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Bicycles, biking, & recumbent bikes for military veterans with PTSD
Return to the PTSD Resource Directory - LINK
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Cycling Resources for Wounded Warriors - LINK
Bicycles, biking, recumbent bikes programs
Adaptive Adventures
The mission of Adaptive Adventures is to provide progressive outdoor sports opportunities to improve quality of life for children, adults and veterans with physical disabilities and their families.
Adaptive Adventures main office is located in Lakewood, Colorado with a satellite office in Franklin Park, Illinois. Adaptive Adventures provides ongoing programs, camps and clinics in cycling, climbing, kayaking, paddle boarding, skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, scuba, rafting and dragon boat racing.
Adaptive Adventures offers a unique mobile program. Unlike site based adaptive sports programs, Adaptive Adventures travels the country with 15 trailers filled with adaptive equipment providing programs to underserved areas of the country. Adaptive Adventures provides programs in 30 states, collaborating with over 150 community partners across the country including; rehab hospitals, park districts, VA medical centers, military hospitals, veteran service organizations, and other adaptive sport programs. We believe in FREEDOM through Mobility for our participants and in our program structure.
Adaptive Adventures programming is offered to participants and their families free of charge or significantly subsidized. Adaptive Adventures believes cost should never be a barrier to someone's participation in quality outdoor adaptive sport opportunities.
AMBUCS
Are you one of the many veterans who bravely fought to protect our country and now face life changing challenges? AMBUCS believes you should have every opportunity to engage in the active lifestyle you enjoyed prior to your service.
We understand that some wounds are visible and some are not. If you are unable to operate a traditional bike, for whatever reason, the Amtryke adaptive tricycle may be for you...
Angel City Games (Southern California)
Adaptive sport programs for kids, adults and veterans with physical disabilities and visual impairments.
Bicycling Blind
The U.S. Blind Tandem Cycling Connection endeavors to increase the participation of individuals who are visually impaired or blind in the exhilarating sport of tandem cycling.
We serve as a resource to:
- Connect blind and visually impaired cyclists with sighted cyclists
- Educate people about tandem cycling
- Disseminate information about tandem cycling clubs, events, and opportunities
- Address the needs of the blind tandem cycling community
Challenged Athletes Foundation - Operation Rebound (San Diego, CA)
CAF’s Operation Rebound® program strengthens the mental and physical well-being of veterans, military personnel and first responders with permanent physical injuries by providing them opportunities to use sports and fitness to re-integrate into our communities and by empowering them through sports.
Through Operation Rebound specific grant requests and sport clinics, CAF is there to support our service members from Frontline to Finish line.
Expeditionary Veterans Association
The Expeditionary Veterans Association provides recreational therapy for military veterans with PTSD.
Face of America - Gettysburg
World T.E.A.M. is a nonprofit organization that creates inspiring athletic challenges for both adaptive and able-bodied participants. These inclusive programs empower individuals with confidence through enabling each athlete to overcome physical, emotional and technical challenges. The Face of America cycling challenge honors the sacrifices military veterans make in service to their country and the exceptional dedication and determination of adaptive athletes.
EMPOWER yourself to pedal more than 100 miles in two days through Maryland to Gettysburg’s historic Civil War battlefields alongside our nation’s military veterans.
ENABLE military, first responder and civilian adaptive athletes to overcome physical, emotional and technical challenges during an inspirational journey from Arlington, Virginia.
ENGAGE our growing World T.E.A.M. community of caring people, both able-bodied and adaptive, who ride in honoring military veterans and first responders who have given so much in their service.
Forgotten Not Gone
Suicide prevention through veteran peer support outdoor recreation.
Free Wheel Foundation
Fuel the recovery journey for our injured military heroes through participation in physical sporting activities, with a focus on cycling.
