What difference does using your cycle as a mobility aid make to your life?

My handcycle has enabled me to introduce active mobility (and therefore endorphins, improved muscle tone, improved wellbeing all round) into my life (as opposed to driving everywhere and being sedentary for the vast majority of the time). On days I cycle to work and back, I do the recommended 30 minutes of daily moderate physical exercise. This doesn’t happen if I use any other mode of transport to work.

What challenges, if any, have you encountered when using your cycle as a mobility aid?

The low quality of carriageway surface (potholes, cracks, ironworks, excessive cambers, broken edges to speed cushions and speed tables, etc.) render cycling a three wheeled handcycle quite hazardous as it makes for a very uncomfortable ride and could lead to tipping out of my handcycle and under a motor vehicle. To mitigate this, I ride into the middle of the road far more often than bicyclists and ride more slowly than other road users (in order that I have time to identify hazards in the road). This also increases my reluctance to try routes I’m unfamiliar with on my own. The overall effect is to limit the amount of cycling I do and therefore the benefits I could be gaining from cycling more.

If there was one thing that could change to help you to use your cycle as a mobility aid, what would it be?

I would like to see 20mph speed limits enforced throughout towns and cities so traffic becomes generally calmer and therefore safer to cycle in than it currently is.

Find out more about My Cycle, My Mobility Aid