Living with my off road Mountain Trike wheelchair - 3 years on

6th October 2014

Mountain Trike – 3 years on…

So October 2014 marks quite an occasion for us - we have been trading for 3 years and we have been fortunate enough to meet some amazing and inspirational people. In the previous 5+ years of design and development we met a number of wheelchair users who helped the Mountain Trike become what it is today. Because we predominately sell direct to customers, we have built quite a relationship with our customers and we love hearing and sharing your stories. We are still in touch regularly with lots of our customers and have captured and want to share the thoughts from our very first customer on how the last 3 years have been for him with his Trike.

Whilst 3 years doesn’t seem like a big birthday to celebrate, it is quite a significant point for us as all our customers receive a 3 year warranty for their Mountain Trike - and other than the usual service and maintenance required for such technical equipment which is to be expected when putting it through its paces and extreme use - we can hold our heads up high that not one Mountain Trike has ever failed – which is testament to the high specification and quality components sourced to ensure the safety of all users.

It is a toss-up as to who our first customer was, either Richard Brooks from West Yorks or Rick Rogers who lives in London. We’re still in touch with both of them Richard has taken the time to put together some words about his last 3 years with his Mountain Trike – we hope you enjoy reading it and it gives you a little insight into what having a Mountain Trike means to him…

Hi, I’m Richard, 56 and live in Clecheaton, West Yorks I have Benign MS which means my symptoms pretty much stay the same, although I do have good days and bad days depending on how much I do – sometimes I overdo it, for example, last year I was asked to run a support vehicle for 3 cyclists cycling 1100 miles from Bangor, North Wales to Locarno, Switzerland. Even though I had help from my brother I found it exhausting – putting up and taking down tents, cooking food, restocking supplies, first aid support, driving to meeting points. All the rushing around left me exhausted and off work for 3 weeks recovering!

I am able to walk around the house unaided a lot of the time, bumping off walls and door-frames as I go, but more and more I use crutches or a recent purchase my 3-wheeled walker. I need to use crutches when I go out and if going more the 1-200 yards I need to use a wheelchair or my Mountain Trike.

I first heard about Mountain Trike when searching the internet, I’d tried an electric mountain bike but as my balance wasn’t very good and falling from it and breaking a rib I decided it wasn’t for me, so I started researching an alternative. I initially had a demonstration and test rode the Mountain Trike before hiring it for a weekend in North Wales and realised the freedom the Trike could give me to enjoy days out with my family.

I was hooked and placed my order for a Mountain Trike in August 2011 and I received my Trike in October 2011 - thus marking a very special occasion for Mountain Trike (and myself) as I’d become their very first customer and giving Tim (the inventor and now also Managing Director) the realisation that the Mountain Trike Company was born!

I tend to keep my Mountain Trike in the car so if there is ever an opportunity to use it instead of my regular folding wheelchair I can – obviously it isn’t always possible and I do feel a little guilty popping into my local supermarket with muddy wheels! I enjoy keeping in shape and love the fact that Mountain Trikes allows me to propel myself, if I get pushed around by others I feel my fitness levels dropping and waistband expanding which then takes more effort to get back!

I prefer to travel by car with my Trike as this offers me far greater independence and after a misfortunate accident when a Spanish airline crushed my Trike I prefer to stay clear of public transport. There are accessories available from Mountain Trike such as push handles and a place to store bags, but I use my own accessory bag to store essential items and could do with looking for an option for carrying my crutches – one for Tim to look at!

A final word from me to summarise my last 3 years with Mountain Trike… FREEDOM!

Go on take the plunge and let your adventure begin – you won’t regret it!