Honor the Warriors
Honor the Warriors is a veterans group providing camaraderie and giving veterans a sense of purpose toward shared goals that they can not get elsewhere. HTW believes strongly that no team is better equipped to take on any challenge than service members. We bring veterans together and our goal-oriented program provides the structure needed to achieve success on a regular basis.
For our riders, conquering a hill or passing a mile marker is more than just a singular achievement- it's recognition that all you worked for is still within your grasp.
Disabilities and differences shouldn't stop you - and the power of that message is why our country has always been great. Ride with us or sponsor one of our riders for an event. We succeed because of your support.
Hope for the Warriors
Team Hope For The Warrior® provides athletes of all abilities the opportunity to engage the competitive spirit at endurance events. Warrior Team members are provided adaptive equipment and race support to ensure that they are defined by their achievements rather than by their injuries. Community Team members challenge themselves to raise funds for America’s heroes, set new athletic goals, or simply support our military. Together, these Team members are united by the goal to improve the rehabilitation of wounded service members and military families.
Impact a Hero (Houston, TX)
Impact A Hero is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds and facilitates the personal and professional growth of combat veterans and their caregivers. We remove barriers to their growth and provide opportunities for their progress.
International Veteran Cycle Association
The International Veteran Cycle Association is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the bicycle, bicycling, and the enjoyment of the bicycle as a machine.
Life Aid Research Institute (Calabasas, CA)
Life Aid Research Institute seeks to improve brain health by researching and validating emerging technology and functional medicine therapies in order to create new treatment protocols. The whole health approach empowers resilience by combining peer support, technology, functional medicine, and community activation that will reduce suicide in military, veterans, and first responders. This integrative and evidence-based therapeutic approach utilizes objective quantitative analysis using data from before and after brain imaging.
Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation (Newry, ME)
Maine Adaptive is a year-round program that promotes adaptive sports and recreation for people 4 and up with disabilities who live in or visit Maine.
Winter activities include alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing.
Summer activities include golf, cycling, paddling, tennis, climbing, and mountain biking.
Specialty programs include an alpine race team, program for disabled military veterans and active duty personnel as well as a program for individuals with blindness or visual impairments.
Miles to Freedom (Swanton, OH)
Just like a bicycle chain is made up of links that work together to propel the bicycle forward, Miles 2 Freedom is a group where veterans gather to support, grow and heal together on the trail through adventure cycling.
Miles 2 Freedom is a healthy outlet implementing a proven system that helps veterans reconnect, find purpose and gain confidence in an adventure-driven environment that fosters community, creativity, and personal growth.
Mission OM Foundation
The Mission OM Foundation has supported the veterans and service members of the CSRA for the past 5 years, providing mind-body services through counseling, advocacy, wellness and adaptive sports.
We offer support, programming and activities veterans and their family members as they move through life.
Move United Sport
Formerly Disabled Sports USA and Adaptive Sports USA. Since 1956, we use the power of sports to push what's possible for people with disabilities.
The mission of Move United Warfighters is simple: to provide adaptive sports to severely wounded warriors free of cost. Thanks to generous supporters, we supported more than 1,900 wounded warriors and their families just last year alone.
MTB Vets (Chamblee, GA)
We are veterans who understand the potential challenges of transitioning into and thriving within the civilian community. As proud veterans and enthusiastic mountain bikers, we firmly believe in ‘trail therapy’. The trail challenges the body, stimulates the mind, and soothes the soul … and your riding companions become family. You belong.
National Ability Center (Park City, UT)
Since 1985, the National Ability Center has been committed to the development of lifetime skills for people of all ages and abilities by providing affordable outdoor sports and recreational experiences in a nurturing environment.
National Senior Games Association
The NSGA exists today as a non-profit organization dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement. The Games, a 20-sport, biennial competition for men and women 50 and over, is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors.
NSGA Member Organizations hold annual games with qualifying competitions in the year preceding The Games. Athletes that meet specific criteria while participating in the State Senior Games qualify to participate. To date, the NSGA has held 17 summer national championships.
