On November 29, 2003 I purchased a used tandem bicycle from a neighbor. This bike is unique and differs from the typical “child-behind” tandem because the child sits in front; his pedals are fully connected to the gears and his handlebars are on the same bar as the adult’s. I have always been enthusiastic about exercise, and this design seemed perfect for safe and fun cycling with my son, Jesse, who has autism.

When Jesse was a toddler, I used to take him in the child seat attached to my bike. However, as Jesse got older we needed an alternative. He enjoys bike riding and even learned how to ride a two-wheeler. Unfortunately, Jesse, like most children with autism and many with related disabilities, does not understand the concept of traffic and stop signs. At first, I purchased a “tag along bike” that attached to my bicycle, and included handlebars and pedals. However, I constantly had to look back at Jesse to make sure he was holding on and pedaling. He was usually not doing one or the other and would often pedal backwards. On more than one occasion I crashed as I was looking back at Jesse.

Since 2003, Jesse and I have been riding our special bike together almost every weekend. As Jesse and I enjoyed the bike and received so many smiling looks along the way, I began to think about the many parents and children who could benefit from this design. I contacted the inventor, Robert Gardner, offered to purchase the patent, and in 2005, a Special Needs Irrevocable Trust for the benefit of Jesse (Jesse’s Trust) purchased the rights to the patent for the bicycle as well as the remaining inventory.

The Buddy Bike is unique. A typical tandem bicycle requires the person sitting in the front to steer. With the Buddy Bike, the child sits in the front but holds on to the same handle bars that the adult uses to steer the bike. The adult has significant leverage over the handlebars so the child does not have the ability to push the steering in any direction without the cooperation of the parent rider. Since Jesse sits in front of me I can supervise what he is doing and we can work on his communication skills while riding. He has already learned to point and say “left turn” or “right turn.”

Jesse and I look forward to our weekend routine of riding the Buddy Bike. We spend about 2 hours together as we ride 10 to 18 miles, stop for breakfast and return home. Every once in a while Jesse turns around to look at me with a very big smile on his face. Instead of watching my back as he did with the tag along bike, Jesse now sees an open world with nothing in front of him but road and sky.

The Future of Buddy Bike

I foresee how the bike will be enjoyed by all parents who would enjoy the increased security and interactive fun the Buddy Bike provides. The Buddy Bike will also offer special needs children, including children with physical as well as developmental challenges, an opportunity for growth, development, exercise and an opportunity to interact within their community.

The future of Buddy Bike includes plans for the creation of Buddy Bike Clubs in communities across the United States. The Buddy Bike Clubs will plan family bike rides and local excursions.

Many families are receiving funding from various sources to purchase their Buddy Bikes. Future plans also include creating a Buddy Bike Foundation or wider distribution of the Buddy Bike by the funding sources.

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