FAQ

You Can Ride 2 - Borrow a Bike Program  Frequently Asked Questions:  

1. Who can access the program?

• Any child between age 3 and 20 who lives within 200 km of Edmonton City Centre
• All children must have a referral from 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; arrange for pickup and return of the bicycle on the specified days*; and participate in a yearly survey

2. What do I have to do to register?

• Go to youcanride2.ca and search for the registration form under the Borrow a Bike program.  NOTE: you will not be able to register until January 6, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

3. Can you do modifications on my child’s current bike?

• NEW FOR 2019- YES!  When you register, you can ask to get help with modifying your own bike instead of borrowing a bike.  Modifications we can help with include: pull bars, centering springs, fixed gear conversions, supportive pedals, and balance wheels.  An in person consultation must be booked at the Adaptive Bike Fair.

4. How many bikes, trikes, handcycles, tandems, and trailers are available to borrow?

• We have approximately 170 adaptive cycles in different styles and levels of support.
• We have skilled mechanics helping therapists to fit and modify the bikes for your child.

5. What bike will we get? A bike will be assigned based on the time you register and your child’s needs. It is strongly recommended that new participants attend the Adaptive Bike Fair on January 26, 2019 to determine which style of bike works best and which modifications your child needs to be successful.
6. Location? 11415 168 Street, the Community Engagement Centre of the Goodwill Impact Centre.
7. How does registration work?

• PHASE 1: Parents/guardians apply for the program online. They will enter their contact information as well as the child’s name and functional abilities on the registration form. They will also need their referrer’s (physical therapist, family doctor, clinic nurse, etc) information.
• PHASE 2: Parents/guardians will receive a second email asking them to provide additional information. It is EXTREMELY important that parents fill out the form accurately. Referrers will be contacted via email during this phase as well. You and the referrer have 2 weeks to complete the form or you will lose the priority spot. Please ensure your referrer completes their portion, YCR2 volunteers cannot be responsible for referrers.
• PHASE 3: Children new to the program, needing a different style of bike, or a modification must attend the Adaptive Bike fair on January 26, 2019.
• PHASE 4: Bike assignments are finalized by the end of February.

8.  When do I find out if my child has been assigned a bike/ when can I take it home?

• There will be two fitting days in 2019: March 2 (for kids with mobility challenges) and April 6 (for all other participants). In most cases, you bring the bike home then. Absolutely no fittings will be held outside these two dates.

9.  How much does it cost to borrow a bike? The cost to families is up to $400 per season (Summer season: March/April until September; Winter season: October until February).

Cost per Season:

• $25 administrative fee.  This helps cover basic administrative costs and may be waived if your family qualifies as low income.
• $75 rental fee. All rental fees are due before you take the bike.  If you fulfil a 4 hour volunteer commitment this fee will be waived/ refunded.
• $100 equipment deposit. This deposit will be refunded (or if you choose to donate it back to the program, a tax receipt issued), if the equipment is returned in good condition and on time.
• $200 fundraising deposit. This fee is waived for existing lead team members and those who raise at least $200 in a major fundraiser (e.g DirtyBirds Silent Auction, Ride for Refuge, Sponsor Wall).  

10. How long can I borrow a bike for (and how much do the different options cost)?

• NEW FOR 2019  You can borrow a bike for as short as one season or as long as it takes for your child to outgrow it (or 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 will still need to be brought in yearly for inspection/maintenance. If you opt to store the bike at the Impact Centre over the winter, it must be returned at Fall Return event. While this bike may be loaned out for the winter season to another family, you are guaranteed to get the same bike returned to you at the Spring Fitting.

☆ Year 1 long term rental: $500 if stored at the Impact Centre, $600 if kept over Winter Season

• $25 administrative fee per season (maximum $50).  
• $75 rental fee (or 4 hours of volunteering) per season (maximum 8 hrs/$150).
  
• $100 equipment deposit.
  
• $300 fundraising deposit
  

☆ Subsequent full year renewals (ONLY if borrowing same bike): $300 - $400

• $25 administrative fee per season (maximum $50).  
• $75 rental fee (or 4 hours of volunteering) per season (maximum 8 hrs/$150).
• $200 fundraising deposit

 

11. Why are you asking for so much time and money?  

Over 2,000 volunteer hours and $50,000.00 are required to run the Borrow a Bike program each year. By sharing 4 hours of your time and helping us fundraise $200, 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)

You Can Ride 2 is not funded by Goodwill.  We are at risk of shutting down unless we find more volunteers and more sustainable funding. We need your help to keep this valuable program running!