Operation Comfort (San Antonio, TX)
The cycling program was the first sports program Operation Comfort decided to take on in 2005. We have a fleet of handcycles, recumbent trikes, tandems, road bikes that we can adapt and fit to you.
We ride on Wednesdays and Saturdays at various locations in San Antonio and the Hill Country. We welcome all abilities and skill levels. We also do multiple special rides each year.
Operation Mend
Operation Mend is distinguished by its focus on including veterans’ families in care and providing comprehensive case management, coordination and social support to help eliminate barriers to treatment. We’ve also made treatment more accessible by offering both in-person and virtual programs for those struggling with symptoms of PTSD and TBI. All aspects of the program come at zero cost to qualifying veterans and their caregivers, including housing and transportation.
Operation North State
Cycling Heals - Vets Connect event - this outing will take place the second Tuesday of every month at Salem Lake in Winston-Salem moving forward.
Over the past few years, numerous wounded warriors / DVets have asked ONS to host cycling events. It’s not like a hundred of you have asked but if we can just get 30 -50 of you interested in cycling again that would be great. Cycling isn’t cheap and some of you haven’t been on a bike in years. Partnering with the National Cycling Center will help get you back on bikes. They have loaner bikes and helmets for the day of the events.
They also are collecting used bikes from cyclists to reworked and give to you. Our goal is to give wounded warriors / DVets 20 -30 quality bikes each year.
Operation Yellowbird
Empowering veterans via camaraderie/networking, outdoors recreation, and healthy physical activity like backpacking, hiking, camping, and mountain bike riding. We want to show our brother/sister vets more of the country they volunteered to defend and protect. We protected it. We defended it. We sacrificed for it. Now let's experience it.
Outdoors for All Foundation (Seattle, WA)
The Outdoors for All Foundation transforms lives through outdoor recreation. Founded in 1979 in the Pacific Northwest, Outdoors for All is a national leader in delivering adaptive and therapeutic recreation for children and adults with disabilities. Each year more than 3,000 individuals exercise their abilities thanks to the training and support of more than 850 volunteers. Outdoors for All enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities and families and helps them to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Outdoors for All’s programs includes snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country and downhill skiing, cycling, mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, youth and adult day camps, yoga, military programs, weekend excursions and custom events.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Racing
Each year Paralyzed Veterans of America Racing (PVAR) conducts an adaptive cycling clinic benefitting veterans and youth within the local community. Networking with the local PVA Chapter and other neighboring NGOs, this one-day event highlights the opportunities in recreational and competitive para-cycling for physically-challenged cyclist.
To date there have been more than 25 clinics held across the USA.
Phoenix Patriot Foundation (Sun City, CA)
Phoenix Patriot Foundation was designed to fill a niche in veteran services that is not being met – empowering wounded and injured veterans by creating unique opportunities specific to personal passions.
Project Echelon
We educate, equip, and empower veterans and their communities through physical activity and self discovery.
Project Hero
Founded in 2008, Project Hero is a groundbreaking national non-profit organization dedicated to helping Veterans and First Responders affected by PTSD, TBI and injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery, and resilience in their daily lives and increasing awareness to combat the national mental health emergency posed by PTSD and TBI.
Project Hero programs including Ride 2 Recovery events and Project Hero HUB Community Centers produce positive outcomes at lower costs and reduce drug-based therapies. The organization also builds and provides adaptive bikes to physically-challenged and injured veterans and first responders and founded the Project Hero Institute for Mental Health to support clinical research programs in 2016.
Ride 2 Recovery started when a recreational therapist with the Veterans Administration thought cycling would be an effective alternative therapy for PTSD and TBI treatment as well as physical injury rehabilitation.
Ride Alleghenyl
The ride of your life to raise funds supporting our wounded American heroes.
