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Just to let you know that I met up with John and
tried out the BuddyBike family that he had, and following a subsequent trial
ride with my son, Charlie, we're now the proud owner of the bike! Charlie
absolutely loves it - has been in fits of giggles all day whilst we cycled round
and round a local park! Dave - UK
7/12/10 |
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We picked up our buddy bike sport today. George
loves it!!!!!! What a smile he had on his face! Priceless! Thank you.
Lynn - Nazareth, PA
6/4/10 |
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Words cannot describe the joy the Buddy Bike has
brought into our lives. I can now fully share in a biking experience with our
son. He so enjoys looking out and capturing all of the sights and sounds, rather
than just staring at my back as with a typical tandem bike. He wants to ride
everyday and the longer the ride the better. At times other family members
accompany us on their bicycles and we look forward to participating in some
cycling fundraising events for the special needs community. An additional
benefit is that we both are getting in great physical shape. What a fabulous
invention! Sean - Miami, FL
5/17/10 |
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I just wanted to let you know that we purchased
the "last" Love Bike yesterday and wanted to complement you on your genius
design.
My daughter had both her hips reconstructed and
her therapist say it would be good for her to ride a bike. However, due to her
autism, she cannot ride a conventional bike and she's too big to ride a
tricycle. Once we put her on the Love Bike, the look on her face said it all!
You have given her a sense of freedom and
accomplishment she otherwise would never have known. You've also given our
family the opportunity to par take in a family function we once thought
impossible.
So from the bottom of our hearts - thank you!
Grace - Poway, CA
3/7/10
Hi Grace, I
just posted your comment at our Customer Comments web page. I also posted it in
Facebook and Twitter. It really is beautiful and moving and reminds me why I
work so hard!! J Thank you!
Shelley at Buddy Bike
You're welcome. I really
meant every word. My husband took Vanessa out on her Love Bike this
weekend...later that night Vanessa was getting her bath and said "I had fun
riding bikes with you Daddy". She doesn't have a lot of meaningful speech, but
found the words that time...
Grace - Poway, CA
3/29/10 |
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We are doing very well and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our
Buddy Bike! Nick squeals with joy every time we go for a ride! Thankfully
November has provided us with good weather so we could enjoy a few more rides at
the end of the season...The special seat back and custom seat belt have worked
out great. I don’t think Nick would have been ready for riding without them. He
gets SO excited! The seat back did take some further adjustment on my part to
get used to, but I’ve adapted accordingly and we’re doing well traveling the
neighborhood together...My husband took a video of our first ride on his cell
phone which is priceless...it’s Nick’s favorite “reward” these days—if he does
what he’s supposed to do, then he gets to watch the Buddy Bike “movie” on
Daddy’s phone. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Michele - St. Paul, MN
11/24/09 |
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We picked up our bike last week from “Hal” [Creative
Mobility] and are having a ball! It took me a little getting used to but I
am thrilled that I can ride it. Max LOVES it. He keeps putting on his shoes and
saying—“bicycle!” My husband and Max are out on it right now. Thanks again.
Melanie & Max -
Oak Park, IL
9/7/09 |
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We purchased a used Buddy Bike last year and we
absolutely love it. My son is 9 years and on the autistic spectrum and the Buddy
Bike has given us hours of fun. We'd love to ride with other families.
Sandy -
Chicago, IL
9/2/09 |
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I would love to hook up with other Buddy-Bike
"buddies" for rides in the Fall. (You should know that the crank shorteners and
set back seat post adaptations work GREAT with the EZ Sunray seat, and my nine
year son and I have been having a blast with the BuddyBike!!)
BTW, I am considering doing the TD Bank Bike
Philly 2009 ride, probably just the 10 mile loop at this point. If you want to
see if there are other BBers interested, you can have them contact me, and/or
provide them more info. via the following link
http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/content/bike-philly. I would also be
interested in doing other rides of this type.
Jennifer - Huntingdon Valley, PA
8/27/09 |
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Orion -
De Pere, WI
08/24/09 |
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Hi Shelley! We are still riding, for sure! My
husband & son are out and about on the bike every weekend. We always get
comments ... stares ... and questions! We are all too happy to share the Buddy
Bike story. Wish there were more Buddy Bike riders up this way. :)
Lori -
Fernandina Beach, FL
Posted on Facebook
8/18/09 |
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The Trout Family
in Portland OR shared some photos from the Providence Bridge Pedal 2009. The
Trouts rode their Buddy Bike over the bridges of Portland with over 18,000
other riders! I love seeing big brother on his bike too. The Buddy Bike
makes it possible for them to ride together. Thanks for sharing Trout
Family! Shelley at Buddy Bike
08/14/09 |
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I posted a video of Jeffrey's first bike ride on
my [Facebook] profile page! We got it yesterday and his response was "I love
this bike", he says it on the video. We also posted it to you tube for our
friends and family. We are thrilled with the bike.
Mike (from the bike shop was impressed with the
design and is thinking about purchasing one for the shop. I will also spread the
word around here. Thank you so much for offering such a wonderful product. This
will change our life!