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

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

1. 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.
2. Help with a fundraiser or plan your own!  Parents that help raise at least $200 will have their seasonal fundraising deposit refunded.

• collect $200 worth of silent auction items for the DirtyBirds charity hockey tournament on Saturday May 25, 2019.
• ask people to sponsor you/your child at the Ride for Refuge on October 5, 2019
• help your school hold a bottle drive, a bake sale, or a bike-a-thon to benefit YCR2
• pull together a team of 8 runners at the St. Albert Road Race on April 28, 2019
• approach your place of work to see if they have any grants to support charities

 

13. What if I raise (or donate) more than the $200/ season fundraising requirement?

• If you raise $600 or more, you will receive a fundraising credit for the following year. We are unable to offer credit for more than one year in advance.
• If you choose to donate a larger amount (e.g. your company sponsors the program for $1,000), you are eligible for a tax receipt minus the $25 administration fee and $75 rental fee (per season) that you borrow the bike.

 

14. Important dates for 2019:

• March 2, 2019 - Fitting day #1
  • Reserved for children with more complex mobility challenges (walker/wheelchair user)
• April 6, 2019 - Fitting day #2
  • Afternoon is reserved for children with sensory sensitivities
• April 28, 2019 - St. Albert Road Race
  • For each participant that registers for You Can Ride 2, Active PhysioWorks will donate $25 to support our program.
• May 25, 2019 - DirtyBirds Silent Auction (Charity Hockey Tournament in Honor of Joshua DaSilva)
  • In support of the Neurosurgery Kids Fund and You Can Ride 2
• September 14, 2019 - Bike return
  • ALL summer only rental bikes MUST be returned on this day to avoid a financial penalty UNLESS you are fundraising for the Ride for Refuge.
  • Families choosing to switch from a summer only rental to a full year or long-term rental MUST pay the remaining balance ($100- $200) on or before this date.  
  • Failure to extend the borrowing period or return the bike by this date can result in ineligibility to borrow a bike for at least one year.
• October 5, 2019 - Ride for Refuge Fundraiser for You Can Ride 2
  • Ride as many times around the 1km accessible loop as you wish or try longer routes!
  • All those participating in the Ride can return their bikes at this time with no penalty
• January 5, 2020- Registration for 2020 borrowing season
  • Families that wish to borrow the same bike MUST re-register and pay a renewal fee ($300-$400 depending on where bike is stored in the winter) on or before this date.

DONATING/ SUGGESTING BIKES

• Do you accept bike donations to your program?
  • Yes.  If we cannot use the bike in our program, we will in turn donate it to one of our partners to be used in their programs (e.g., Brick Sport Central , Bike Edmonton).
• I saw a bike online that I’d love my child to try.  Can you bring in other styles of bikes?
  • If you are willing to obtain a quote from the company and forward it to us (please include the cost of shipping as well), we will certainly consider it!  We are hoping to obtain several different styles for families to try.

 

OTHER

• Do you offer courses on how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle?
  • Our Edmonton course runs for 7 weeks starting on the last Thursday in April. Your child needs to be 8 or older and be reasonably confident with pedaling, steering and stopping. They will also need their own two-wheeled bicycle. If your long term goal for your child is 2-wheeled cycling, please let your therapist know as this may affect what bike progression is recommended. Registration for the Learn to Ride course will also open on January 6, 2019 at noon.
• I can’t attend the fitting day I was assigned to.  Can I still borrow a bike?
  • Only two fitting days are scheduled.  If you miss them, you will have to wait until next year.
• 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.  
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Is there an income cutoff?
  • 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 the $2000-$5000 required to purchase some of these bikes will consider donating them to our loan pool after their child outgrows them.
• Why does my therapist need to make the referral?
  • Bike fittings are all done by volunteer paediatric physical and occupational therapists as well as by volunteer bicycle mechanics.  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.

Please note:

Our policies are in place to make our organization usable and sustainable, and may change as the program grows. Not following program guidelines may result in ineligibility for future borrowing.