Rogue Veteran's Mountain Bike Alliance
Rogue Veteran’s Mountain Bike Alliance started out as four friends riding together two prior service veterans and two active duty veterans. We had all used mountain biking as an outlet to deal with our own issues whether it was mental or physical and immediately realized it had a major positive impact on our lives. We then decided to share this experience with any other military people we could, hoping that it would also provide them with the same or better experience. A year down the road we went from a small bike ride group to a nationally recognized non-profit with hundreds of members. Rogue has provided soldiers with a sense of camaraderie like they experienced in their units and built a community that is very close and tight knit. Proving that mountain biking is a great outlet to help many of our current and past military deal with any challenges they might face.
Semper Fi Fund
This athletic program is composed of service members who have overcome significant challenges in their service to our country and embraced the fighting spirit on their road to recovery. Events include mountain bike riding, road bike rides, and triathlon camps.
Strata - US Military Veterans Cycling Club
This club is exclusive to U.S. military. Disabled & honorably discharged veterans and those current active duty service members. We shared a common duty and now we share a common interest. Cycling for fitness. Body, Soul & Mind!
Our mission is to build a community that offers camaraderie, support for our fellow vets. A club where all can seek advice from other veterans. From cycling advice to information on local or national cycling events. To Honor The Fallen, Those That Gave Their All. “Always Remembered! Never Forgotten!”
Team Possabilities (Loma Linda, CA)
PossAbilities is a FREE, non-profit, community outreach program operated by Loma Linda University Health. Our goal is to provide those with permanent physical disabilities and veterans support and resources to stay active and healthy in life!
Team Red, White, and Blue
The mission of Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.
Team TAPS
Join the team to raise funds and awareness for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) at the Armed Forces Cycling Classic. TAPS provides direct support to families who have been impacted by a death in the military.
Team USA
Competitive Adaptive cyclists who race under the colors & banner of Paralyzed Veterans Racing. The team races within the United State Handcycling Federation's sanctioned events and numerous other competitive & recreational events ranging from Marathons to MS 150s. The team is made up of military veterans who served within the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard and were either injured during their service or after their honorable discharge. Veterans need not be paralyzed to become a team member. Paralyzed Veterans Racing is one of many adaptive sporting opportunities sponsored by Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Texas Warrior 100
The primary mission of the Texas Warrior 100 is to provide hope and resiliency to honorably discharged veterans and first responders, to restore the camaraderie that was lost the moment each exited service.
The Armed Forces Cycling Classic
The Armed Forces Cycling Classic is the region’s premier cycling event, with opportunities to participate for cyclists of all abilities.
The Dirt Therapy Project (San Antonio, TX)
Our mission at The Dirt Therapy Project is to help veterans manage stressors in life due to PTSD, military transitions, school, work or other life events. We aim to facilitate this through an introduction to mountain biking, fresh air, camaraderie and good ol’ fashioned PT.
The Warrior Ride (Oak Island, NC)
The Warrior Ride is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization founded in Oak Island, North Carolina with a mission of rehabilitation for our injured war heroes.
The Warrior Ride vision is to provide our nation's injured service members the opportunity to find their own starting line for a new future and to bring community support and awareness of the sacrifice our heroes make in their effort to keep freedom free and to offer communities the opportunity to thank our nations heroes.
US Air Force Cycling Team
The Air Force Cycling Team’s primary mission is to promote the Air Force as our nation’s great defender of freedom in the air, space, and cyberspace.
Our team consists of men and women who are serving or who have served, and who exemplify what makes our Air Force what it is today. We do this by showing how a team of Air Force cyclists can exhibit the Air Force core values of: Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All we do. Exhibiting these traits as we operate as representatives of the greater force. The team uses cycling as a way to display wingmanship and an attitude of Service.
US Military Endurance Sports
The US Military Endurance Sports (USMES) program, a division of American Servicemembers Amateur Sports Inc. (ASAS), is a non-profit organization chartered to support amateur athletes, endurance sports education and activities for current, retired, and veteran members of the United States Uniformed Services.