Thanks again,
Kami
Yardley, PA
8/10/09 |
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I ended up getting one [Buddy Bike] used. It's
been so awesome. The kids ask for "family bike rides" everyday. Luke (8 yo
w/autism) says he doesn't want to ride the bus anymore (he loves the bus), he
wants me to ride with him to school everyday!!
Denise
East Lansing, MI
7/31/09 |
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I just wanted to say hi to you. Our Buddy Bike has
worked well and we are very happy about it. The bike is unusual sight here in
Finland and a lot of people have asked about it. I have told them the place to
buy, but I don't know that if there is any of them contacted to you. Anyway the
bike is great and we have a lot of nice moments with Eelis. Now I feel that 7
–gears is not enough and need more ;)
Arto
Finland
6/9/09 |
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The Buddy Bike
isn't just for kids! Michael & Analia of Miami Beach enjoy their first Buddy
Bike ride at Bike Miami Days on 5/17/09.
Michael and Analia
Miami Beach, FL
05/17/09 |
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We received our Buddy Bike about a month ago. We
were very excited- it took us about 8 months to get it approved as a therapeutic
tool for our son. So we were really happy when we finally got it! It is
everything that I had hoped it would be. I wanted the buddy bike because I
thought it would be something good for my son. It has been amazing. My husband
and Jackson have been out every weekend riding since we got it. Jackson LOVES
it! He is enjoying their time together so much- he loves being on the bike, he
loves being outside. It is great to have an appropriate activity to do with him
that he loves.
Best of all, my husband has something special
that he can do with his son. When you have a child with significant special
needs, it can be hard to find a recreational activity to do together. My husband
cannot do a lot of the things that dads do with their typical children- there is
no catch, no baseball, soccer, hockey, etc. Those activities are too difficult
for Jackson and he does not enjoy them. But he LOVES being on the bike with his
dad! And they are having a great time together.
Thank you for such a wonderful product. It has
made a difference in our lives!!
The only problem is, my husband can't ride more
than a few feet without people stopping to ask him about the bike!! Everyone
wants to know what kind of bike it is, where he got it, etc. Today he actually
had a man take pictures of it to show his son because he has a grandchild with
special needs. Do you have some kind of business cards that you could send us?
It would be much easier if he could just pass them out to people who want more
information. Answering all their questions is taking time away from his ride! He
has already given your info to about 25 people on Long Island in the last few
weeks. Everyone thinks the bike is amazing!! There are so many children with
special needs who would love the bike too.
Michele
Long Island, NY
5/10/09 |
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We have owned our bike for over 6 months now and
we literally ride the bike every day, unless I am out of town or its raining. My
son loves it and it has been great for both of us.
Joseph
Houston, TX
4/20/09 |
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Great picks on buddybike....I
was real fortunate Jacob and I were riding towards south water front
(Portland) and a professional photographer approached us (waiting for
wedding party) and was so impressed with the bike she took these pics of us.
Taylor and Jacob
Portland, OR
02/23/09 |
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ROBERT, SHARRON & OLIVIA'S STORY
Here is the story about our ride in the Mutual Community Challenge. I hope it is
not too lengthy but I have tried to convey how the experience felt as truthfully
and briefly as possible. We enjoy getting out on our bikes, and the Buddy Bike
has changed our activities so much for the better that I needed to put it in
writing.
Robert, Sharron & Olivia
Australia
2/9/09
We picked up our Buddy Bike on New Years’ Eve and
nervously took it out for its’ maiden voyage on New Years’ Day. It had a couple
more outings in the following weeks, always drawing plenty of attention and
questions wherever it went.
Today Robert & Olivia participated in the
public leg of the Tour Down Under! Amongst some 7,000 other riders completing
various distances, they rode 33 kms in 2 hours 12 minutes and finished tired but
very happy, being cheered and urged on as they went.
Robert has found it easy to ride and control.
At the moment Olivia is too little to reach the pedals (poor Dad does all the
leg work on the rides) but we are happy that she will grow and the bike will
grow with her.
It certainly met all our expectations and we
are happy on our family cycling outings.
Robert, Sharron & Olivia
Australia
1/23/09 |
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Shelley, we got it!!! :) Thank you so much for
getting the Buddy Bike to us before the big guy (Santa Claus) showed up. I
wanted to share with you our first ride. It was kind of scary and a little tear.
But the next day allowed us a happy time. She kept asking I want to go again,
again. Her sister enjoyed it too. It gave her some [courage] to get back on her
own bike, which she hadn't been on since a bad spill she took last Spring. And
as far as Kristine (the one we got the bike for) while we were taking turns on
the Buddy Bike she pulled out her old bike and started riding it. Now why this
is so great is before she would never ever rode it before. It was really special
time with the Buddy Bike in hand , we rode bikes together on Christmas day for
the first time ever as a family. Will send some pictures soon.
Kathleen
Destin, FL
12/26/08 |
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drop you a line (and a couple of pictures) to let you know how much we are
enjoying the Buddy Bike. We've been out a few times now and both my children
love it. It gets an incredible amount of interest and attention and really
gives me the opportunity to spend some quality time cycling with Tom. Thanks
again for all your help. Russell
Surrey, England
12/8/08 |
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Buddy Bike 2 months ago and are having a great time with it. Our son, Nir is
16 years old and is Autistic. He loves our weekend bike rides so much that
he is even ready to put his helmet and shoes on.
