Cycling Without Age Canada is a volunteer organization. Its main purpose is engaging seniors or less abled citizens by offering them free bike rides in specialized bicycles called Trishaws.
Many elderly often experience a loss of mobility and independence. This leads to social isolation, loneliness, and depression. Cycling Without Age provides the elderly and less abled Canadians with the opportunity to remain an active part of society and to experience life beyond the confines of their residence or care centre. Time spent with the volunteers on the Trishaw breaks them free from their social isolation. The program gives them wind in their hair, the ability to connect with nature, and the chance to share their stories.
Local volunteers called ‘pilots’ visit homes, care and senior centers/facilities around the community and offer rides on the Trishaw. Being out in nature and with the ‘pilots’, nurtures emotional well- being. Nature rides make passengers smile, bring back their memories, and allow them to be part of society again and thereby renew their appetite for life itself. We believe life can and should be beautiful at any age – even at 100!
Cycling Without Age is not only about the elderly or less able, it is also about the volunteers – the pilots. It brings the young and elderly together, in the great outdoors, experiencing the joy of traveling by bike and feeling free. It is less about volunteering in the traditional sense of the word – and more about active citizenship. Citizenship is driven by a desire to get involved and to make a real difference for someone. It’s about creating relationships and connections between people.
Would you like to get involved?
Cycling Without Age Canada is being established in cities and communities throughout Canada. Some already have bikes and some are at the fundraising stage.
You can help local chapters by volunteering, donating towards a trishaw bike, offering coffee for cycling parties (if you’re a business owner) and in many other great way you can help local chapters grow and flourish.
Cycling Without Age at TEDx
Coffee friends 
Chapters with trishaws 
New chapters fundraising for trishaws
Starting a chapter in your local community
If you would like to start a chapter of Cycling Without Age in your city, we would be delighted to help you get started.
Getting started with a Cycling Without Age chapter is an amazing experience. Nothing beats witnessing the joy of the elderly, pilots and personnel interact on and around the trishaw and seeing the smiles of passengers coming back from their first ride with wind in their hair, rosy cheeks and full of stories. We love to experience the movement of Cycling Without Age spreading all over the world and always welcome more to join.
We have launched a simple Affiliate model for communities, nursing homes, cities and individuals worldwide to become part of the movement. Proceed to the Affiliate page or if you have any questions, write us an email at start@cyclingwithoutage.org. We already have a wealth of experience in working with nursing home staff and management, city councils, other volunteer organizations, cyclists federations as well as great ideas of how to get the initiative off the ground and locals excited about it.
Meet Fraser from Scotland
Watch the BBC video that went viral.
Cycling Without Age Canada
Jane Hu Gary Bradshaw
jane@cyclingwithoutage.ca cwaottawacanada@gmail.com
