What is FREEDOM WHEELS®?

What's a bike clinic?

When and where are bike clinics held?

What modifications are available?

Can I bring my own bike?

Am I eligible?

Do I need a referral?

How much does it cost?

How long before I get the bike?

What if I can not afford to pay the fees?

How do I book an appointment?

One of the new Freedom Wheels modified bikes.

What is FREEDOM WHEELS®?

The FREEDOM WHEELS customised bike program modifies standard push bikes to give a new kind of independence to children with disabilities.

With the help of a highly skilled and innovative team of therapists, engineers and volunteers at TADNSW, children with disabilities can now enjoy mobility and a form of recreation previously unavailable to them.

FREEDOM WHEELS is a joint undertaking between TADNSW and AMWAY™ to expand the modified bike program.  The program is now also available in QLD and VIC through TAD organisations in each state.

Amway of Australia provides generous ongoing support for the FREEDOM WHEELS program, through the One by One Foundation.

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What’s a bike clinic?

FREEDOM WHEELS modify standard push bikes to the individual needs of the client. An assessment process is needed to ensure that the client receives a bike that is suited to the client’s age, height, weight, type of disability and physical and cognitive abilities. Input from the carers and therapists (or health care professionals) form an important part of the assessment process.

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When and where are bike clinics held?

Regular clinics are held in Sydney and in selected regional centres in New South Wales. For specific dates and locations, please visit our clinic schedule. Alternatively, you may ring the TADNSW office using the numbers on our contacts page.

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Depending on the needs of the child, each bike can look quite different.

What modifications are available?

Standard push bikes are not designed to provide the support needed by children with disabilities. Commercially available outriggers are designed to be used for the short term and upper body supports are only available through TADNSW’s modified bike program.

FREEDOM WHEELS now offers a wide range of modifications that are designed to stay on the bike permanently but still allow for easy storage and transport. Your child may not need all the modifications that are available.

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	Outriggers are an advanced set of training wheels which provide lateral stability to the bike. These are wider and stronger than standard training wheels yet more flexible, allowing the client to have a smoother ride, lean into corners and learn to develop normal riding patterns without having to focus on balancing the bike. The outriggers are designed to be left on the bike permanently yet are easily removable for storage or transport by the removal of just two pins.
	Postural Supports - A wide range of postural supports are available. Pelvic Belts provide increased stability to the pelvis whilst riding. Back and Head support plates provide assistance in maintaining upright postures. Hip and Thoracic fins further increase pelvic and trunk stability whilst seated and whilst riding. Belts can be attached to the fins for additional stability. All supports assist the rider by promoting functional riding postures and providing levels of energy conservation, making riding easier and more enjoyable. A wide range of postural supports are available.
	Footcup supports are placed on the pedals of the bike. These ensure correct positioning of the foot on the pedal and prevent the rider’s foot from falling off the pedal. The rider can then ride with more ease and efficiency.
	Handmitts - Hand supports fashioned from wetsuit material position the rider’s hands on the hand grips of the handlebar. These are ideal for riders with poor upper limb and hand control and strength.
	Special Handlebars - We can install handlebars which bring the grips closer to the rider. The width of the handlebars can also be made narrower to ensure correct hand and arm position. This promotes ideal riding posture.

Can I bring my own bike?

All the components used in the FREEDOM WHEELS Program are engineered and manufactured to ensure a safe and comfortable ride for our clients. These parts are designed to fit on a specific bike frame and will not mount properly on any other frame.

Bike frames are supplied through FREEDOM WHEELS at lower than recommended retail prices.

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Am I eligible?

FREEDOM WHEELS is available to any child with a disability. Clients do not need to undergo a means test.

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A diagram of the new FREEDOM WHEELS Modified Bike.

Do I need a referral?

In instances where a therapist is involved with a client’s care, the therapist should be consulted to determine whether bicycle riding is a suitable activity. Therapists are encouraged to attend the appointments with their clients. In instances where a therapist is not involved in a client’s care TADNSW’s Therapists will advise about the suitability of bike riding.

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How much does it cost?

TADNSW and our corporate partners, Amway of Australia, through the One by One Foundation, fund the cost of staff and further research and development. Clients are asked to reimburse the cost of the bikes and other parts specified by our professional team.

Please refer to our Price Guide for more details.

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How long before I get the bike?

The components available through the Freedom Wheels program allow our volunteers to customise each bike to the needs of the client. If the parts needed for a client’s bike are in stock, delivery of the bikes can be expected within a month after placing your order for Sydney clients and a little longer for regional clients.

There may, however, be rare instances where the client needs a component that is not in stock or a major modification needs to be done on stock components. Your assessment team will discuss timelines with you in this instance.

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What if I can not afford to pay the fees?

We offer a number of convenient payment options. You have the option of making either 4 or 6 equal fortnightly instalments made through your credit card.

For those receiving any form of payment from Centrelink, we are now able to offer Centrepay as another option. Centrepay allows you to assign a part of your Centrelink payment to pay for a whole range of services.

We are also happy to help you by providing quotes, brochures and other supporting literature to assist you in sourcing funds for your bike.

Please contact us for more details.

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How do I book an appointment?

Before placing a bike application you should consider the following questions:

• Does your therapist recommend riding a bike as a suitable activity?
• Do you have somewhere safe to ride a bike?
• Do you have somewhere to store the bike?
• Who will supervise the bike riding?

When you have decided that a FREEDOM WHEELS Bike is right for your child, then just fill in the expression of interest form we shall send you a confirmation letter specifying the location, date and time of your appointment.

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