Velo\Vets (Sierra Vista and Tuscon, AZ)
Cyclists, volunteers and supporters enriching the lives of disabled veterans in our community by sharing the physical and mental benefits of cycling and camaraderie.
Velo\Vets offers two weekly rides supporting veterans, disabled veterans, and the larger community looking for opportunities to cycle which combine fun, exercise, social connection and service.
Veterans Expeditions (Colorado)
We are a veteran lead non-profit, organization in the State of Colorado that began in 2010, to enhance the lives of our nation’s veterans. We understand the issues and struggles veterans deal with every day. We are a community oriented and outdoor focused organization.
Warrior Expeditions
Warrior Expeditions supports combat veterans transitioning from their military service by participating in long distance outdoor expeditions.
In 1948, Earl Shaffer told a friend he was going to “walk off the war” to work out the sights, sounds, and losses of World War II. Four months later, Earl Shaffer became the first person to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.
Following in Earl Shaffer’s footsteps and in recognizing the therapeutic effects of long distance outdoor expeditions, Warrior Expeditions created the Warrior Hike, Warrior Bike, and Warrior Paddle programs which are designed to help combat veterans transition from their military service.
Warriors 4 Life
The mission of Warriors 4 Life is to create a healthy life style through health and wellness for our nation's warriors and their families. We will provide them with Strength by encouragement; Recovery through self awareness and Empowerment by giving them the tools and highlighting their abilities.
One of the ways to stop this is through the promotion of Physical Health and Wellness . If we help our veterans get used to their new "normal" , it is as if we taught them to live again. This is possible by promoting a healthy lifestyle, moral and family support , exercises, but above all by providing Recovery and Empowerment.
Warriors 4 Life have been able to achieved some of this through swimming, track and field, CYCLING events (which is our preferred event for the help that we provide to our veterans ), hiking and other physical activities. We have started with a team of cycling of wounded veterans and their families.
World T.E.A.M. Sports
Since World T.E.A.M.‘s first inclusive program in 1987, our non-profit organization has used athletics to challenge adaptive men, women and children to accomplish goals they never thought possible. We strongly believe that “The Exceptional Athlete Matters.”
Wounded Warrior Project - Soldier Ride
Soldier Ride is a four-day cycling experience where you’ll meet warriors like you, push your limits beyond what you think is possible, and leave with a deeper understanding of who you are and what you’re capable of.
No bike necessary – we provide you access to them at no cost.
Even if you’re injured, you can still be a part of the journey. We offer state-of-the-art adaptive hand cycles, trikes, and bicycles for warriors with injuries and disabilities.
Funding options
Arkansas Freedom Fund - Bike for Troops (Bryant, AR) (Arkansas veterans only)
The Arkansas Freedom Fund exists to serve and support activities that benefit veterans, active duty military, wounded warriors, and their families.
Bicycling is one of the most advantageous ways a injured serviceman can recuperate and rehabilitate. At the AFF we want to put Arkansans on the road to recovery through cycling. Our servicemen need a way to return to an active lifestyle. These men and women have been physically active throughout their lives and are eager to continue a an active lifestyle post their specific injury. The program offers a chance to get on a bike and prove to themselves, “Hey, I can still do this." Our Bike for Troops program wants to find the bike that meets the specific injury. Encourages the veteran to continue and strive to meet physical goals of recovery.
Reactive Adaptations
Reactive Adaptations builds adaptive off road handcycles or recumbents. They hae compiled a list of organizations who have funded adaptive off road equipment in the past.
NOTE: Other organizations (listed above under Programs) may also be resourceful in funding a handcycle, recumbent cycle, or tandem bike.
A special "Thank You" to Al Lopez, a friend of Operation We Are Here, who volunteers his time to keep me informed of critical and helpful resources relating to Bike Therapy for military veterans!
Copyright 2008 - 2023 Benita Koeman, Operation We Are Here. All rights reserved.
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