Oded
Israel
11/1/08 |
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When the bike was assembled we asked them to
please put on knobby tyres as most of the riding we do is on dirt or gravel
roads. The cycle shop was quite skeptical about the Buddy Bike but I had no
doubt whatsoever that it was going to work for our family. And I was absolutely
right. In the few weeks we have had the bike we have had such fun and Jennifer
loves it. Because she had been on a Trail-a-bike with her dad she did not take
long at all to get used to the new bike and is keen to ride as often as
possible. I have ridden with her as well with no problems except she has to
learn to pedal harder up hills because I am not as strong as her dad.
The Buddy Bike fits perfectly on the bike rack
mounted on the car's tow hitch with the other bikes, so transporting it is not a
problem at all. We have had some very curious onlookers and other cyclists are
most interested in having a look and a chat about the bike. What we still need
to do is get the bike to Jennifer's school so that other parents of children
with Special needs have an opportunity of seeing the Buddy Bike.
I was actually amazed at how smoothly the whole
process of purchasing the Buddy Bike went. I am sure this was largely due to
your efficiency and experience and that of your couriers. When the customs
documents were processed I asked the clearing agent to specify that the bike was
for a disabled child and our customs authority waived the duties so all we had
to pay was the VAT and various handling/clearing fees.
So thank you very much. We look forward to many
happy hours of cycling.
Kathy
Honeydew, South Africa
10/29/08 |
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| The Trout Family
was kind enough to share photos from their camping vacation at Fort Stevens
State Park in Oregon. They took their Buddy Bike along. It seems to be
almost as beloved a family member as the dog! ;-) Thank you Trout family!
VIEW TROUT PHOTOS AT FACEBOOK
Shelley at Buddy Bike
9/2/08 |
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| Hi Shelley, I
know you didn't recommend using a trailer bike with the buddy bike, but we
tried it this morning and I think it is more stable than using a baby seat
on the back (as I saw with one of your customers on your website). The girls
are only 5 and 7 and not very heavy. Your Bike seems very stable, strong and
able to handle the trailer bike well. I am very impressed with your buddy
bike. We get to School in plenty of time and beat the Auckland traffic jams.
Thanks. Helen
Auckland New Zealand
8/28/08 |
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Riding new bike lol having fun getting ready for
biking he's pedaling now thanks for sharing!
Taylor, Connor and Family
Portland, OR
8/24/08 |
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you'd like to know that we got the pedal cranks and have been enjoying the
buddy bike ride with Noah. I have attached a couple pictures (the photos are
before we got the cranks). I hope you like them. Also, I wanted to let you
know that every time I ride on it people ask me questions about it. If you
have any business cards, maybe you could send me a few.
Lynn
Hudson, OH
8/16/08 |
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Hello, hope all is well.
Take a look at the following link which is an article that was printed in the At
Geist newsletter and web site. Meredith has become famous! She is the
first in Indiana to own this special bike!
VIEW ARTICLE
Diane
Indianapolis, IN
7/17/08 |
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I was going through old
e-mails and remembered that I had a message last week asking about how we like
our buddy bike. We are enjoying it very much. Zach was a bit afraid at first,
but has warmed up to it nicely. We are really liking our family outings on the
bikes. Thank you for the great bike!!!
Catherine
Monterrey, CA
7/8/08 |
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Our son LOVES the buddy bike finally!!! He is
still using the foot pegs and with a 10 yr old we would love to get his feet to
stay on the pedals. When will yall have the adaptive foot pedals available where
we could possibly strap on his foot to get him to learn that is what he is
suppose to do with his feet.
Thanks so much for all your help with the
purchase. We did the reimbursement from our waiver so it has been such a
blessing!
Caroline
Conyers, GA
7/7/08 |
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I'm from Wisconsin and bought our Love Bike [a.k.a. The Buddy Bike]
back in 1999. We moved to Shanghai for a two-year expat assignment and
brought our Love Bike with us. I was planning to take a better photo than
the one I have attached but today the movers packed up our bike to move back
to the USA. My entire family loves the Buddy Bike!
[From Shelley] Did you just
write to me only to tell me how much you love your bike? That is so cool!
[From Mark] Yes, I was
writing just to say how much we love the bike.
Mark
Wisconsin
7/2/08 |
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| Hi Shelley.
Wanted to share with you something that we are planning.
[Read about the OASIS Autism Buddy Bike
Fund and make a donation at:
OASIS Autism Blog]
Angel at OASIS Autism
Wooster, OH
6/23/08 |
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| Annie loves the
bike. It is taking a little getting use to because of her size, but we'll
make it work. Mike, Stacey & Annie
Deadwood, SD
6/17/08 |
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We weren't sure how Meredith was going to react to
being on the bike without any special support around her midriff area. We
decided to try it first without purchasing any special straps etc. She screamed
at first but once the bike started moving she started smiling and making sounds
of enjoyment. Now she gets on the bike with enthusiasm!
