Borrow a Bike

Register Here for Borrow A Bike!

Our “Borrow a Bike” program was created to allow families to borrow an adaptive bicycle without the full expense. We have nearly 200 adaptive bikes, trikes, and hand cycles in our loan pool, most of which cost between $1000-$5000, however, some of our individual modifications (e.g., power assist wheel) can add over $1000 to the cost of the bike. Every bike receives a yearly mechanical inspection and is modified each year to best suit the needs of the child borrowing it. For a full description of each of our bikes, please see our bike catalogue.

Important dates for 2021

All dates for 2021 are dependent upon the state of COVID-19 in Edmonton, and are subject to change.

Registration opens – January 3, 2021 at 12:00 noon

Try A Bike Days – January 29, January 30, and February 1.

Bike Fitting Days – March 13, April 17, and April 18.

Walk & Roll Fundraiser Event – Late June / Early July (exact dates TBA)

Fall Bike Return – October 2021 (exact date TBA)

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Borrowing a Bike

Who can access the program?

• Children with a diagnosis that makes riding a standard bicycle difficult.  
  • Children who can ride a bicycle with training wheels and no other modifications are not eligible to borrow a bike, but can still participate in our Learn to Ride program.
• Between age 3 and 20 who lives within 200 km of the Goodwill Impact Centre in Edmonton
• Sees a medical professional such as Physio or Occupational Therapist. Email info@youcanride2.ca if a therapist isn’t involved.
• Parents MUST be able to:
  • store the bike in a dry, secure location (a tarp is not acceptable)
  • arrange for pickup and return of the bicycle on the specified days*
  • participate in a yearly survey

*assistance with transportation may be available in certain circumstances.

What do I have to do to register?

• PART 1: Follow the link on youcanride2.ca after January 3, 2021 at 12:00 PM. Bikes are assigned on a first come, first served basis.
  • You will need the name and contact information of a therapist (OT, PT), Adapted PhysEd consultant or clinic coordinator (e.g., nurse) that would know your child enough to fill out a referral. An email will automatically be sent to them once you register.
  • If you do not have a therapist working with your child, please contact us.
• PART 2: After completing PART 1, you will receive an email with additional questions to help us match your child with the best bike possible. You will have one week to complete PART 2 or your registration will be deleted. You will need to know your child’s inseam (groin to floor, not groin to ankle) to accurately complete PART 2.

What style of bike will my child receive?

• Information from PART 1, PART 2 and the Therapist Referral forms are used to assign each child with a bike that is likely to suit their needs.
• We try to consider several things when assigning a bike to a child including:
  • the child’s size, mobility and attention levels
  • the child/family’s short and long term cycling goals
  • environmental considerations (e.g., gravel roads)
• Families and referring therapists are strongly encouraged to attend the Try a Bike day (late January) to determine if the assigned bike will work for your child. This will also allow you and/or your child’s therapist to give feedback on any further modifications your child will need to successfully use the bike.
• Information from the Try a Bike day is then used to make final bike assignments. If we have a bike that meets your child’s needs, you will receive an email in late February/ early March inviting you to make an appointment to attend a Fitting Day (March or April).
• Bikes are pre-modified to suit your child by a therapist/mechanic team based on the information provided.
• At the Fitting Day, a therapist/mechanic team will help fit your child to their bike. You will be taking the bike home on the Fitting Day.

Do we get to keep the bike?

No. However, you can borrow a bike for as short as one season, or for the entire year (with the option to renew annually), as long as it takes for your child to outgrow it (until your child turns 20). Once the bike is outgrown, or if you choose a different style of bike, you will need to re-register as a new participant.

NOTE: ALL bikes MUST to be brought in yearly for inspection/maintenance.

What is the cost to borrow a bike?

The cost depends on whether you are borrowing for a season or annually.

Seasonal Rentals

• The bike is on loan from your fitting in March/April until the Bike Return Day in September.
• The full cost to borrow a bike for a season is $300, of which only $25 is non-refundable.
• Families can be refunded/receive a tax receipt for $100 if they return the bike:
  • with the same parts and in the same condition that it was loaned out in
  • on the Bike Return Day
• Families will be credited/ refunded $75 if they complete a 4 hour volunteer shift.
• Families will be credited/refunded/receive a tax receipt for $100 if they:
  • raise $100 (e.g., bottle drive, bake sale)
    • ANY donations from ANY donors made in honor of the family count towards this. Donations of at least $20 will receive a tax receipt.
  • volunteer 10 or more hours
  • successfully get a business to donate money or goods valued at $100 to the program
  • donate an adaptive bike to the program (must have an assessed value of over $200)

