BC) – 8620 Glenlyon Parkway Unit 101 604-293-0002: *Jedd Handcycle, Top End/Invacare.
• Prairie Velo (Manitoba) Handcycles: *Jedd, Hase.
• Sport On/Tara Llanes Industries (North Vancouver):  Sport-On Handcycles: XCR, Explorer, Jeetrike, Troublemaker (kids off road handcycle).

Online Stores

• Bike-On.com (NA/online only): Largest adaptive cycling online store. Maddiline, Top End, Quad Elite; Lasher, Bowhead; Clip-on: Stricker, RioMobility.
• Industrial Bicycles (online): HP Velotechnik Gekko Fx26, TiTrikes, Sun trikes, Van Raam, Greenspeed.
• Rad Innovations (US/online): Berkelbike pro (hand/foot cycle), Hase Kettwiesel.
• Rolling in Paradise: Adaptive equipment business in Florida specializing in quad accessibility. Lasher, Maddiline, Invacare/TopEnd QuadElite models, Stricker, etc.
• Utah Trikes (US/online): Limited handcycle selection. Top End/Invacare, *Sun, Hase, HP Velotechnik; custom.
• Worksman Cycles (US/online): Handy HHS7 (high seat) and low seat models.

Handcycle Brand Websites (list not exhaustive)

• Bowhead Corp (Canada): Bowhead RX, off-road articulating tadpole handcycle with throttle and e-assist.
• Carbonbike (US):  Ultralight competitive road racing bikes.
• DaVinci (UK): Specializes in hybrid clip-on handcycles.
• Freedom Ryder (online): Lean to steer (S1), racing (LC1), electric pedal assist E1 and E1-Q standard handcycles electric assist, forearm brake modifications.
• Greenspeed (US): Hand Magnum handcycle.
• Lasher Sport (US): Delta off road handcycles with or w/o suspension (ATH, ATS).
• Maddiline (Italy): High performance road and off-road handcycles. Sold by RollinginParadise, Bike-On.com.
• *Pacific Cycles Handy (Taiwan, online): Foldable, electric handcycle.
• Quadrix (France): Fully powered four wheeled electric bikes with supportive seating and adaptive controls, like the Axess E3.
• Reactive Adaptations: Off-road handcycles and recumbent trikes: Nuke, Bomber, Stinger, Mako.
• Sport-on (Poland): Makes mostly trail/off-road/aMTB handcycles. XCR, Quantum, Explorer, Troublemaker (kids), Skorpion (racing). Canada Rep: Tara Llanes.
• Strae Sport (US): Recumbent delta handcycles, fancy paint jobs.
• Stricker (Germany): Handcycle and clip-on bike brand.
• *Sun (US): HT-3 Handcycle.
• TiTrikes (US): T-450 Handcycle and Off-road Trike.
• Top End/Invacare: Recreational: Excelerator, XLT, Force 3; performance/racing: Force G, RX, NRG, K.
• *Varna Handcycles (Canada): Varna II and Varna Liberator handcycles.

Where to Buy USED Adaptive Bikes

• Handcycle Club of BC (used handcycle/adaptive trike listings)
• SCI BC’s Swap N Shop Marketplace (BC-based)
• Handcycling Club of Canada Buy & Sell (Ontario-based)
• Handcycle/Wheelchair Marketplace (Facebook)
• Handcycle/Handbikes for sale (Facebook)
• Cycle Different’s Experienced Bikes (US-based)

Grant Funding for Adaptive Bikes

• BC Rehab Foundation Individual Grants (BC only): People living with disabilities such as spinal cord injury, brain injury, burns, spina bifida, polio, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, etc. are eligible for a maximum of $5000.
• Spina Bifida Association of BC Equipment fund (BC only): Awards up to $1000 annually for medically necessary equipment for members living with Spina Bifida.
• Kinsmen Foundation of BC (BC only): Will fund adaptive equipment that will improve quality of life or increase personal independence. Based on financial need.
• March of Dimes Canada Assistive Devices Program (Canada only): Assists adults with physical disabilities who are in financial need to purchase assistive devices that increase their mobility and functional independence.
• Challenged Athletes Foundation (US, Canadians are eligible): Funds recreation equipment for Paralympic sports, though do not have to be competition-specific.
• High Fives Foundation (US, Canadians may be eligible if they meet the criteria): Funds adapted recreation equipment for people who have been injured in outdoor adventure sports, wounded veterans, and people with “high velocity injuries.”

SCI BC Adaptive Cycling Program

Head over to our Adaptive Cycling Program webpage for upcoming events in the Metro Vancouver area. If you’re new to adaptive cycling, attend one of our Adaptive Biking Clinics (ABC+) and find out which style of bike is best for you. If you have your own bike, attend one of our BYOB Group Rides to connect with other cyclists and explore trails.