Donate to Aidn's New Accessible Trike

Hi all!

My name is Aidn. In mid-June 2024, my Lectric e-bike (lovingly named Jett) was stolen from my back porch where it was locked up, as was my helmet and everything in the saddlebags. I used Jett for more than a year as my only form of transportation. When I got him, he was used for up to 30 miles a day as I biked back and forth from Northampton to Amherst for work. I can't express how much money, time, and energy he saved me, even through scary incidents with pickup trucks and in the iciest days of the winter. While I did file a police report that same day, the officers let me know that I was the next victim in a series of thefts of e-bikes in Northampton and they were not hopeful that they could find Jett. I waited more than two months, but it is finally time to admit that I cannot start a new school year and move forward with my other responsibilities without transportation.

This does leave me with a new opportunity though! In February, I was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which means that my joints are too flexible and can very easily fully or partially dislocate themselves (including in my sleep). A physical therapist I know professionally who also has EDS let me know that riding an upright bicycle was likely making my joint issues worse. And it just so happened to fall into place that All Out Adventures, an accessible outdoor recreation company near me, has a trike shop selling the exact kind of recumbent trike (a trike with a full seat that removes pressure from my fragile shoulder and back joints) that I am hoping to buy. They will help me by purchasing, assembling, and properly adjusting my trike as well as adding on the accessibility mods that I need to make riding safe and comfortable.

As a person without a ton of financial means due to working in Early Childhood Education and as a person with disabilities that keep me from being able to access driving or a less expensive bike as a method of transportation, lots of people in my circles are telling me that crowd-funding is the best method to get the financial help I need to purchase this bike. Below is the financial breakdown:

Catrike Trail- $3,350

Cycling Safety Flag- average $50

Strapped Heel Support Pedals- $145

With sales tax rounded up, this will be just under $3,800. Anything extra will go towards replacing the cold weather gear, better helmet, and maintenance kit that was lost with my poor stolen Jett.

I so deeply appreciate any help that anyone can offer me with this.

Endless love,

Aidn