We are very happy with the joy that the bike
has given our family. When I'm home with the kids in the summer I can go out and
ride with them and get a workout on top of it. We are glad we purchased the
sport model so that I can make it up the hills! Maybe next summer Meredith will
be able to reach the pedals and will want to participate in the pedaling.
Diane, Doug & Meredith
Indianapolis, IN
6/13/08
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I would like to inform you that your Buddy Bike is
perfect. Our child likes it very much, so do I. We are really enjoying the bike
and family time together.
The Grums
Ljubljana, Slovenia
6/3/08
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| I just wanted to
let you know, our daughter Kendra, was ok'd to start riding a bike again,
after some hip injuries she received at school in fall. I am hoping you can
see this picture. We have a very nice bike trail along Lake Michigan we like
to ride. Kendra absolutely LOVES her new bike. The foot pegs are great!!!
When she seems tired, we just flip them down for her. Anyway, thanks so much
for such a great bike!!! The smile on her face the first time we took the
bike out was priceless. We all love the buddy bike!!!!
Susan & Kendra
Manitowoc, WI
6/1/08 |
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| Buddy Bike has
made a maiden flight (first I took a solo flight and as soon as Nir got home
from school I took him on a dual flight).
Dubi & Nir
Israel
5/20/08 |
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I'm sending you a photo of Luke's first ride,
which wasn't too successful - he loved it but wouldn't keep his feet on the
pedals. We've now got some footstraps which keep his feet in place which has
solved that. The only problem we have now is that he loves it so much he
never wants the ride to end and we sometimes find ourselves going around the
block a few times before he'll let us come home without screaming the place
down!!
Teresa, Gareth & Luke
Oxon, England
5/14/08 |
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We LOVE our new bike. We are still getting used to
it. The handle bars take a little adjusting because they are very wide. Noah
needs to grow a couple more inches to reach the peddles, but we feel very
blessed to receive such a great gift that we will be able to use for years to
come. Remember, if anyone wants to see it, please give them my number. Also,
please keep me posted about any rides that will be in the area. I'd love to meet
you. Thanks for everything. Blessings,
Lynn
Hudson, OH
5/5/08 |
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| Just to let you
know we picked up the bike this week, looking forward to lots of use over
the years to come...... A picture's worth a thousand words, the smile is
priceless! Vit
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
4/19/08 |
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| Ray says, "No way
I'm going to let Patrick coast with his feet on the pegs! I want him to help
peddle!" You should have seen Patrick's face the first time he rode with
dad. I thought his face was going to break into 2 pieces, he was smiling so
big! I am attaching some first day pix! Heck! I'm sending this to the
g-parents and teachers, too!
Nancy, Ray & Patrick
Lewisville, TX
4/17/08 |
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We have been riding with Buddy Bike almost
everyday during last and this week. The first time for Eelis was surprised
and he was laughing the first kilometers... he was yelling that "this is
fun!!..." I'm pretty ok with the bike now and its nice to drive. Its more
stable to drive when there is also a child with. Alone its not so stable.
I'm sure that we will have a lot of fun with this bike and nice thing is
that we can continue cycling with Eelis, even though he will be blind during
next year... :-( It was also nice to see that this bike will turn
heads, where ever we are. Everyone has said that they have not ever seen
something like this...
I will send more pictures from our journey,
but I want to send special thanks to you Shelley, that this bike was
possible to get also here in Finland!
Arto, Terhi, Eelis and Emilia
Finland
4/23/08 |
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We picked up our Buddy bike sun 4-13 Tom at Roll
bike ordered us a seat with a back rest that works GREAT! we have been out twice
now with our BIG ride yesterday sun 4-20. My son Bobby loves it and so do I and
it really gets the looks. Thank you for making our life more enjoyable.
[For info about the bike seat that Rob
mentions, visit our
Products
web page.]
Rob
Dayton, OH
4/21/08 |
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Ten-year-old Cole rides with his father, Tim, on a Buddy Bike tandem bicycle
around the track at Oakridge Middle School in Naples. Cole was diagnosed
with autism when he was three-years-old. After school the Byers spend time
doing physical activities, including riding a bicycle, because of the
benefits that physical activity and interaction has on Cole. Florida Gulf
Coast University is hosting a conference on autism, entitled Promising
Pathways: The Road to Best Practice in Autism, on Saturday, April 19, 2008,
from 8a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.
Tim & Cole - FL
04/14/08
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FAMILY INSPIRED TO HELP OTHER FAMILIES
READ MORE |
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Joshua could not wait to ride his buddy bike. The
snow melted enough so we could take it for a spin. (it hasn't stopped snowing
since.) Thank you again. The first photo is a bit blury...he was having so much
fun.
Angel
Wooster, OH
2/27/08 |
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I just want you to know that the bike is the real
deal. My 9 year old autistic son loves it. It's a solid, well built bike and if
your son likes to ride a bike, this will be perfect. By the way, I don't get
anything back from praising the bike, my reward is a happy child.
