Cycling together with the Van Raam Fun2Go duo bike

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Cycling together with the planning system for the duo bike

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Van Raam
Cycling together with the Van Raam Fun2Go duo bike

More and more organizations own a Fun2Go side-by-side tandem An example of such an organization is Stichting Fietsmaatjes Nederland. Fietsmaatjes is meant for people who can no longer cycle independently, but still like to do so. To be on the road outdoors, together with a nice buddy on an (electric) side-by-side tandem.A number of founders of Fietsmaatjes Gelderse Vallei have now developed the online planning system 'SamenFietsen', which makes planning bike tours with the duo bike a lot easier. Read more about this planning system, Fietsmaatjes and the Van Raam side-by-side tandem Fun2Go.

Planning a side-by-side tandem ride with SamenFietsen

SamenFietsen is an online planning system created by Anja Kroodsma & Tjitze Smit. They started in 2017 with Fietsmaatjes Gelderse Vallei with several others. Tjitze and Anja have developed an online planning and administration system to facilitate the coordination of duo bike rides with Fietsmaatjes. An online planning system lowers the threshold to reserve a bike, as this is a lot easier and encourages volunteers to sign up.

SamenFietsen planning system for duo bike
Source: SamenFietsen

SamenFietsen, after a test period at Fietsmaatjes Gelderse Vallei, is now also being used by other organisations and other Fietsmaatjes. It is possible to set up the planning system as desired and integrate it into your own website. The planning system can be viewed via a demo version. If you like the planning system, it can be purchased via the website of SamenFietsen. The planning system is now mostly used by Fietsmaatjes projects, but it is also very useful, for instance, for care institutions where many volunteers cycle with clients.

Read more on the website of SamenFietsen.

Website SamenFietsen

SamenFietsen planning system for bike rides with side-by-side tandem
'Integrated payment module', 'Save time', 'Integrated administration', 'Customizable corporate design'. (Source: SamenFietsen)

'Fietsmaatjes' foundation

Foundation Fietsmaatjes is a foundation that is now well known throughout the Netherlands. Fietsmaatjes ('Cycling buddies') is meant for everyone who likes to cycle, wants to keep moving and loves social contact, but due to a disability can no longer cycle independently. The guests of Fietsmaatjes are often people with a disability of movement, hearing, vision, cognition (e.g. dementia), loneliness or balance. These guests are linked to a volunteer, a Fietsmaatje. The volunteers like personal contact and cycling. The volunteers cycle with the guest on a duo bike, on the duo bike the volunteer can steer, brake and pedal. The guest can pedal.

The goal is to offer people who still want to cycle, but are no longer able to do so on their own, cycling tours of about 1-3 hours. With these weekly or bi-weekly cycling tours the isolation of the guests is broken, the guests get outside again and they are in moving in a fun and social way. This often results in nice and special contacts between guests and volunteers.

At the moment there are 19 local Fietsmaatjes, of which 16 organisations cycle. In the Netherlands, 1353 guests and 1143 volunteers cycled together in 2019. Fietsmaatjes is growing very fast and have the goal to have at least 60 local Fietsmaatjes organisations by the end of 2022. (Source: Fietsmaatjes)

Fietsmaatjes with Van Raam duo bike
Fietsmaatjes with Van Raam duo bike

King Willem-Alexander as a Fietsmaatje

At the end of 2019,King Willem-Alexander visited the foundation Fietsmaatjes in Warmond. The foundation Fietsmaatjes is part of the Growth Programme of the Oranje Fonds and King Willem-Alexander is patron of this fund. During the surprise visit, the king met the volunteers and guests of Fietsmaatjes, and he took a ride on a Van Raam duo bike Fun2Go.

Read more about this visit in the article  "Dutch King cycles on Van Raam side-by-side tandem Fun2Go"

King as Fietsmaatje

Dutch king cycles on Van Raam side-by-side tandem Fun2Go
Dutch King Willem-Alexander as a Fietsmaatje (photo: Oranje Fonds)
Cycling together with the Van Raam Fun2Go duo bike

Van Raam Fun2Go side-by-side tandem

More than 20 years ago Van Raam, manufacturer of special needs bikes, already made a first version of a duo bike. In 2006 the first bike with the name Fun2Go was launched on the market. In the meantime the Fun2Go has been developed further and some very unique features have been added. The Fun2Go is a tricycle tandem in which the users sit next to each other, one person steers and both can pedal. Because the riders sit next to each other, they can communicate well and the main rider can keep a close eye on the other rider.

The side-by-side tandem has no entry and you take your seat on a comfortable chair. The Fun2Go is available with many options and accessories, such as electric pedal support, a reinforced frame, a rotating seat, a footplate or a mirror. View all options for the Fun2Go via the price list on the product page.

Unique features of the Fun2Go:

  • 1 main rider, 1 'co-driver'

  • Very manoeuvrable, bike can rotate on its own axis

  • Perfect view and good contact with the co-driver

  • Test winner

  • Available with many options and drive systems

  • Adjustable seats

Read more about the Fun2Go on the product page.

Fun2Go product page

Protection screen for the Fun2Go in times of corona

Van Raam has developed a protectionscreen for the Fun2Go, which allows users to go out together again during corona time to enjoy a bike ride. Want to know more about this screen? Read it in the article: 'Fun2Go duo bike with protection screen in times of corona'.

Protection screen for duo bike

Thuisbij Uitgeest protection screen Fun2Go
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