Annual Rentals

• The bike is on loan from your fitting in March/April until the following February.
  • Storage in our facility over the winter is available.
  • Annual rentals have first priority on renewing the same bike the following year, provided it still fits their needs.
• The full cost to borrow a bike annually is $500, of which only $50 is non-refundable.
• Families can be refunded/receive a tax receipt for $100 if they return the bike:
  • with the same parts and in the same condition that it was loaned out in
  • on their scheduled return day (arranged independently, typically in February)
• Families will be credited/ refunded $150 if they complete an 8 hour volunteer shift.
• Families will be credited/refunded/receive a tax receipt for $200 if they:
  • raise $200 (e.g., bottle drive, bake sale)
    • ANY donations from ANY donors made in honor of the family count towards this. Donations of at least $20 will receive a tax receipt.
  • volunteer 10 or more hours
  • successfully get a business to donate money or goods valued at $200 to the program
  • donate an adaptive bike to the program (must have an assessed value of over $200)

Families experiencing financial difficulty can apply for a full or partial sponsorship.

Why are you asking for so much time and money? 

Over 2,500 volunteer hours and $50,000 are required to run the Borrow a Bike program each year. By sharing four hours of your time and helping us fundraise, the cost for you to borrow a bike is only $25 per season. Considering most of the bikes in our program are worth between $1,000 – $8,000, this is an excellent deal! In addition, we offer the following value added services:

• Yearly bike maintenance ($150 value)
• Professional advice to optimize bike set up and progress cycling skills ($300 value)
• Support for adaptive cycling research and development ($100 value)
• Getting kids on bikes who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity (priceless)

IMPORTANT: You Can Ride 2 is not funded by Goodwill.  We can only offer the program if we have enough volunteers and funding to cover all of our operational expenses. 

What if I can’t afford to borrow a bike?

We have funding to support a limited number of families that need financial assistance (based on CRA guidelines). Some other ideas to help offset your costs:

• Volunteer more!  We still desperately need help on the Lead Team, or, consider sharing your skills (e.g. one family is helping us reupholster ripped backrests). Families that volunteer on the Lead Team are exempt from paying the fundraising fee.
• Help with a fundraiser or plan your own!  Any donation, by any donor, made in honour of your child will count towards the fundraising commitment. For instance, if you pay the $100 seasonal fundraising fee, but other family members donate $50, and your child’s school donates $50, then you get the $100 refunded! The donations don’t have to come from you, nor do they have to come all at once. And, if some donations are made in honour of your child, but the total is less than your fundraising fees, whatever was raised in honour of your child will be returned to you.
  As Goodwill Industries of Alberta is a charitable organization, any donation of $20 or more made to You Can Ride 2 will qualify for a tax receipt.
  A few examples of fundraising ideas:
  • Ask people or businesses to sponsor you/your child at a bike-a-thon
  • Help your school hold a bottle drive, a bake sale, or a bike-a-thon to benefit YCR2
  • Approach your place of work to see if they have any grants to support charities

Eligibility Questions

1. I live in an apartment.  Can I still borrow a bike?
   • If you can store the bike indoors in a secure area, you are eligible to borrow a bike.  
2. I can’t attend either of the fitting events.  Can I still borrow a bike?
   • Only two fitting events are scheduled.  If you miss them, you will have to wait until next year.
3. I do not live in Edmonton/ surrounding area.  Can I still borrow a bike?
   • Depending on your distance from Edmonton- possibly.  We are currently accepting children living within 200 km of Edmonton according to Google maps.
4. I am fostering a child with special needs.  Can I still borrow a bike?
   • Yes, however it will be necessary for the social worker to sign the waiver form.
5. My child is 21.  Can I still borrow a bike?
   • We are only accepting children that are 20 or under at this point in time.  However, if we have large bikes left over at the end of the second fitting day, we may open registration up.  Please contact us.
6. I am not sure if my child has a regular therapist. Why is this important and if I don’t have one, can I still borrow a bike?
   • Having a therapist make the referral and explain some of your child’s physical needs saves volunteer time and allows us to support more kids.  It also allows us to take your long term cycling goals into consideration when we are assigning a bike. School therapists, private therapists (e.g., Specialized Services), and Glenrose or Stollery therapists are all acceptable referral sources. If you don’t have a therapist, contact info@youcanride2.ca.
7. Is there an income cutoff to borrow a bike?
   • No. One of the goals of our loan pool is to allow families the necessary time to trial an adapted bicycle before purchasing one.  We hope that families for whom it is not a problem to spend $2000-$5000 on a new bike will consider donating them to our loan pool after their child outgrows them.