Kruno
Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada
2/26/08 |
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Just to let you know that we got back from our
holiday and cleared the bike through customs. I've two questions for you:
1. Is this much fun from a buddy bike normal or legal? The children and I seem
to have smiles from ear to ear when we ride it.
2. Why didn't I buy one sooner?
Just a great bike. Thanks for sorting it and
getting one over to the UK for us.
Laurence - 9/7/07
London, U.K. |
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Eric and James have been having a blast on their buddy bike, we have biked a
lot of the C&O canal, it is beautiful, it goes from Pennsylvania to
Virginia, we hope to ride the whole thing. James really has been doing well
also, he is pedaling (a little) but likes being in the front and seeing
everything. Thanks again.
Darlene - 8/14/07
Dayton, MD |
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Thank you so much for Morgan's Buddy Bike! We ride every week and love it.
It's great for Morgan's balance and strengthening!
Nadia & Family - NJ
7/25/07
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CLICK HERE to read a letter written by
Terri in Vacaville, California. She is one of our customers and the mother
of a child with autism. Her letter was published in her local newspaper. |
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I sure didn't think it would be this quick, but
Kyle has totally fallen for his new Buddy Bike. I picked it up last Friday and
we have already gone for 7 rides and it's Wednesday now. 5 days, WOW. As soon as
I ask him if he wants to go on the big bike, he's at the front door putting his
shoes on. The guys at American Cycle and Fitness in Royal Oak were fantastic,
did a great job assembling it, they all wanted to take their kids for rides.
Thanks for the the fast service, it was a real pleasure getting this Bike.
Kruno - Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada
7/11/07 |
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Well, finally!!! We got the Buddy bike today (5/6)
and its great! Morgan is a bit short for it; but that's ok. He'll grow into it
and to tell you the truth, I just want him to learn to balance on the bike and
be able to ride with his family. So, for a 6 year old, the pegs to rest his feet
on are perfect and it will definitely have plenty of room for growth!
Thanks again so much. Most importantly, Morgan
was a little hesitant to try it but does love it after a few rides around the
neighborhood!
Nadia & Family - NJ
5/7/07
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My son realizes that this bike is special and
that WE are doing something special when we are able to ride it together.
Something else happened in this past week that is definitely connected to
our Buddy Bike. My son goes to an after school day care program...He
generally has a little bit of homework every day (but generally has to be
told to do it and usually doesn’t want to start it unless I am there to help
him). I walked into the daycare and there is Kenny sitting at a table by
himself with his book bag and homework folder out...So I went up to him and
said, “What’s up with you today Kenny? You got your homework going all by
yourself? That’s pretty great.” He says, “Well, I’m growing up. I figured
like you said. I should get it done before you get here. Then we can have
more fun time when we get home at night.”
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Kenny celebrates the
4th of July
by riding his Buddy Bike in a local parade. |
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The MORE FUN TIME he is referring to is having
more time for us to get out on our Buddy Bike. This bike is just giving him so
many side benefits right now that I am amazed. His self esteem is improving and
he wants to help me get chores done around the house so that I feel like we have
more time to ride, and DOING his homework on his own without being told and
trying to do as much of it as he can do independently without someone helping
him …….we are forming a consistent pattern of getting some exercise most days of
the week, and it is ENJOYABLE exercise for both of us. The bonding, the
cooperation and sense of working together heading in the same direction on
things both on and off the bike is so beneficial to both of us.
WE are hooked and probably will be for a long
time. Thanks again,
Maureen - Monroe, MI
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I have a wonderful son, Kenny who has autism. We
got our Buddy Bike on the last day of March...and have ridden it as often as we
could in spite of the ever changing Michigan weather...This evening we were
having very pleasant temperatures. Around 8 pm Kenny asked if we could take the
bike out for a little while. Here is what he said to me tonight while riding our
Buddy Bike:
“ I like riding our bike on our quiet streets
when it is like this.”
“Like what honey?”
“Like when it’s warm out, but if you ride the
bike a little bit fast it makes the wind go by and be cool out too - right on
your face.”
I thought it was a beautiful thing to say. I
knew exactly what he meant. It is what I have always loved about riding a bike.
I love that the Buddy Bike is giving us these
opportunities to be together, work together, play together, talk together and
…..that part about riding a little bit fast so that the wind goes by and makes
it cool out – right on your face….it’s the greatest. The Buddy Bike is doing so
much more for us than just getting us around town on a bike.
I thought you should know.
Maureen - Monroe, MI
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We got a call from Jack’s Bike Shop today that our
bike had come in and was ready to pick up…Kenny was all grumbly when I told him
we were going to get the bike and ride it home (not an uncommon first reaction
from him on anything new or different). He didn’t want to get a bike helmet,
didn’t want to wear it etc, but he did agree to give the whole thing a *try*,
but just once he said, (like he does when I make him taste carrots or broccoli).
We got out the front door of the bike shop and as you noted in your last
email….immediately everyone in the parking lot was paying attention to us
getting started on this bike...We got on the bike path and cars that were going
by and walkers, joggers, other bikers were all taking notice of us on this very
different bike. One guy driving by yelled out his window at us, “Hey COOL BIKE!”
More importantly, Kenny said, “Sorry I was grumpy about the bike mom. THIS IS
REALLY COOL.”
