Cycling with Parkinson's disease with Van Raam special needs bicycles

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Cycling with Parkinson's disease

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Cycling with Parkinson's disease with Van Raam special needs bicycles

Every year, on April 11th, people pay extra attention to Parkinson's disease during World Parkinson's Day. April 11th is the birthday of James Parkinson, he discovered this brain disorder in 1817. Parkinson's disease is a brain disease. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are different for each patient, but in general the most common symptoms are: trembling, stiffness, fatigue, slower movement, difficulty in moving and talking. These symptoms make it increasingly difficult for patients to stay mobile and independent. In many cases, mobility aids can make the patient's life more pleasant, including Van Raam's special needs bicycles. Read in this article what Van Raam can do for people with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease

On the website of the Foundation Parkinson's Fund you can read that Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder in which a small group of cells in the brain damages and dies. As a result, cells can no longer produce dopamine, the chemical that we need to move smoothly and to control our body movements.

No one is immune to Parkinson's. In 2013, an estimated 53 million people worldwide suffered from this brain disorder. More than 55,000 Dutch people have Parkinson's disease, most people with this disease are over 50 years old. However, at the moment there seems to be an increase among people in their thirties and forties. The disease is slowly progressive and recovery is unfortunately not yet possible.

Cycling with Parkinson's disease with Van Raam special needs bicycles
Parkinson's is a disease in the brain that causes stiffness

Keep your mobility with Parkinson's disease

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease can include trembling, difficulty with speaking, stiff arms and legs. These symptoms can make cycling on a traditional bike with two wheels difficult. After all, you can react slower in traffic situations and stiff arms and legs also make it more difficult to get on and off (quickly) on a two-wheel bicycle. A tricycle can be a solution. Because this bicycle has three wheels, it remains stable and you can easily get on and off. If you arrive at a traffic light and you have to wait a while for the green light, you can just sit on the tricycle and you do not have to get off the bike and keep your balance. Read in the article 'With an adaptive bike participating in traffic' more experiences of road users with a special needs bike.

Easy Go scooter bike mobility with Parkinsons disease Van Raam
The Easy Go is suitable for people with varying energy levels

The pedal support on our special needs bicycles ensures that, despite the slowly progressive syndrome of Parkinson's, you are still sufficiently supported during cycling. If you have a very varying energy level, our Easy Go scooter bike can also offer a solution. With this bike it is possible to cycle or to use the mobility scooter function. Come and try the Easy Go and the other special needs bikes made by Van Raam during a free test ride in our showroom in Varsseveld or visit one of our dealers.

Van Raam also has various bicycle options that can make the cycling even more enjoyable. For example, mirrors, stick holder, walker holder preparation, but also a direction indicator.

Check out our tricycles

Cycling independently and together Parkinson's disease

Because the symptoms with Parkinson's disease are different for every patient, it sometimes happens that one person can still cycle independently, but the other person is not able to cycle independently. At Van Raam we have both single and multi-person bicycles that can be solution. We have tandems with two and three wheels, but also side by side tandems where two people can sit next to each other.

View our tandems and double rider cycles

Three wheel tandem Twinny Plus User experience Olaers
Cycling together with Parkinson's disease

Cycling experiences of people with Parkinson's disease

Van Raam regularly talks to end users about their experiences with our bicycles. These end users also include people with Parkinson's disease. View the experiences of the end users below and read how they keep their mobility. Do you also have a Van Raam bicycle and would you like to share your experiences with us? Then go to our 'user experiences' page and share your experience!

User experience scooter bike Easy Go - Natascha van Leeuwen
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User experience scooter bike Easy Go - Natascha van Leeuwen
Natascha van Leeuwen (49) uses the Van Raam's mobility scooter bike Easy Go since February 2019. In 2014, Natascha heard that she has Parkinson's disease, because she still wants to keep her mobility and stay independent, she went looking for (and tries) different mobility aids. For example, during her daytime activity group she cycled on the Fun2Go side by side tandem, she tried the Maxi tricycle and she rode a mobility scooter. Eventually she concluded that the Easy Go mobility scooter bike suits her best. Read in this user experience the experiences of Natascha with her Easy Go.
Read this customer experience
User experience three-wheel tandem Twinny Plus - Magdalena Olaerts
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User experience three-wheel tandem Twinny Plus - Magdalena Olaerts
On my 74th birthday at the beginning of July 2018, I received an electric three-wheel tandem Twinny Plus from Van Raam as a surprise from my husband, just as he had ordered him.
Read this customer experience

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