Help me get a new arm bike!
Donation protected
About 3 1/2 years ago I got the opportunity to tryout a handcycle for the first time. We had a dealer come to our group and do a demo with 3 different types of frame. It was the first time I felt some real independence since the accident that paralyzed me 12 years prior.
In all honesty, i hadn’t been taking care of myself since my accident happened. I was overweight, a heavy smoker and had next to no stamina. But I immediately wanted to get a handcycle of my own, the only thing stopping me was the price. The entry level model was $3000, needless to say that was out of my price range since my only income is social security. A friend pushed me to start a GoFundMe fundraiser to see if people would support me in my attempt at getting my own bike. I did and I was blown away by the almost instantaneous outpouring of positive messages and donations. In less than 3 weeks I raised enough to order my bike, I received the handcycle I have now on July 1st of 2016.
My first ride was to the track at Clapp Park and it was for just over a mile. It’s a half mile from my house to that park and .35 miles per lap, I don’t think I was able to do 2 laps. I needed multiple breaks to catch my breath, as I said above, I was in terrible shape. For a while I needed help getting into and out of the bike because of how low it is to the ground, how much I weighed at the time and how little arm and shoulder strength I had. I stuck with it though. At the end of 2016, the first year with my bike, I could complete about 3 miles.
That first winter in between riding seasons I lost alot of the strength and stamina I had gained, but I did quit smoking. The next year we took the wheels off of my old wheelchair and used it as a transfer seat to get in and out of my bike, eliminating the need for extra people to help lift me in and out. I progressed slower than I would’ve liked, but the progress didn’t stop. By the end of 2017, the 2nd year with my bike, I was finishing 5-7 miles per ride. That year I got the tool that’s helped me keep up my gains through the winter months when I can’t go outside on the bike, I got the indoor trainer I use every day.
I started the year of 2018 in the best shape had been in in years and kept the push for progress going. In August of 2018 I passed my first 1000 miles completed. By the end of 2018 I was able finish a 15 mile max ride on the rail trail, but was regularly doing 8-10 miles in a ride.
After working through the winter of 2018-19 I started the spring of 2019 doing 9 miles on the track. By July of 2019 I had gone 2500 total miles. That was the year that my ability to go longer distances started to really progress. It was also the year the frame holding up the seat on my bike snapped for the first time. Luckily, I was able to get it fixed and back to running again. By the end of 2019 I was doing a half marathon pretty much every day. That’s when the miles really started adding up.
That brings me to last riding season. In 2020 I started doing between 75-90 miles per week, every week. In August of 2020 I passed 6000 miles done. Since last August I’ve gone about 2000 miles to put me at 8000 total completed. But just on December 31st months my frame snapped for the 2nd time in the same place as the year before. I love this bike but it’s come to the point where I need to start planning for an upgrade to a new bike that will be able to keep up with the amount of riding I do now on a regular basis.
When I got my bike I knew that I’d eventually need a new one. For that reason I’ve been putting a little money aside every month into a new bike fund. I’ve saved a good amount. But not enough for the kind of bike I’d really love. That’s why I’m also applying for a grant to help my cover the cost of a new top end arm bike that can endure the amount of work I’m putting in. I’m pretty sure I have a good chance of being approved but their grant will only get me about halfway and even after adding the savings I have there’s still a bit of a gap. So I’m going to be starting another fundraiser like I did in June of 2016. I won’t know if I got the grant or how much they’ve awarded me until the end of May and if I raise enough I won’t be taking delivery of my new bike until summertime.
I know this isn’t the optimal time to be asking people for donations and if my bike hadn’t broken recently for the 2nd time I wouldn’t even ask. That’s why I’m starting it now and hopefully I’ll raise enough by May to order my new bike. If you’re able, I’d very much appreciate anything you can make for a donation and if you can’t swing a financial donation right now then just sharing will help.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and given me all this encouragement to do better and get myself into the shape I’m in now over the last few years.
Gio
In all honesty, i hadn’t been taking care of myself since my accident happened. I was overweight, a heavy smoker and had next to no stamina. But I immediately wanted to get a handcycle of my own, the only thing stopping me was the price. The entry level model was $3000, needless to say that was out of my price range since my only income is social security. A friend pushed me to start a GoFundMe fundraiser to see if people would support me in my attempt at getting my own bike. I did and I was blown away by the almost instantaneous outpouring of positive messages and donations. In less than 3 weeks I raised enough to order my bike, I received the handcycle I have now on July 1st of 2016.
My first ride was to the track at Clapp Park and it was for just over a mile. It’s a half mile from my house to that park and .35 miles per lap, I don’t think I was able to do 2 laps. I needed multiple breaks to catch my breath, as I said above, I was in terrible shape. For a while I needed help getting into and out of the bike because of how low it is to the ground, how much I weighed at the time and how little arm and shoulder strength I had. I stuck with it though. At the end of 2016, the first year with my bike, I could complete about 3 miles.
That first winter in between riding seasons I lost alot of the strength and stamina I had gained, but I did quit smoking. The next year we took the wheels off of my old wheelchair and used it as a transfer seat to get in and out of my bike, eliminating the need for extra people to help lift me in and out. I progressed slower than I would’ve liked, but the progress didn’t stop. By the end of 2017, the 2nd year with my bike, I was finishing 5-7 miles per ride. That year I got the tool that’s helped me keep up my gains through the winter months when I can’t go outside on the bike, I got the indoor trainer I use every day.
I started the year of 2018 in the best shape had been in in years and kept the push for progress going. In August of 2018 I passed my first 1000 miles completed. By the end of 2018 I was able finish a 15 mile max ride on the rail trail, but was regularly doing 8-10 miles in a ride.
After working through the winter of 2018-19 I started the spring of 2019 doing 9 miles on the track. By July of 2019 I had gone 2500 total miles. That was the year that my ability to go longer distances started to really progress. It was also the year the frame holding up the seat on my bike snapped for the first time. Luckily, I was able to get it fixed and back to running again. By the end of 2019 I was doing a half marathon pretty much every day. That’s when the miles really started adding up.
That brings me to last riding season. In 2020 I started doing between 75-90 miles per week, every week. In August of 2020 I passed 6000 miles done. Since last August I’ve gone about 2000 miles to put me at 8000 total completed. But just on December 31st months my frame snapped for the 2nd time in the same place as the year before. I love this bike but it’s come to the point where I need to start planning for an upgrade to a new bike that will be able to keep up with the amount of riding I do now on a regular basis.
When I got my bike I knew that I’d eventually need a new one. For that reason I’ve been putting a little money aside every month into a new bike fund. I’ve saved a good amount. But not enough for the kind of bike I’d really love. That’s why I’m also applying for a grant to help my cover the cost of a new top end arm bike that can endure the amount of work I’m putting in. I’m pretty sure I have a good chance of being approved but their grant will only get me about halfway and even after adding the savings I have there’s still a bit of a gap. So I’m going to be starting another fundraiser like I did in June of 2016. I won’t know if I got the grant or how much they’ve awarded me until the end of May and if I raise enough I won’t be taking delivery of my new bike until summertime.
I know this isn’t the optimal time to be asking people for donations and if my bike hadn’t broken recently for the 2nd time I wouldn’t even ask. That’s why I’m starting it now and hopefully I’ll raise enough by May to order my new bike. If you’re able, I’d very much appreciate anything you can make for a donation and if you can’t swing a financial donation right now then just sharing will help.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and given me all this encouragement to do better and get myself into the shape I’m in now over the last few years.
Gio
Organizer
Giovanni Lynch
Organizer
Pittsfield, MA