So the bike is a hit, we already love it and I
am going to work on plans to help other people to get bikes like this!
Maureen - Monroe, MI
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Yes! The buddy bike is here and we LOVE it. No
problems with the assembly -- the bike guy didn't even charge us (how amazing is
that?). Our son, Nicholas, wants to ride all the time. The first time he rode he
had his legs out to the side ... threw his head back ... closed his eyes ...
took a deep breath and smiled the biggest smile I've EVER seen. Shelley, it made
me cry. I think maybe it was the first time he'd ever felt the wind in his face.
That image will never leave my mind (or heart).
My husband travels weekly, so their time on the
bike has been limited -- but priceless. I promise to take photos and send them
your way soon.
Thanks again for being so patient with us in
this process. We are beyond thrilled to own a buddy bike!
Lori - Fernandina Beach, FL
4/25/07
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I wrote to you last year re: our first experiences
with the buddy bike. We have had our buddy bike since May of 2006 and have loved
it. My son Cole who has autism initially was not able to process the pedaling of
the bike and used the foot pegs. We have worked on pedaling several times a
week. On 4/3/07 everything came together and now Cole is able to pedal! Our
family and many of the neighbors are overjoyed at his accomplishment as they
know how hard we have worked on pedaling. Cole is non verbal but now appears to
enjoy riding his buddy bike even more now. We are so happy and proud for him and
just want to thank you again for providing a wonderful product like the buddy
bike that has allowed my son a chance to participate in an activity that only a
year ago seemed impossible. Thanks again.
Tim - Naples, FL
4/5/07
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first is a photo from a couple of weeks ago when Courtney and I rode out to
Key Biscayne to meet some friends. That was 29 miles and one large bridge
twice. The second photos are from last weeks Snowbird Century. There was a
brutal wind to contend with coming back and BB's are not exactly what you
would call aerodynamic. The fingers are meant to show the 42 miles we
covered.
Brooks - Miami, FL
3/28/07 |
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Courtney says 42 MILES! |
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I was riding my buddy bike with both my kids all
last week (my 12 year old daughter who has autism as well as my 10 year old
autistic son). I could not believe how easy it was for them to hop on and go.
Cross our fingers but no wrecks yet!
Pennsylvania is a bit hilly so I am going to
need to find some bike paths as I am finding it to be quite a work out to go up
hills!
This has been a godsend for my son as he can do
something physical with me, and get out from in front of the TV. We got a
snowstorm this weekend so we will need to wait until next week to get back on
it. I also have something that he loves to do now, so when he is being a rascal
I can tell him "no bike ride" and he immediately says "be good". So thank you
for that!
As an aside, my daughter seems to have a better
handle on biking in general and I feel that maybe we could get her on a standard
tandem bike as well. Do you have any suggestions on that?
Mike - Bethlehem, PA
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We had our first high 70’s day today and Jacob
had his first adventure with the Buddy Bike. The following message is what
our daughter wrote and she included these priceless pictures!! Just thought
you’d like to share our excitement. Thanks again!
Smiles, Barbara
The pictures say it all. Took a group
effort but they were on it for at least 10 minutes. This is only the
beginning. What a blessing! Thanks so much! Perfect day, as if someone knew
we needed it! (wink)
Love, Julia
3/13/07
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We had a nice day in New York this past
Saturday and we took the Buddy Bike for a spin. My autistic son Josh loved it.
In our first ride we received numerous positive comments from those we passed.
We can’t wait until the weather changes for good and we will then forward
comments and pictures.
Richard - Dix Hills, NY
3/5/07
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We have the bike (picked it up last Saturday)
and love it!!!! I don't know how many times I was yelling out "this is so cool!"
while my husband was riding with my daughter!!!! Awesome!
Dorene - Nazareth, PA
2/1/07
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We've used our Buddy Bike with three
different families, all with good success. Two of the families used the bike
with their children with Down Syndrome, one without any special needs. The kids
really enjoyed the experience, especially being upfront, and having some
control. We'll use the bike more next summer at a special needs camp.
Karl - Akron, OH
10/18/06
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We brought it [The Buddy Bike] home and
tried it out. Let me tell you it is a lot different than riding for one. I rode
it for several minutes to get used to it. We took Rebekah for a spin and the
smile on her face told us that we were right in purchasing the Buddy Bike. We
are hoping for warm/dry weather this weekend so we can take her out again. We
are looking forward to many more smiles from Rebekah!!!
10/2/06
Rebekah just loves her bike. She had smiles
from ear to ear while riding.
Nancy - Altoona, PA
11/13/06
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...I purchased the Buddy Bike at the UM
Tropical Nights Fundraiser/Auction. I gave it to my daughter Lauren on her 6th
birthday. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was three. She is doing great.
We have been enjoying the bike quite frequently. I love it!
Margie - Pincrest, FL
6/6/06
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Just a quick note to tell you we love the
buddy bike! My 9 year old son, Cole, has autism and we have not been able to
bike with him since he outgrew his bike trailer. As soon as we got it home, we
went for a ride. I had tears of joy when I could see & hear how much he was
enjoying himself. Currently, he uses the pegs to rest his feet but we will soon
work on pedaling.
