CONTACT
US!
shelley@buddybike.com 786.489.BIKE
(2453)
Business Hours Mon-Fri 10am-6pm EST
Buddy Bike, LLC manufactures
and distributes The Buddy Bike® an alternative tandem bicycle that provides
safe family fun and therapeutic activity for cyclists with special needs.
Bike for autism, down syndrome, sight impairment and other disabilities.
ONLINE RADIO INTERVIEWS
Bright Feats Show 031
10/5/09 Special
Needs, Special Bike...The Buddy Bike!
Shelley Patterson interviewed by Allie & Rorie
Discussing Living w/Autism show by
Mad As A Hatter
on BlogTalkRadio.
Guests - Dr. Robert Melillo, author of "Disconnected Kids:
The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with
Autism..." and Shelley Patterson talking about the Buddy
Bike.
A
Note from
Generation Rescue
via Facebook (4/14/11)
Jenny McCarthy's Autism Organization says:
The buddy bike is an amazing
thing for children on the spectrum. What we found from the
families that tried it was that it was really good for
sensory integration and motor skills as well as building up
the weaker muscle groups and working on balance. We found
the kids were showing more self confidence because they were
accomplishing a task they may not otherwise be able to do,
and the bike was great at not only allowing them to
accomplish these tasks but reinforced the behavior because
they could continue to do well. Also, it is wonderful for
the kids because they get to interact with their parents and
from the parents perspective they get the simple joy of
riding bikes with their children. We love the buddy bike!
I just wanted to
thank you for all the hands-on assistance you provided
for our Transition group on Saturday at Women’s Park.
The teens had such great fun riding the tandems. I could
tell some would have definitely wanted more time to
ride. Your help was invaluable toward their personal
enjoyment of this activity. Many never have the
opportunity to benefit from this fun and recreational
sport.
I would love to
coordinate other events for them in the future. Buddy
Bike seems to be a wonderful program to help the
disabled. Thanks for what you do!
From a
Physical Therapists Point of View
Will Perez, Physical Education
Director
The Victory Center, Miami, FL
"Aside from the physical
benefits they receive...it has given them a sense of
belonging and has driven them to "want to attend
physical education and "ride with coach." The look on
their faces is one that I cannot describe."
READ WILL'S STORY
The Buddy Bike has been
officially tested, rated and recognized as a product that
is friendly for children of all abilities by
AblePlay.
Visit our product listing at
AblePlay
to review a report by the
National Lekotek Center
about the Buddy
Bike and its applications and benefits for special needs
children.
Parents may find this
information to be useful in their search for funding.
The Buddy Bike is a tandem bicycle (bicycle for two) that
places the smaller rider in the front seat while the rear
rider controls the steering. Its features make the Buddy
Bike especially beneficial for children with special needs.
The Buddy Bike offers adaptive outdoor recreation and
therapeutic activity to those who may not otherwise be able
to experience the thrill of riding a bicycle.
The Buddy Bike can be empowering for
riders with special needs. Riding the same bike as the
parent, caregiver or teacher lessens the skills and the
number of steps necessary to successfully ride a bike. The
front rider has their own handlebars to feel like they are
steering without actually having control of the bike and
they can contribute to pedaling and propelling the bicycle
forward. The rider seated in the front has an unobstructed
view for maximum visual stimulation and tactile stimulation
in the form of wind on his/her face. The seats are close
enough for easy communication between the riders making it
easier to keep the person with a disability on task without
lagging behind, turning a different way or stopping on their
own. Many of our customers state that their children are
more alert and responsive after riding their Buddy Bike and
that they feel that they fit in by being able to do what
other kids do. A rider with a autism, down syndrome, sight
impairment or other disabilities is able to keep up with
family and friends when riding in a group so they are no
longer left behind.
Riders must be able to sit upright
on a standard bicycle seat to ride the Buddy Bike. Riders
with severe physical disabilities may not be able to ride
the Buddy Bike. Fold-out foot pegs are available for smaller
riders to keep their feet out of the way of moving pedals
(sold separately). The Buddy Bike can support up to 380
pounds; making it the ultimate family bike that can be
enjoyed by riders of all ages and abilities.
Children with Autism, Down Syndrome, Aspergers, Fragile
X, blind / sight impaired, hearing impaired and children with
cognitive disabilities. Recent studies are showing that
riding a bicycle can reduce tremors in patients with
Parkinson's Disease.
The Buddy Bike
as a transitional tool The Buddy Bike
allows a stoker (front rider) with little or no cycling
skills to ride a bicycle. The Buddy Bike is an excellent
tool for safely teaching beginner cyclists of all ages and it has helped
several children transition to riding their own 2-wheel
bicycles.
One father had this to say about their experience
with the Buddy Bike:
"...never in our
wildest dreams did we imagine that Kyle would learn to ride
a two-wheeled bike. He's made us real proud and it just goes
to show that children with autism can learn just like
everyone else you just have to find the people that know how
to teach them..."
Kruno -
Ontario, Canada
Visit our
Funding Options page to find
Medical Provider or funding
source near you.
A Letter from
Miami Children's Hospital Dan Marino Center
Dear Shelley,
Thank you so much for
letting us borrow a Buddy Bike and Helmets for Camp DMC!
The children absolutely loved riding them. We were able
to use the bikes as motivators for completing work - the
children were able to earn bike rides if they followed
the rules and completed assignments. In addition, some
of the children seek sensory input that riding the bike
was able to provide, and bike rides at regular intervals
helped keep instances of inappropriate sensory seeking
behaviors down.
Another very cool fact
- we actually allowed STEPS Interns to ride the bikes
with the children as part of their responsibilities and
bonding experiences with the children. STEPS Interns are
high school students with disabilities who were working
with us as their summer job site because they want to be
camp counselors or work with children when they enter
the workforce.
Attached are a couple
of pictures of our kiddos having fun that I thought you
would enjoy.
Thanks again!!!
Stacy A. Layer, MA,
BCBA
Behavior Analysis Manager
Miami Children's Hospital
Dan Marino Center
WE DO NOT BUILD THE
SIDE-BY-SIDE SOCIABLE TANDEM ALSO CALLED
"BUDDY BIKE"
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