Once again, thank you for your great bike.
It is not only well made but comfortable to ride. Best of all it allows my son
to participate with his family in an activity that only a few short days ago was
not possible.
Tim - Naples, FL
5/7/06
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First let me thank Shelley for taking the time
to meet with us on Saturday. We promptly went over to [Oleta River Park] and
put a few miles on. Steering takes some getting used to but is fine after
some practice. We got a few "cool bike" and some interesting looks.
My son has adapted pretty well and is
very happy on it. He has had some issues with keeping his feet on the pedals
and I have now installed some Bontrager ATB pedals with clips...the pedals
that come on the bike must be replaced as they have no screws to install
clips or power straps which are another alternative. My daughter is really
in love with the bike and insists that we ride it whenever we can. Even my
wife insisted on a ride or two.
While I'm used to a 15.2 pound road
bike, I am also pleasantly happy with the relatively low weight of the
bike...We can comfortably carry the bike on a Bones three bike trunk carrier
incidentally with only about half a wheel overlap on both sides of the car.
We have already been able to take two
family bike trips that never would have happened with Prewitt on his own
bike. That is itself a miracle. The bike is a lot of fun and I hope you sell
a million of them...It's great to be physically close to someone on a bike
and to be able to comfortably speak to them. I think you have a huge amount
of potential with the bike because it is a lot of fun. Helping kids in the
meantime is just icing on the cake.
Anyway we're very happy and pleased
with the bike. Thanks!
Brooks - Miami, FL
5/2/06 |
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My 7-year-old daughter and I took it out
for the first time on Sunday, we turned a bunched heads and enjoyed ourselves on
the ride around the San Francisco Bay. At the end of the day she asked if we
could ride her new bike together everyday.
Rich – Novato, CA
5/2/06
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Attached pic of Mattie exploring bike for
first time. Waiting on others to send me pictures of actual ride. Didn't realize
how BIG the hills in our neighborhood are! Our riding looks more like skiing. We
zoom down the hill and then walk back up. If only there was a bike lift! We'll
find some flat land for longer rides.
Mattie loves it!!! He went to school this
morning talking about telling all his friends about his "Birthday bike"
Gay - Carlottesville, VA
4/24/06
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The bike has been great. My little girl is
now actually sort-of trying to pedal and the more we ride I feel the stronger
her skills will get. I think it is going to and already is an outstanding tool
for her therapy. Before when I asked if she wanted to ride her bike she said no,
but now I ask if she wants to ride the bike she says "yes, Mommy's bike." (she
thinks because its big and I ride it it's mine because she actually already has
her own). Thanks Again!!
Stacy - Kathleen, GA
4/2/06
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I've always felt there has been great
promise for your bike...I do very little advertising but we are the highest
volume hand cycle dealer in the world and that happens by word of mouth. The
sales will come slowly but I have lots of faith in the Buddy Bike design. It was
never marketed properly before and you'll see that the sales will come.
Some of our customers compare your bike to
the Hase Pino hand cycle which is a $5,000 bike. Handicap customers feel the
Buddy Bike lacks some technical features but makes up with economical pricing.
Bike-On.com, Scott Pellett, Coventry, RI
3/20/06
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Shelley...regarding our Buddy Bike ....we love it.
We didn't receive the bicycle until November and the weather was fairly
cooperative here in New Jersey for us to ride the bike. Our 9 year old son
Connor was diagnosed with autism when he was about 3 years old and my husband
and I have been working on many "everyday" life lessons for Connor to master.
Riding a bicycle was quite a struggle. The standard bikes left all of us
frustrated. Connor had a lot of difficulty with keeping his feet moving,
steering and staying centered on a traditional bike all at the same time. When
we looked at tandem bikes we weren't thrilled with the design. The thought of
Connor being behind one of us left us uncomfortable. How could we monitor his
participation without biking into a tree? The Buddy Bike seemed like the perfect
fit and so far it has been. Connor has already mastered keeping his feet on the
pedals as well as increased his improvement in steering. We are looking forward
to the spring and warmer weather so that we can continue to use our Buddy Bike.
Hope all is well with you and everyone at Buddy Bike. Thank you again.
Mary - Spring Lake Heights, NJ
3/20/06
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Had an awesome weekend on our Buddy Bike. Saturday
we took the 10 mile Hollywood north beach cruise to the state park, which was
spectacular. There were incredible ocean and boatbuilding views and breezes and
bridges to climb. A couple of park rangers were on a regular tandem. There were
kids on every sort of carrier seat and trailers and training wheels. A very
interesting highlight was a tandem recumbent bicycle pair. The front rider had a
leg problem and the rear rider was a large blind man, and their vehicle worked
wonderfully for them. It was German made and cost over $5,000.
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Sunday we went to the Ann Kolb Nature Center on a
large preserve of estuary, tidal zone ecosystem, at Sheridan Street and the
intracoastal. A guide took us down dirt and rock paths and through piles of
shredded trees and chips. The Buddy Bike performed so well. The front shock
absorbers make a garden path of very rough terrain. My daughter always has a
picnic on the Buddy Bike. She is hard to feed otherwise, but Jo loves getting
into snacks tucked into baskets, pouches, pockets and cup holders. On this rocky
road though, her breakfast was some rice cereal in a sip cup. It turned over in
the basket and gruel dripped all down the front of our bike. We learned a lot
about local wildlife and left nothing else behind but tire tracks.
I am so grateful to Buddy Bike for being our perfect bicycle. I see so many
other parent child combos who would fit so nicely on Buddy Bike too. The bike is
of such high quality I know we will be exploring trail and towns for many years.
We all know the list of benefits getting out and exercising gives, each day I
ride I am so grateful to be able to give this experience to my daughter.
Ella - Miami, FL
3/14/06
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...we are truly enjoying the Buddy Bike. We've had
some unseasonably warm weather in Iowa, and have had a chance to take the bike
out several times. My daughter jumps right on and is a perfect passenger. She's
using the foot pegs, so the next step is to have her help me pedal. I'm going to
put on some pedals with clips from my old bike for her so she'll get the hang of
it. We have a great trail system right across the street, so we'll be getting
out every chance we get. Isabel says "put your helmet on" and that's my cue she
wants to go for a ride. Whenever anyone asks what she got for Christmas she says
"a new bike."
I am very impressed with the quality of the bike.
I'm not sure what I expected, but I guess I thought it might have more of a
"home brew" look and feel. It is a very well executed product. I will do my best
to spread the word, as I know there is a big market for this product. Seems like
the trick is getting that market aware that this bike exists. I found the Buddy
Bike only after extensive Googling. It would be nice if a Google search like
"autism bike" or "special needs bike" had buddybike.com at the top of the
results. By the way, the video clip and Jake's article are great additions to
your website.
Thanks again for making this great concept a
reality. I was hopeful that the Buddy Bike would be the solution for us, but you
never know with our kids until you try. My daughter and I have already shared
several mutual big grins while we ride. Best of luck, and let me know if there
is anything I can do to help beyond the word of mouth support that I will be
sharing with others in the Des Moines special needs community.
Chris -
Johnston, IA
1/13/06
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We looked and looked for a bike that would meet
our special needs. We consider ourselves lucky that we found the Love
Bike. It has met and exceeded our expectations. Now everyone in our
family is enjoying riding a bike and we've become much more active and mobile as
a family.
Brian J. Perez/BR/Ralcorp
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Thank you again so much for creating this
wonderful bike. Our daughter fell in love with it on her first spin down the
highway with her Dad.......He loves it too! We look forward to many great hours
of riding pleasure in the days to come. Again thanks for giving a blind person
the thrill of riding on a bike.
Marcia - Colville, WA
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Bob, I have had the Love Bike for a few months now
and it has really been fantastic. My kids love riding on it with me. Since they
are right in front of me, we can easily have a conversation while riding. They
really enjoy being up front, able to see and feeling like they have some
control.
I also take my 9-year old daughter to school on
it. The perfect way to start the day.
You designed a great bike!
Howard - FL
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My 8-year old daughter and I have really been
enjoying the Love Bike we purchased from you! We took it down to Chincoteague
Island, Virginia, in August for our family vacation, and it was a blessing. I
did not have to worry about my daughter's safety as we toured around on the
island roads....And she LOVED being in front....
It really attracts attention too. Many folks, who
were vacationing on Chincoteague from all over the country asked about it. Both
my daughter and I got used to shouting back, "Love Bike Dot Com" as we spun
by... Hopefully you'll see an increase in hits to your site from our promotional
campaign... Tee Hee.
I'm so glad we purchased your invention!
It's fantastic!
Eva
Bob, we received our Love Bike [Buddy Bike] about
1 month ago. Even though the weather is extremely hot in Mid-Missouri. I must
say that we truly enjoy the Bike. I found it to be so easy to ride, even the
first time out. With my daughter riding in the front, it seems to balance the
Bike so much better than a rear tandem. Some of the people that we have seen
while riding it really think it is great, as they haven't seen anything quite
like it. To say the least, we are more than pleased. It is well worth the cost.
I would also like to thank you for the help we received from you during the
purchase process.
Jim & Renee - Hermann, MO
My wife (Dawn) and I (Colin) bought a Love Bike so
that we could spend more quality time together while exercising at the same
time. We were quite worried at first, since Dawn had never ridden a bicycle
before; yet with me balancing and steering from the back seat she had no trouble
at all, and within a short time we were racing around like professionals! With
the Love Bike, the two of us sit close enough together that we can have a normal
conversation on the move without turning heads and shouting into the wind.
Synchronizing our pedal action has proved to be no problem at all, in fact, it
adds to the sense of togetherness while cycling as we communicate our intentions
when cycling around corners etc.
Finally, we were extremely impressed with the
quality of parts used on this bike. The Love Bike has been built to be a low
maintenance, long-lasting and great looking bicycle. I'm sure we'll be enjoying
all it has to offer for many years to come.
I hope this honest appraisal can be of some use to
you. We will send you an action shot as soon as we have one!
Colin - South Africa
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